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10 meter windlass

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:49 pm
by Coonash
Ok, I want to add a windlass to my boat since 99% of the time its just me. How are people mounting them on the 10 meter international.
I was recently given a 40' class freefall anchor winch(freefall quit working) and would like to use, but I wouldn't think the anchor locker hatch would be strong enough.

Need some input please

Ash

Re: 10 meter windlass

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 7:26 am
by RWS
In 2003 I bought a Lewmar-Simpson/Lawrence 600 Freefall horizontal windlass.

It was small and compact, had a combination chain/rode gypsy and I thought it was the perfect match.

https://www.lewmar.com/node/16899

It was adequate for awhile, but it would often suffer from failing to engage the clutch to retrieve, would often slip at the chain/rode splice, shredding the rode,the recomended 1/2 rode would jam in the gypsy and the 35' of 1/4" BBB chain would pile up in the brand anchor locker, making it necessary for someone to be on the bow to shovel the rode/chain aft into the anchor locker.

Mounting the windlass on a 1/2" block of starboard and moving it aft, as close to the anchor locker lid as possible solved some of the rode/chain issues.

At the present time I am in the middle of a mostly cosmetic refit, and took advantage of being on the hard to remove the bow pulpit, whose balsa core absorbed water, likely due to the hole we cut for the anchor, which was not sealed as it should have been.

With the clutch problems getting progressively worse, and the boat out of the water I decided to replace/upgrade the windlass.

While the newer versions of the FF600 looked pretty, and would be an easy replacement, research indicated they now have a HORRIBLE track record.

After doing the research, I decided there was only one solution, the GOOD FF850 windlass, with only 20' of 5/16 chain and 200' of 1/2" rode.

This family owned/run company has been building windlasses since 1958 and has a sterling reputation. The detailed information they supplied is outstanding and the communication in designing the new install has come directly from Tom Ring, the owner of the firm.

You can't buy these items in the "store" they sell direct only and supply many OEM manufacturers with a wide range of product. The roller arm is if particular importance in your overall design as is the angle between the gypsy gear and the roller. This is an issue for most horizontal windlasses, but not with the GOOD, as its unique design allows far more of the rode to engage remain in contact with the gypsy at all times. The design DOES NOT REQUIRE ANYONE TO GO OUT TO THE BOW TO TIE OFF, RELEASE, OR OTHERWISE SECURE THE ANCHOR.

Anyway, The current offering from Lewmar is nothing but JUNK.

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH !!!

I would not make holes on my boat to accommodate someone else's worn out, junk windlass. The time you will spend on it combined with the new WHITE ELEPHANT on your bow and the cost to run all that heavy wiring will cause you to regret that decision.

Hope this helps !

BEST !

RWS

Re: 10 meter windlass

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:17 am
by mikeandanne
+1 on the Good, installed one with their bow roller, worked flawlessly, quality pieces, nice people ,seems to me there was a thread about how to mount one near the anchor locker. Maybe a search might show something.

Re: 10 meter windlass

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:39 am
by El L Sea
We have a Lewmar Pro Fish 1000 on our 12 meter with 100 foot of chain spliced into 200 feet of 12 plait and have never had a single issue.

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Re: 10 meter windlass

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:42 am
by BobCT
Mine is mounted only on the pulpit (covering some of the teak) so that the anchor locker is still functional. On a lot of the 10 meters I've seen, the windlass is mounted farther back and directly on top of the anchor locker hatch making it unusable. I guess to compensate, I have also seen access hatches in the v-berth behind where the mirror is normally mounted. I don't have that on my mid cabin and would certainly install one If my topside hatch was covered (I guess you would have no choice).

I'm happy with my setup but it's rode only, I have about 15' of chain which sits next to the windlass. Like a lot of people, I felt like I was stuck with the "footprint" of my existing windlass because of all the prior holes drilled. If I were starting from scratch, I would definitely go with a rode/chain setup. I too rebuilt my pulpit so thinned epoxy is key to seal all of the new holes you'll be drilling. And, oversize the wiring because it's a long run (roundtrip) which is the correct way to calculate.


Bob

Re: 10 meter windlass

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 12:30 pm
by Coonash
Lots of great information!! I really appreciate it!

Ash

Re: 10 meter windlass

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 6:31 pm
by prowlersfish
I really like my Lewmar Pro 1000 . I was going to go with the profish 1000 But I got a hell of a deal on the pro (1 year old take off ) and planed on adding the free fall kit . Well the down is so fast I don't see the need for the free fall it faster down then my old good free fall . Now the Good is a great windlass and I would have gone to the F850 chain/rode But the price stopped me . I sold the 40 year old Good CDF for more then I paid for almost new Lewmar pro1000 While a Good is a some what better windlass . The Lewmars are far from junk and look better too .

The reason I changed over was so I could use chain . I use to add a section for over night on the hook . Now it on the rode

Re: 10 meter windlass

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:46 pm
by P-Dogg
Not a 10 meter, just piling on......

I went with a vetus hrc8. Take a look at the parts catalog for the brand that you are interested in. I forget the name from when I was shopping, but it was a popular one, that had no seal between the case halves. My vetus is o-ring sealed. 'Nuff said.