Want To Buy: need A windlass

[UNCIVILIZED]

Post a pic of the locker, along with various key dimensions & measurements, otherwise we're guessing in the dark when making suggestions. Well, everyone but other Freedom 45' owners.

BTW, if one fully coats a bolt's threads with Blue Loctite, it makes things quite "interesting" when attempting to remove them later on. It's not quite as much of a Kamikaze type fix as using Red, but then I've broken a lot of things assembled with Red, even when using heat. And when I've used Blue in the above manner, heat was often called for for disassembly.

So if you do this, carriage bolts aren't a necessity. Besides which, getting them torqued sufficiently can be problematic, as can achieving a proper watertight seal when using'em. But if you're feeling paranoid, drill the bolts for cotter pins/safety wires. Not that that'll stop anyone with powertools from simply removing the bolts' heads, carriage bolts, or otherwise. That, or a can of freon & a cold chisel.

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

The AH is going to have to sell it and I hope they get caught.

By this, I take it you're assuming the AH is just your common run-of-the-mill pill-poppin' thief who intends to sell the item to support his habit.

It's also possible it was stolen 'to order' meaning, someone said they are in need, so this AH spotted one on a boat, stole it, and sold it to that fellow.

Or, it could well be another boat owner in the same marina. Just because they have a boat does not mean they're all 100% honest. It's not impossible that another owner could be the culprit ... I do recall an old saying "there's a little larceny in all of us"???

I feel uncomfortable even suggesting this, but, I believe there are people getting into the boating game who clearly cannot afford this hobby, and the only way they can pull it off is to "acquire" their needs from others whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Think about shoplifting. I've heard it said this is frequently done by employees. Sad, but true. I used to own a small business and occasionally lost stock to one or two employees. Obviously I misjudged them on interview.

[Tayana42]

Seaman-Lew, you might be looking for a Lofrans Tigress horizontal windlass like this

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?...565&id=2508880

[Cheechako]

Stay with your 3/8 chain. The Maxwell Vertical is nice

[SV Bacchus]

Originally Posted by Sailorbob8599

I feel uncomfortable even suggesting this, but, I believe there are people getting into the boating game who clearly cannot afford this hobby, and the only way they can pull it off is to "acquire" their needs from others whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Another CF post on who knows what thread some months ago suggested easily 1/2 the Carib dinghy thefts are possibly by other cruisers.

Makes sense when you add it up: theirs leaks, has 3 or 4 dozen patches and the outboard is sketchy. They are leaving at daybreak, like your dinghy and know you were out doing a bender until midnight. You are heading south, they are heading north. Oh, and their kitty is low..

Hate to say it and it is a shame but entirely possible.

[sailnow2011]

Originally Posted by SV Bacchus

Another CF post on who knows what thread some months ago suggested easily 1/2 the Carib dinghy thefts are possibly by other cruisers.

Makes sense when you add it up: theirs leaks, has 3 or 4 dozen patches and the outboard is sketchy. They are leaving at daybreak, like your dinghy and know you were out doing a bender until midnight. You are heading south, they are heading north. Oh, and their kitty is low..

Hate to say it and it is a shame but entirely possible.

Lots of dirtbags out there with $0 in the bank, living on free government money that will take anything.