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