Rope rode through gypsy?

[PaintedKite]

I’m on a boat with ~80ft of anchor chain plus a good length of rope rode. The boat has a typical Lofrans windlass with gypsy.

Question: so how do you pay-out the rope rode, if needed? It doesn’t seem to be possible to lift it off the gypsy. And it seems like running it through the gypsy (using the windlass motor) would weaken/wear the rope. Is there a way to disengage the gypsy — get it to spin freely, then just “manhandle” the rope?

Many thx in advance!

[sailormed]

Just use the gypsy, it has teeth for the chain and wedges for the rode, I do not know of any other way to use the anchor winch.

[rslifkin]

Some windlasses will handle rope nicely on the gypsy, others don't. My Maxwell HRC10 happily pays out and hauls in a mixed rode using the gypsy, including feeding the rope/chain splice.

I'm not sure if your Lofrans is intended to handle rope on the gypsy or not, but if it has a groove for the rope and your rode fits that groove appropriately, I'd try it and see how it performs.

[Jim Cate]

Question: so how do you pay-out the rope rode, if needed?

Can you not just slip the clutch a bit when you reach the rope part? I've no experience with your specific windlass, but that would work on all the ones that I've had on my boats.

Jim

[Chotu]

Lofrans is set up to handle chain and rope on the same Gypsy

Just run it right through. It’s made to accept it. if you look closely between the round slots for the chain, you see a V shaped groove. It allows multiple rope rode sizes to be handled just like chain.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Lofrans is set up to handle chain and rope on the same Gypsy

Just run it right through. It’s made to accept it. if you look closely between the round slots for the chain, you see a V shaped groove. It allows multiple rope ride sizes to be handled just like chain.

... provided there is a rope-to-chain SPLICE...

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

... provided there is a rope-to-chain SPLICE...

Well you would imagine so. How else is he paying all this out??

Tying on a hitch?

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Well you would imagine so. How else is he paying all this out??

Tying on a hitch?

might have chain & rope joined with an eye splice/thimble and shackle?

[PaintedKite]

Yes, there is a rope-to-chain splice.
Many thanks, everyone for all the replies!
We will experiment tomorrow morning running the rope through the windlass.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

might have chain & rope joined with an eye splice/thimble and shackle?

True! Looks like he has the splice.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by PaintedKite

Yes, there is a rope-to-chain splice.
Many thanks, everyone for all the replies!
We will experiment tomorrow morning running the rope through the windlass.

Try it in the marina while moored in your berth. Most easy and safest.

[SaltyMetals]

I have a 2004 "Airon" Lofrans for my 10mm (3/8") chain but the gypsy does not hv the special grippers to take rope. I have been in touch with the distributors for Lofrans but it seems this model never had the optional gypsy that wld also handle rope. (If anyone knows of a supplier for a rope+chain gypsy for this model then i would be happy to hear from them). For the rare occasions when my 80m of chain is insufficient i use some of my 16mm multiplait but control it around the drum on the windlass rather than the gypsy. The real challenge is to switch from Multiplait on the drum to chain on the gypsy when weighing the anchor but i usually take another line from a winch to temporarily hold the chain and bring it up enough to get it around the gypsy while i take the multiplait off the drum. I wish there was an easier way of doing it but it does not happen very often. Longer term the real solution is to change the windlass to one that has a rope+chain gypsy but my old one works fine for the moment.
Andrew

[Scubaseas]

What everyone else said plus the Lofrans and Lewmars I have used are very particular about what rode you use. Not only size but also the manufacturer. Most windlasses will have a "free fall" clutch which is what you should be using/disengaging for letting long lengths of rode out. When brining it back in go slow when you get to the chain/rode splice as it won't always feed right. Go slow and be prepared to let it back out a couple of inches and try again. If your splice is tight beat on it with a winch handle or some other persuader to loosen it up.

[philcun50]

When weighing anchor, as the splice approaches the the windlass I reach under and just pull it through while using the windlass. I guess not every setup allows this. Even though I can raise the anchor from the cockpit there are so many things that can go wrong. I now always operate it with the pendant on the bows. I have a swivel that I went a lot of trouble to fit and what a pain. Has to go. Anchor is forever coming up the wrong way or the swivel gets stuck half way along the slot in the anchor. I don’t recommend using a swivel. If your chain is setup properly the anchor should always come the right way. There are 4 ways to setup the chain on the gypsy. If your anchor is coming up 180° out you need to rotate the chain on the gypsy 180°. If it’s 90° out you need to either add or remove a link. When using rope and chain you should get the setup right and mark the rode end of the chain so it starts on the gypsy with the correct link up. This might be harder than I think as I’ve only read about it so far.

[Sailorichiban]

Chain snubber
When raising the anchor stop when the chain approaches the windless . Attach the chain snubber a few feet forward of the windlass. Wrap 3 turns from the chain snubber around the windlass and tail as raising. Do not tail the rode.
Remove the rode from the windlass and engage the chain upon the gypsy. Remove the chain snubber.
An easy process as serval feet of slack chain is available.
This procedure has worked perfectly for the last fifteen years with a lewmar windlass. Perfect for strong winds. Works regardless of chain to rode splice or thimble and shackle.