Now that marinas have become so expensive to overnight in, we have started to anchor off more. Need a Windlass to save my back, but can't see how to fit one?

If anyone has a electrical windlass factory fitted (or other) to their 325/335, please could you post some photos of how it is fitted into your boat, also type / model of windlasse used and any details of the wiring that would be most helpful.

Do you think Bill Parker is still availible to advise?

Thanks

Stuart

Pegasus 325/37

http://www.ecs-marine-eq...anual-8mm-item-4601.html 

Electric Windlass

http://www.lewmar.com/pr...ts.asp?id=8329&lid=25799 

I'm no expert in electric windlasses but I know enough about the pitfalls of anchor windlasses, matching chain to gypsy, and in particular about 12v DC motor driven products & voltage drop, to strongly advise you to fully inform yourself of those pitfalls before you make any form of purchase decision, whether you choose DIY or professional installation.

Understanding the details of your installation is far more important than which brand of windlass you ultimately buy, and will greatly inform your purchase decision.

In my opinion an excellent starting point would be to invest in a copy of 3rd edition of Nigel Calder's "Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual" otherwise known by many as the "Boat Owner's Bible" [discounted on Amazon]. The 17 or so pages on windlasses will rapidly and concisely enlighten you in plain english and ensure that you do not fall into an elephant trap! And the rest of this tome will come in handy time after time in the future.

Your biggest single installation problems will almost result from the size of the electrical cables that you will require in terms of both routing them and crimping them, as they will need to be a similar size to your battery cables - if not theoretically bigger! Calder quotes cable sizes in AWG for his US readers, but provides a conversion table from AWG to sq mm & mm dia in his section on proper electrical installations.

Geoff Sheddick

Parker 27/146 "Stroller'

Like both the Loftrans and the Lewmar. Perhaps leaning more towards the Lewmar..... [:)] On the electricity and power, I was thinking of tapping off the hydraulic ram feed which is in the forward cabin.

My issue was, on how to actually fit one to a Parker? For example, the chain should drop through a hole in the deck in to the chain locker. Didnt seem much room on deck to sight this, or should the winch go inside the locker? LOve some pictures....

Stuaet

Blue Moon had an electric windlass fitted by the previousl owner.

or rather by Paul Redman (Canvey Island) for the owner. It works fine, it is mounted on deck by the chain locker so it feeds into the chain locker, controls are mounted on the deck next to the toe rail.

I will try and get some photos if anyone is interested.

Wiring is run right back to the battery boxes where there is a 100 amp breaker,the cable is probably heavier than that for the engine starter but I can get a measurement. The same cable feeds the bow thruster, the philosophy was that thruster and windlass would not be used together.

Jan

Blue Moon 325/32

Thanks Stuart

Have had a little time to look over the electric windlass fitting on Blue Moon but as the weather was good for sailing perhaps not a good enough look to answer all the questions.

Windlass fitting is central on the deck just aft of the chain locker lid, this allowed the windlass to be fitted to the deck aft of the locker(just aft of the bulkhead) whilst still allowing a hole about 50mm diameter to be made through the deck to the locker aft of the lid to take the fall of the chain. All looks so neat it might have been original fitting. Very substantial(Sorry still don't have the measurements but they are bigger than the starter and centreboard pump cables) cables are run from behind the battery selection commutator to a 100amp beaker, they then disappear behind the trim to reappear on the stb side in the forecastle running inside the storeage racks to the back of the chain locker bulkhead. The two control footswitches/push buttons are mounted on deck above this point then cable is routed to the winch motor under a fancy bit of new trim.

Note I have pictures of most of the details if people want to mail me for them.

Also any specific questions please ask.

Jan

Blue Moon

325/32

Thanks for this. All sounds very posh! But, I have to say that I'm a bit cautious of cutting holes in the deck just in case I get it wrong! I guess the person that installed yours might have been a professional?

Attended the good fun Beaulieu BBQ Rally last weekend, and got some pictures of the windlass set up on board 325 Kerenza. (Thank you Jeremy for permission!) The solution Kerenza has, and which I shall follow, is a wooden platform bonded into the rear of the locker and just under the hatch. The windlass is mounted onto the wood. It's a good solution, functional and out of the way.

Thanks all for your help. Will send photos when done....

Stuart

Pegasus 325/37

I just wondered if anyone had pictures of this modification as I am looking to do it.

The best I have found so far is this, from the Yachyting Monthly review.

https://keyassets.timein...20925146_DH-1536x864.jpg 

The boat shown is my Parker 325, "Sulito". I installed a Lewmar 1000 windless a few years ago and it works very well

1/ Electrics: I replace the electric to the hydraulic ram via a isolator switch. From this isolator switch there are two leads, one to the hydraulic ram via a 120 amp breaker, the second to the windlass via a 70 amp breaker. This is on the wall of the locker in the forecabin that housed the Hydraulic pump. This means that when we are living on the boat I can turn both these powerful electrical units off. From the 70 amp breaker a lead is taken to the chain locker and the solonoid for the windless is housed on the rear wall here.

