Show me your windlass setup

[SalishSeaCHB]

Hi All, My windlass setup is driving me nuts! The chain locker hole (port?) is to the right and behind of the windlass so it takes two people to pull the anchor. One to run the windlass and one to push the rope down the hole. Does anyone have a better setup? I have 1980 34 CHB.
See the pictures here https://imgur.com/a/Fv23sXl

 

[AlaskaProf]

Pictures not much help, but I suspect your problem is that your system was designed for chain, which would pull off the gypsy and fall into the locker.

 

[SalishSeaCHB]

Pictures not much help, but I suspect your problem is that your system was designed for chain, which would pull off the gypsy and fall into the locker.

I have 30ft or so of chain then line after that. What angle of pictures would help better?

 

[Denis Glennon]

Here is a link to the dual gypsy windlass for two anchors I installed on my GB42 Classic.
Each anchor has 75 metres of short link 10mm chain.
The entire system works a treat.
Hope this helps.

Dual Gypsy Windlass & Anchors on Grand Spirit

 

[JohnP]

Our setup on "Venture". Manson Boss main anchor on all chain Starboard side.Chain drops thru pipe to locker. Fortress secondary on port. 20' chain than all rope. Line and chain is hand fed into locker thru deck fitting (under hose). Up down switches on Starboard side. Also at upper and lower helm. Muir Cheetah windless-- All works well for us.

 

[koliver]

Hi All, My windlass setup is driving me nuts! The chain locker hole (port?) is to the right and behind of the windlass so it takes two people to pull the anchor. One to run the windlass and one to push the rope down the hole. Does anyone have a better setup? I have 1980 34 CHB.
See the pictures here https://imgur.com/a/Fv23sXl

You have only one picture, doesn't show the problem at all.
My setup is similar to what your picture shows, with the chain droping immediatey into a 1.5"ABS pipe at the opening in the teak bowsprit board. That pipe takes it into th echain locker at a slight angle, so that the chain drips into the approximate centre of the locker space. Sometimes when I fail to knock down the pile of chain it will build to the bottom of the pipe and stop the rest of the chain. The rope portion drops easily through the pipe, but the shackle itself needs a push to get started into the pipe.
The chain locker hole you describe, on my boat is a 4" bronze deck fitting, that I can reach through to knock the pile of chain over using the windlass bar, though I more often simply go below and open the locker door from the
forepeak.

 

[SalishSeaCHB]

You have only one picture, doesn't show the problem at all.
My setup is similar to what your picture shows, with the chain droping immediatey into a 1.5"ABS pipe at the opening in the teak bowsprit board. That pipe takes it into th echain locker at a slight angle, so that the chain drips into the approximate centre of the locker space. Sometimes when I fail to knock down the pile of chain it will build to the bottom of the pipe and stop the rest of the chain. The rope portion drops easily through the pipe, but the shackle itself needs a push to get started into the pipe.
The chain locker hole you describe, on my boat is a 4" bronze deck fitting, that I can reach through to knock the pile of chain over using the windlass bar, though I more often simply go below and open the locker door from the
forepeak.

Keith, thanks. I was worried rope would back up in the pipe and not work. That link should take you to 8-10 pictures, not sure why it is not working on your end, maybe try scrolling down?
thank you

 

[DavidM]

Your anchor setup is just like my friend's CHB 45. You could just let the chain pile up underneath the windlass and then feed it in manually after you get the anchor up.

Another way is to fit a piece of corrogated bilge pump hose to guide the chain down into the hawse hole, or maybe a piece of PVC pipe. You may have to bend it a bit to get it to follow the chain path. A heat gun will let it bend a little.

Otherwise it looks like you would need to cut away the bow to let the pulpit sit on the deck so you no longer have that drop into the hawse hole.

David

 

[SoWhat]

The windlass is not aligned with the deck pipe. Remove the windlass, fill the pulpit hole with a tapered piece, move and recut windlass. Or alternatively move the chain deck pipe hole. Probably easier to modify the pulpit. The pulpit wood does not appear to be teak. Might not be original to boat. I would be leery of a bent tube. If you have a jam you would then have to go down to chain locker door to solve it. Right now you have the ability to pile everything on deck to solve later once underway.

 

[rgano]

The windlass is not aligned with the deck pipe. Remove the windlass, fill the pulpit hole with a tapered piece, move and recut windlass. Or alternatively move the chain deck pipe hole. Probably easier to modify the pulpit. The pulpit wood does not appear to be teak. Might not be original to boat. I would be leery of a bent tube. If you have a jam you would then have to go down to chain locker door to solve it. Right now you have the ability to pile everything on deck to solve later once underway.

I agree. How about a piece of pipe sliced lengthwise so it is open to the top and slant it back from the windlass. It does look like there is room to move the windlass aft a bit to help. Not the original windlass I bet.

 

[koliver]

Keith, thanks. I was worried rope would back up in the pipe and not work. That link should take you to 8-10 pictures, not sure why it is not working on your end, maybe try scrolling down?
thank you

OK, the "next" faked me out and sent me weird places. Yet I don't see any pipe for the rope to back up in. If you install a pipe, one that goes into the locker apart from the existing deck fitting, then you will mimic my system. If you want pictures, I can get some tomorrow, as my boat is close by.

 

[Comodave]

Our rope locker is very deep so we don’t have any problems with the chain piling up. We have 300’ of chain that feeds right down from the gypsy into the rope locker.

