anchor windlass

[g36]

for those who have one. on a f32 what style of windlass vertical or horizontal are you using and what are your thought about each, such vertical less on deck but must cut into deck more etc. also what brand and model have you used or are using. my anchoring needs are on the tennessee river not anything like the blue water some of you enjoy but the wife is getting tired of pulling up the anchor, thanks in advance

[TADTOOMUCH]

Get a new wife. Preferably one with a windlass this time.

[Stripermann2]

Mine is verticle- don't even know what make or model. But...it does work

What I don't like about it is that it is slowwwww taking rode out. (You need to power-out the line) But too, it has never failed me.

I do want a free-fall unit like a "Good" brand. My friends have them and they are worth their weight in gold. Also look into Lewmar, they also have FF units.
Having a free fall enables you to quickly deploy the anchor if an emergency arises and you need to stop the boat fast. I need to make an appointment when I anchor!

To each his own, but I'd definetly get a free-fall model.

[g36]

thanks for the response Stripermann2 i have looked at the lewmar pro fish 700 for one. there is a free fall kit for it. it is horizontal which is probably way easier to install but sits up on deck. the price of the vertical v700 lewmar was good but...i did wonder if people would hate having to power down the anchor rather than free fall. seemed like they would but i've never had one so i was looking to the experts.

[Paul]

I have a Horizin 400 vertical unit on my F-26. I've been using it regularly for the last 7 years and have never had a problem with it. It is a power down unit which means that I have to start lowering my anchor before I get to where I want it to hook if the boat is in motion. Power down is not difficult to work with once you get used to it.

If I ever had to replace it however, I would definatly buy a free fall windlass. It would make droping an anchor more accurate.

[rickalan35]

I have that stock windlass unit that came on the Tricabins, the one with the white fiberglass case and a toggle switch to dictate "power" and "direction." I never use it.

My wife drives the boat while I drop two anchors by hand and later on when it's time to leave, I pull them up by hand.

Never liked Trojan's idea of the rode being pulled up through the bow chocks. When I get too old to do it this way I'll have to solve the problem but as for now it works.

As I pull up the anchor rode, I drop the rope from one anchor onto the left side of the bow and the rope from the second anchor on the other side - let them dry out and then thread them individually back down into the rope locker.

That about does it for my windlass expertise.

Rick