Chain Twists

[Southx10]

I have an Ideal vertical windless and 150 feet 3/8" HT. My my normal anchoring is in10-12' so 60-70' of chain. In rare times when I need more chain I find the the chain starting at about 80-90' is twisted to the point it looks like the links are stacked. Had a horizontal and never had this issue.
Any Ideas why.

 

[FF]

"Any Ideas why."

A guess would be a chain locker that permits chain movement in the stack.

Perhaps the chain bouncing in the bow simply keeps slipping together , not twisting , just as a jar of anything hard slips together if shaken.?

 

[jleonard]

I also experience chain twisting. I have un twisted it several times, but it still twists.
I do have a swivel on the anchor but I don't think it helps much.
Would love to find a real solution also.

 

[psneeld]

Me too Jay. .. even cut a groove in my roller.


Fortunately my new windlass is handling the twist better than my old windlass to prevent jumping and jerking.


Must be the goofy, miniature chain locker.

 

[Lepke]

If your chain end is well secured to the boat and the windless will lift the weight, try going in deep water and letting out all the chain. Let it hang and untwist. I doubt the windless is putting in the twist.

 

[O C Diver]

I have the same problem with my Ideal windlass. Every time I haulout, I pull all the chain, let it soak in a cattle trough, clean the chain locker, and "end for end" the chain. In spite of all this work, it still happen.

My theroy is that because it spools out so quickly with little load on the chain, the chain periodically jumps and rotates in the wildcat. Haven't found a solution. Usually it only requires rotating the chain maybe one revolution on retrieval. I also have the groove in the bow roller, so the twist is between the windlass and the bow roller.

Ted

 

[jleonard]

If your chain end is well secured to the boat and the windless will lift the weight, try going in deep water and letting out all the chain. Let it hang and untwist. I doubt the windless is putting in the twist.

I've done that a couple of times and it really didn't do anything.