I Need Anchor Windless Advice

[stnick]

I have a Morgan 384 1982 and i own a lofrans horizontal manual windless in the garage.
I just completed dividing my anchor locker so there is port and starboard lockers under one lid.
I own a 45 CQR with 200 ft of 5/8 chain. and a 35 bruce 40 ft 5/8 chain and 12 plat rope.The Bruce is my main anchor.. I'm In clearwater florida sandy bottom every where here !
I'm about to mount the horizontal Lofrans and i have real doubts i can use the sprockets for chain on each anchor..???
I don't want to make a mistake here. If i had a war chest of $1500 I would buy a vertical windless.., which i do not.
I'm not engineer but i think some sort of trailer rollers as a steering way to use the capstan for both anchors.. may be two of them???
H E L P !!! Trying to go cruising to the bahamas in spring..

[model 10]

5/8" chain? Doesn't the 384 have a head stay right in the way? The best looking setups on that boat seem to have a whole new stem head fitting built.

[Hudson Force]

Stnick, 'just a couple of questions: Is your chain the more likely 5/16" or actually 5/8"? The "sprocket" you refer to is, I believe, the chain "gypsy" upon which the chain wraps while being pulled. If you have a manual Lofrans this gypsy is on the starboard side and you have a drum on the port to wrap your line rode for raising. With the manual windlass you would be present on the bow to transfer the line to the gypsy at the begining of the chain, or likely, the gypsy has a middle groove than can accomodate the line. Although my horizontal manual windlass is a different brand, I am very pleased with using it on my two rodes that are likely similar to yours. In addition, your presence on the bow while using the manual windlass will make it easy to assist in leading the rode into the appropriate chain locker.

[Terra Nova]

Photos?

[stnick]

Yup i'm stupid its 5/16 anchor chain..
So i'll have 2 anchor shoots bruce 35 and CQR 45 !
I guess i have to just mount it and see if it works and than re engineer if it does not !! thank you ....

[jstevens]

stnick,
As Terra Nova requested, pictures of your foredeck and anchor setup would help us provide meaningful responses to your question. Also please identify the specific model of the Lofrans windlass.
With a horizontal windlass installed far enough aft of the anchor rollers you should be able to use the chain wheel (AKA gypsy) for both chain rodes. However that means they need share the same deck chain pipe, which is not often practical.
My advice is to set up the anchor you plan to use most often with the all chain rode and use the chain gypsy for that rode. Then shorten the chain on the other rode to less than 20' and use the rope drum (I assume you have a rope drum on the windlass) for that rode.
If in fact your windlass is the manual Lofrans Royal I hope that chain size you spec'd is a typo. Hauling 150' of 5/8" chain with a Royal requires Popeye-type arms. I used to have a Royal and I'm no Popeye. It was a bitch to haul in my chain rode and that was 5/16" chain.

John

[stnick]

i plan to modify a heavy duty anchor roller to be mounted for the other anchor
So port and starboard rollers and a center windless Gjust hope the gypsy can handle both chains . one anchor all chain the 45 CQR and the bruce35 lb 40 ft chain and than 12 plat line..
see the enclosed pix..

[stnick]

Lofrans Horizontal manual windless.. It works great I pulled it off my Saber before i sold her !!

[stnick]

i plan 2 separate lockers one for rope one for the all chain Two hawse pipes, 2 some sort of chutes to drop the line or chain the center of the lockers.
here is a pix.......
when i see my posts with no pix where does it go ?????? DAH ???

[Terra Nova]

Rope/chain rode should have chain at least 1.5X boat length.

[stnick]

So i anchor with 40 ft of chain and 85 ft rode in 15 ft of water local. We never drag.
So i plan to cut the locker lid..to mount the Royal lofrans windless. So the back 1/3 will be cut and reglassed and windless braced underneath. The front will still open .