Why do we have electric anchor winches when they clearly do not work. Anchor winches

[Fuss]

It’s a safety issue for critical equipment.
So, let’s install an electric anchor winch. We do the research, we choose an oversize one that is far too powerful for our boat and we install.
We read a few threads on here about technique and we learn that we should never pull our boat up to the anchor using the windlass or it might burn out or whatever....(really who would design such a delicate system for such critical equipment, especially when you anchor is too heavy to bring in by hand).
Apart from this minor inconvenience, It works great.
Oh look, there’s a big wind now and it wakes us up, I think we have to move, get up get up, it’s raining too.
S**** those waves are big too, what did you say, I can’t see your hand signals, I said, I can’t see your hand signals, port, no starboard, stop , stop.
There’s a bad smell like burning coming from the windlass, is it ok.

So why do we put up with this weakness. When clearly what we need is a self contained hydraulic one for a reasonable price.
Advantages are huge... just start the process, if the hydraulics are overloaded the winch stops, nothing burns out. You can pull up your anchor in all conditions, not just sunny days.
Of course we don’t want a huge pump and motor and oil tank making it far too expensive but if something was available that brought up my anchor at a 3rd of the speed of my 2kw, 1000kg winch, I would consider it.

Any ideas, anyone made a hydraulic one?

[Chotu]

A manual windlass. Never fails to work. You can pull your boat to the anchor with it too.

[kenbo]

Yes many, google hydraulic anchor winch

[rslifkin]

I don't get the concern about electric windlasses not working. The original one on my boat made 34 years before I replaced it due to wanting a stronger, more capable one (still worked fine). New one is just ending its first season and has worked flawlessly. I also don't super baby the windlass. I don't abuse it, but in calm conditions I'll allow it to give a brief pull to get the boat moving, then let the boat coast up a bit to gain slack, then continue retrieving. But I do keep the clutch set a little loose so that the clutch will slip well before the motor stalls when pulling the chain tight to break out the anchor, etc.

The warnings about not using the windlass to pull the boat, etc. are aimed at people who can't tell when the windlass is starting to strain, etc. They figure it's easier to just say "don't do that" rather than trying to explain how to do it without destroying the motor.

[Shrew]

The windlass is designed to retrieve the anchor chain and and anchor, not drag the boat there in the process. Drive the boat to the anchor and pull in the slack chain as you go. It's not that hard.

Is your example a real-world scenario?? If it's blowing so hard that you can't reasonably retrieve the anchor, where the heck are you going that you need to pull up the anchor?

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Shrew

The windlass is designed to retrieve the anchor chain and and anchor, not drag the boat there in the process. Drive the boat to the anchor and pull in the slack chain as you go. It's not that hard.

Is your example a real-world scenario?? If it's blowing so hard that you can't reasonably retrieve the anchor, where the heck are you going that you need to pull up the anchor?

That’s what I’m saying. LOL

In the conditions described, you’re staying put in the anchorage.

[Fuss]

I’m going to the lee of the island, I f***ed up with the weather forecast, there is a local storm, it’s dark, the waves are bigger than forecast, it became a lee shore, it’s my weather apps fault etc etc

[anotherT34C]

99% of the time it goes like this; windlass pulls in slack chain for 10 seconds then shut down. Boat then drifts forward for 5 seconds as the chain pulls us forward as it slacks. windlass then runs 10 seconds to pull in slack chain... repeat as necessary. If winds are high enough that the chain isn’t slack, drive forward until it is. Communicate via walkie talkies

[Emmalina]

Blaming equipment failure on lack of experience Is like a golfer blaming his clubs....

[CassidyNZ]

The primary reason I don’t haul the boat forward on the anchor winch is more about excessive battery drain than the winch not being capable. But whenever possible, I use the catenary of the chain to get the boat moving, once moving the winch lifts the chain effortlessly.

The anchor winch is for lifting ground tackle, not for motive power. Drive the boat forward if you have to. If your winch is making smoke, it’s your fault, not the winch.

[chris mac]

Originally Posted by Fuss

I’m going to the lee of the island, I f***ed up with the weather forecast, there is a local storm, it’s dark, the waves are bigger than forecast, it became a lee shore, it’s my weather apps fault etc etc

If your motor can't move you forward over the anchor, pulling it up is a bad idea.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Fuss

I’m going to the lee of the island, I f***ed up with the weather forecast, there is a local storm, it’s dark, the waves are bigger than forecast, it became a lee shore, it’s my weather apps fault etc etc

Again, this is not a real-world scenario. If it's a squall, it will pass. If this is a storm of any length, a decent weather app is going to indicate it's coming. Multiple weather apps won't all miss it. I'm sure you're analyzing weather with a quiver of resources and not a single app on a phone....right?

[noelex 77]

Hydraulic anchor winches are great, but I think you are being a little pessimistic about the ability of electric models.

Unfortunately, boat builders want to save money on ground tackle. One of the best ways of achieving this aim is to fit a small anchor winch.

[seandepagnier]

First raise the mainsail. This allows the boat to sail over the anchor and you can easily pull it in and lock it as the boat tacks back and forth. Using this method the sail is doing the work, not the windlass.

For breaking the anchor loose and there are 5 or 6 different techniques to deal with this that I know of depending on the circumstances each one is suited differently and I have never lost an anchor. Using an engine is not one of them.


As for burning out the windlass. This is not any difference from hydraulic. It will also burn out if stalled. Maybe your non-hydraulic windlass is not a fair comparison. Maybe it needs a fuse, it should have a temperature sensor as well but probably doesn't.


hydraulic windlass will use twice as much power to do the same thing which probably doesn't matter since it doesn't run for very long.

[Bycrick]

Most electric windlasses are designed for intermittent duty cycle. Mine is rated for 15-seconds-on, a minute off. They’re designed to lift the anchor and chain, not to pull a 30000 pound boat against wind and waves. Mine is 40-years-old. I’ve been cruising the boat since 1998. Last year, I pulled it out to replace a delaminated spacer block. Aside from some corrosion at the top of the case, the rest of it was in perfect shape. That seems like reasonably decent service to me.