 

[rslifkin]

My windlass sits as shown in the picture below. Bolted through the pulpit and the deck with a large backing plate underneath, holding the windlass, pulpit, and samson post. Total thickness where it bolts through is about 7.5", so there's a good bit of chain drop before it hits the bottom of the deck (through the 3" hawse hole).

My chain locker is fairly tall, so no issues with feeding. After 300 feet of line goes in and then 90 feet of chain on top of it, there's still about 2 feet from the top of the pile to the underside of the deck (which means over 2.5 feet to the bottom of the windlass).

 

[rwidman]

Here is mine.

 

[C lectric]

Below is mine.
My 275 ft chain drops into the locker easily.
Of course my windlass is mounted directly over the locker.


I also found the pictures you offered did not show your installation very well.

From what I can see you may not need a pipe, but rather an open trough that the chain and line will follow to the anchor locker opening. Gentle curves so the rode can easily follow.

A good fabricator should be able to come up with something. It could be done is SS or something like BLACK or HEAVILY WHITE UHMW or even Starboard. WIth wood or the plastics it could be cut by you if you are handy and screwed together.
You might even try it out in wood.

I emphasize the the black or heavy white as UHMY often is natural colour, off white, which will not stand up to sunlight well. The heavy pigment protects it.

But try loading better photos using Jpeg s and maybe we can come up with better suggestions.

 

[C lectric]

OK. I guess initially I did something wrong. I re-examined the photos and can see an open trough may work quite well. Need to be angled slightly to stbd. and slightly aft.
Leave the trough end slightly above the open hawse hole so the cover can be installed after all the rode is in the locker to prevent most water entry.

UHMW or Starboard can be worked with standard woodworking tools.
It can also be heated for bending with a heat gun and some experimentation.

 

[PNW Drifter]

The windlass is not aligned with the deck pipe. Remove the windlass, fill the pulpit hole with a tapered piece, move and recut windlass. Or alternatively move the chain deck pipe hole. Probably easier to modify the pulpit. The pulpit wood does not appear to be teak. Might not be original to boat. I would be leery of a bent tube. If you have a jam you would then have to go down to chain locker door to solve it. Right now you have the ability to pile everything on deck to solve later once underway.

Agreed with the above quote.

The rope/chain must be allowed to fall straight down through a smooth, straight pipe of sufficient diameter for a hassle free windlass set-up.

Relocate either the windlass or the hole, or both, so that they are properly aligned.

 

[FlyWright]

SSHB, your setup is very close to what I fabricated on my 34 Californian LRC. I used to have a Powerwinch mounted on the foredeck aft of the pulpit. I removed it and modified/reinforced my pulpit with SS plate and a chain pipe to channel the chain/line rode to and from the anchor locker. My chain pipe is positioned within the teak pedestal box for a vertical drop and was fashioned out of SS sheet and welded to spec.

I bet you can form a length of 2 1/2"-3" pipe (PVC?) to direct the chain into your locker without the need for an extra set of hands on deck.

Here are some pics of my before and after installation. I included a self-launching anchor roller, a security cable for underway, a cleat and a washdown pump recessed in a cannister into the foredeck (not shown).

 

[SteveK]

OK, the "next" faked me out and sent me weird places. Yet I don't see any pipe for the rope to back up in. If you install a pipe, one that goes into the locker apart from the existing deck fitting, then you will mimic my system. If you want pictures, I can get some tomorrow, as my boat is close by.

Keith, do you actually feed the chain and rope down through a pipe or a 1/2 pipe like a slide. i was going to suggest a 1/2 pipe slide to guide it to the deck fitting so it falls in naturally.

 

[Art]

Power by arm-strong... with a little winch assistance when desired/needed.

That's a brand new [still in the box] "Power Winch". Exact duplicate replacement to the 1977 original on our Tolly. Found and installed it fall of 2018. The old one finally gave up the ghost when a line became wedged in its gears. Upon taking it apart... I was glad I did... much rust/corrosion under the cover's metal frame and on the base plate!

 

[Nomad Willy]

The OP could simply relocate the windlass to starboard (until the capstan drum lines up w the incoming anchor rode) and use it instead of the gypsy.

 

[Leo Reise]

To me a day or so to reply - middle of launching. Our anchor set up was an extra check in our list of thing to have. It is unusual - I have not seen anything similar. The Bruce has the longer chain -150 feet. The Danforth has a combination 50 feet chain - 100 feet of rode. Anchor locker is partitioned. Separate hawsers and a straight drop. Remotes are separate - on bow and upper helm. Lower helm is for the Bruce only.

 

[FlyWright]

The OP could simply relocate the windlass to starboard (until the capstan drum lines up w the incoming anchor rode) and use it instead of the gypsy.

Eric, do you think the rode could adequately pass through a 2 inch pipe in a diagonal or S curve to accommodate the present positions of the windlass with the aft and offset entry point?

Maybe a new hole thru the deck into the anchor locker which is more aligned with the windlass?

 

[Slowboattochina]

Our anchor windlass set up

Here is our new anchor set up. Chain flows fine into our locker. We just got a new Rocna Vulcan 73lb because the Admiral has a thing about waking up in the same place we anchored lol.

 

[Redhook98]

Flexible conduit under mine to guide the chain. About a 14 inch drop from under the windlass to the deck. Conduit goes thru deck and guides it to proper side of my chain locker. Other wise has bolstering batteries.

 

[timb]

Here is mine it was like yours and was a pain the hole in the deck is really for hand retrieving. I put a new windless and it called for a 3” hole in the deck so I put a heavy 3” schedule 40 stainless pipe 24” long down into the chain locker the picture with the rope I had the free fall locked and reversed the windlass to hold the pipe up while I secured it