2/ The hole, 3" for the chain drop into the locker is back as far as I could move the unit and a small section of PVC pipe resined in.

The chain drops in at the rear of the locker. I did glue hard plastic board on the rear wall and floor of the locker underneath the chain drop as to not damage the locker itselk.

3/ As the locker is shallow, when retrieving the chain you may have to move the chain forwear to stop it building up in the one spot

4/ The front two bolt holes for the windlass are in the chain locker and the reear two bolt holes are in the roof of the forward cabin ( covered by the lining).[attach]1202

I will send photos when I can work out how to download them

Regards

Barry

I'm in the process if installing a Lewmar HX1 into our P325, Sandack. I've also gone back to the main batteries for the full cable run as I wanted an isolator switch and 80A breaker under the chart table where our other big switches are. I have the windlass contactor (and wireless receiver) in a tupperware box, tucked away in the port side fore cabin stowage, close to the chain locker, with the socket for pendant in another sealed box under the lip of the chain locker.

Sadly, the chain fall intersects the bulkhead so I have excised a chunk and fabricated a chute from 0.7mm stainless sheet sheet which was fairly easy to bend. This chute will be glassed in from the fore cabin side to keep water out.

Hard to picture and no photos yet but you are welcome to visit us at the Marconi Sailing Club in Steeple, Essex. We will be ashore for another 4 weeks or so to complete coppercoating, windlass and some headlining.

Sorry to be late to this. You might like to have a look at this thread too:

Thread 

in which various other options are discussed. As Jan mentioned in an earlier post, Blue Moon had a Quick GP2-500 fitted by a previous owner. It's on the deck so not as clean as having it in the locker but there is a lot more space in the locker for other anchoring paraphenalia, petrol cans etc, and I've only tripped over it once. This model just fits behind the locker lid so you can cut a hole in the deck in front of the bulkhead for the chain. It's mounted on a wooden plinth with bolts in the locker and behind the wooden trim in the forecabin, which also holds the cables. It has a remote control bought on Amazon for £30 which so far has worked brillantly, as well as Lofrans foot swithches (one of the worst pieces of design in maritime history - ignore the intstructions and bung sealant all round the rubber).

I've attached pictures, hope they help.

Peter

Click to View Image5 View(s)

Click to View Image6 View(s)

I have replied in this one as its this post thats linked from the tech reference section.

Interestingly, it would seem everyone has either gone for in the locker or behind it on deck.

Another image I found was this one, where the windlass is in front of the locker. Had those of you who fitted a windlass considered this placement?

This makes more sense to me as the chain will fall into the deepest part of the anchor well.

I haven't looked to see how difficult this placement would be and perhaps thats why people have opted other areas.

As you say, it would suit the deepest part of the locker and would keep the fore deck clear. We went aft of the locker as we keep Sandack on a swinging mooring with two warps coming aboard and there is already a lot going on near the pointy end. We didn't want to lose the centre cleat at the front either.

Ewan

Hi Andy

As you say, it would suit the deepest part of the locker and would keep the fore deck clear. We went aft of the locker as we keep Sandack on a swinging mooring with two warps coming aboard and there is already a lot going on near the pointy end. We didn't want to lose the centre cleat at the front either.

Ewan

That makes perfect sense, thank you Ewan.

I am wondering if this is perhaps a winter job now, do i just put up with the manual anchor for the summer and pull the boat apart at the end of the season.

Dancer has a 12kg Anchor, 15m chain and 35m rode. My previous boat was a Motorboat, where it was 100% chain, but its shallow on the East Coast in most parts, so perhaps this will do? What size Anchor and chain do you have?

I also have (vague) plans for an electric windlass. I recently had a 55kgf bowtruster installed (in the central storage compartment under the V-berth) with a dedicated battery in the front storage compartment under the V-berth. I intend to use that battery in the future to also feed the windlass.

Hi Andy

As you say, it would suit the deepest part of the locker and would keep the fore deck clear. We went aft of the locker as we keep Sandack on a swinging mooring with two warps coming aboard and there is already a lot going on near the pointy end. We didn't want to lose the centre cleat at the front either.

Ewan

That makes perfect sense, thank you Ewan.

I am wondering if this is perhaps a winter job now, do i just put up with the manual anchor for the summer and pull the boat apart at the end of the season.

Dancer has a 12kg Anchor, 15m chain and 35m rode. My previous boat was a Motorboat, where it was 100% chain, but its shallow on the East Coast in most parts, so perhaps this will do? What size Anchor and chain do you have?

I have a 10kg Rocna with 50m chain and 50m rope, but that is spec'd for Scotland not the Walton Backwaters. Speaking of which I am planning to come in to Titchmarsh in September at the end of my circumnavigation as it's where Blue Moon first lived so if you fancied you could have a look at the windlass arrangement, and anything else you fancy. I could show you the beer compartment too...

Hi Peter, I looked for Titchmarsh on the map of the UK. Can that place be reached from The Wash?

Only by car I'm afraid Dirk!