Windlass purchase

[Dirk Williams]

How does one size a windlass for, a 33.5 SV using a 45/50 pound anchor. What size windless should I purchase.

Thank you in advance.

Dirk

[Jim Cate]

Most manufacturers recommend that the dead lift rating of the windlass be at least three times the total weight of the rode plus the anchor.

Jim

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Dirk Williams

How does one size a windlass for, a 33.5 SV using a 45/50 pound anchor. What size windless should I purchase.

Thank you in advance.

Dirk

My vote would be to start by asking what others with your type of boat are using for there Windlass.

Horizontal or Vertical?

A lot of times you can save money by not making a mistake that another cruiser will steer you away from making.

[UNCIVILIZED]

What Jim Cate said, & obviously it has to precisely fit your chain as well. And the windlass type has to integrate well with the rest of your anchoring setup. Mostly the design of your roller, & the angles involved when hoisting or deploying your anchor.

[maine50]

I bought an Anchorlift 5 years ago thru Wholesale Marine. Not a well known brand but has 5 year warranty and West sells smaller sizes. The design is much better than the one it replaced. (Simpson Lawrence). You should have a 900 to 1000w motor for your size anchors and a full chain setup. Besides the weight of anchor & chain add another 50 to 100 lbs of mud you could be trying to lift.
Other than cost (always a consideration for most of us) you're better off erring on slightly oversizing. AS others have pointed out make sure the gypsy fits
your existing chain assuming you have some chain already.

[Dirk Williams]

Thank you all. My budget is 12/1400 and like everybody here,,want the most bang for my buck. So my anchor is 45 pounds, and I intend to use 200 feet of 1/4 bbb chain.

My big concern is length of rode, for deep water in Alaska, and I just read a couple more books, in which the folks were dropping 300 ft and barely having proper scope for,a storm, in the South Pacific.

So I need strong strong tackle. As for horizontal or vertical. No idea. What are the strengths for both, and why.

Thanks again.

Dirk

[UNCIVILIZED]

My preference is to get a vertical windlass with a capstan, & mount it so that the motor is just aft of the bulkhead that seperates the chain locker from the v-berth. That way the electrical bits stay out of the perpetually wet chainlocker. And with a vertical one you can use the capstan as a powered winch for various chores.

Maxwell make several that work for such an installation. Such as this one, & it's near to your price range. --> Maxwell VW Series VW1000 Vertical Windlass

Also, you might consider 1/4" G40/43 chain. The cost is lower, & you get much stronger chain. Which, it might suit you better, as 1/4" BBB seems a bit anemic for a boat that size.

[Dirk Williams]

Uncivilized, I already purchased 200 ft of 1/4 chain, in new condition. It's top of the line 1/4 I said bbb, but might have it wrong, paid 400.00

I've also purchased 600ft 1/2 rode for the stern and 300ft of 1/2 to attached as rode to my anchor up front.

I can see another 150 foot of chain for my journey north, and overseas.

Dirk

[Dirk Williams]

Thank,you,for the windlass tip. I can see a multi function ability of,your suggestion. I'm a month maybe two out on this purchase.,

Uncivilized I've been buying sailboat stuff big time. I've got at least one 8 foot truck bed full of,supplies to haul,and install on the boat. At least two weeks worth of work, before I start on the wood work.

Then I get to haul the boat and do the bottom. It's just me doing the work. Mrs, Williams will not be on board until my HR 33s ready to cruise. Actually,she's a teacher, and doesn't have the time to go until summer.

Thanks again.

Dirk

[UNCIVILIZED]

I completely understand about how much gear one sometimes needs for a boat. Ditto on how they eat up time. AKA labors of love. And yeah, it's amazing how much gear a "small" boat can swallow.

Here's a link to a thread with pics & diagrams of the installation I mentioned. And it'll work with some other brands & types of windlasses too. Plus, the further aft you can mount & locate heavy gear like windlasses & chain, the less the boat tries to turn into a submarine when it's windy (burying the bow).
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...on-162683.html

My comment about chain wasn't meant to be critical. It's based on the generally accepted loads that ground tackle sometimes sees. And that that size BBB chain, & 1/2" rope rode don't synch up with them. You can do a search online & find other sources for the numbers, but here's one link. And it shows that for anchoring in heavy weather that 1/4" G40/43 chain is a bit light. Which isn't news to me given your boat's size, especially if you're going to be cruising in locales where it's commonly windy.
http://www.mantusanchors.com/mantus-...anchor-sizing/


PS: It's possible to edit one's posts for 1/2hr after they're first created, if such is desired for readability, or to edit content.