Do you move your anchor and chain underway?

[Roy M]

Snowpetrel, the switch wiring for your windlass motor goes to a relay to make the motor go one way or the other. By simply making any number of additional switches connected IN PARALLEL you can place a simple double-throw on-off-on momentary rocker switch anywhere you want. In addition to the switch, I include a large red LED next to it to notify me that the windlass circuit is energized, and it provides some light for me to work by if it's dark.

[Gerrycooper56]

Originally Posted by Roy M

Snowpetrel, the switch wiring for your windlass motor goes to a relay to make the motor go one way or the other. By simply making any number of additional switches connected IN PARALLEL you can place a simple double-throw on-off-on momentary rocker switch anywhere you want. In addition to the switch, I include a large red LED next to it to notify me that the windlass circuit is energized, and it provides some light for me to work by if it's dark.

Harbor Freight sell a remote control for a truck winch, cost around $35. Simple installation on the windlass solenoid control box and the remote has a ring for a lanyard. Not only is it handy for leaning over the bow and paying out chain for the bridle but when inside the anchor locker you can haul in or out.



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[Stumble]

The only boats I have removed the anchor on were serious race boats. But don't think to emulate them, we had containers show up at the end of the race with the anchor, and a tender to deploy it. The boat did carry a small (minimum allowed) anchor below, but no one in their right mind would rely on it.

Frankly any gain in performance to me would be offset by the now massive amount of anchor chain you will have to live around for days or weeks on end. The trade off just isn't worth it.

[Snowpetrel]

^ thanks. Both solutions are great ideas for making it easier to restow the chain aft. I'm just setting up snowpetrel2's anchoring system/chain lockers . So I will look into something like this. Cheers

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[Cadence]

Just wondering? How did it get from should I restow my anchor to remote windless switches?

[colemj]

Originally Posted by CruisingKitty

One thing to note, if you do leave your anchor on the bow, always secure your anchor with a rope to a cleat or some other secure point and leave the chain a bit loose. That takes the strain off the windlass and shackle. Friends lost an anchor overboard when their swivel sheared. They had always made their chain bar taut to keep the anchor from rattling. Bye bye shiny SS anchor!

Doesn't everyone have a chain stop that can be used for this purpose? The windlass shouldn't be used to take the full force of anchoring.

Mark

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Gerrycooper56

Harbor Freight sell a remote control for a truck winch, cost around $35. Simple installation on the windlass solenoid control box and the remote has a ring for a lanyard. Not only is it handy for leaning over the bow and paying out chain for the bridle but when inside the anchor locker you can haul in or out.

Check on Amazon and eBay stores - you can get these for ~$12. I got one on Amazon with no expectation that it would work. Imagine my surprise. Even if the ruggedness is not up to snuff, you can buy 10 of them for what Lewmar sells theirs for.

Mark

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by steve77

.............. what are the risks involved with a large anchor on the bow roller when on a long passage? Burying the bow in a wave will have the real possibility of damage if the anchor came adrift.

There are several ways of securing the anchor so this can't happen. Some you buy, some you make. Your anchor should be secured regardless of where you travel.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by colemj

Doesn't everyone have a chain stop that can be used for this purpose? The windlass shouldn't be used to take the full force of anchoring.

Mark

Nope to first question and yep to second .

I don't use a chain stop but I do secure the chain to the Samson post rather that the windlass when anchored, usually by way of a snubber.

Originally Posted by rwidman

There are several ways of securing the anchor so this can't happen. Some you buy, some you make. Your anchor should be secured regardless of where you travel.

Exactly and let me add, the method of securing should be both secure and easy to release. This is not always self-evident to some

[Don C L]

I have a medium displacment boat and I don't move the chain BUT where I am cruising I am not going very far at a stretch. If I were out longer I probably would move the chain, not anchors. BUT I have a fairly small boat and I don't have a LOT of chain to move too. Maybe another reason not to buy a really big boat...

[Roy M]

Cadence, I believe the OP was referring to the effect of the weight and rode on performance. Once that had been established, others chimed in on options to leaving the mass of anchor and chain up in the tippytop of the hull's pointy end. Not necessarily thread drift. Here's an excerpt of his first post:"do you leave your anchor and chain in the chain locker or do you move ir aft to get the weight out of the end of the boat and cut down on hobby horsing?".

[markpierce]

Couldn't imagine moving 200 feet of 3/8-inch chain and related anchor around the boat. Besides, my boat is a bit stern-heavy with full tankage. If anything, I'd add another 100 feet of chain in the bow.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Roy M

Cadence, I believe the OP was referring to the effect of the weight and rode on performance. Once that had been established, others chimed in on options to leaving the mass of anchor and chain up in the tippytop of the hull's pointy end. Not necessarily thread drift. Here's an excerpt of his first post:"do you leave your anchor and chain in the chain locker or do you move ir aft to get the weight out of the end of the boat and cut down on hobby horsing?".

I was referring to the remote windless switches, I could not make the connection to the original question. It might be just me?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I was referring to the remote windless switches, I could not make the connection to the original question. It might be just me?

If this is a serious question, the subject came up in reference to the act of moving chain from the forward chain locker to some other place on board. Being able to use the windlass remotely to hoist chain from the locker on to the deck will allow one person to then drag it into some storage place further aft without constant running back and forth.

If you were only trying to stir things up, well, carry on...

Jim

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

If this is a serious question, the subject came up in reference to the act of moving chain from the forward chain locker to some other place on board. Being able to use the windlass remotely to hoist chain from the locker on to the deck will allow one person to then drag it into some storage place further aft without constant running back and forth.

If you were only trying to stir things up, well, carry on...

Jim

Not at all trying to stir things up. I just didn't see the point of connecting the two. Now I can see it but see it as not practical nor a good idea.
That is just me.