Sven
Seglare
Our manual single speed windlass is beautiful.
Using the manual windlass to retrieve our all chain rode is great exercise.
Unfortunately, a single speed manual windlass is probably not the safest way of getting out of an anchorage if time is of the essence and you have 300' of chain out. So we just ordered a Maxwell VWC 1500 series electric windlass.
This is yet another serious dent in our "world cruising kitty" so I want to make sure we do it right. The choice of windlass is sound but I'm all ears if there are any installation opinions out there (are there ever not !?).
1 - I'm proposing not putting in any foot switches at the windlass. Instead use a wireless up-down controller backed up by a helm mounted up-down controller. Reason is to avoid more holes in the deck.
2 - It would be good to get suggestions for how to reinforce the deck underside to spread the 500-1500# horizontal load. Loads other than retrieval would not be carried by the windlass but suggestions for general strengthening to carry those would also be appreciated.
3 - It seems as if the consensus is to not mount a bow-windlass battery but use 0/0 (or whatever) cables from the main banks to provide the power.
Thoughts ?
-Sven
Using the manual windlass to retrieve our all chain rode is great exercise.
Unfortunately, a single speed manual windlass is probably not the safest way of getting out of an anchorage if time is of the essence and you have 300' of chain out. So we just ordered a Maxwell VWC 1500 series electric windlass.
This is yet another serious dent in our "world cruising kitty" so I want to make sure we do it right. The choice of windlass is sound but I'm all ears if there are any installation opinions out there (are there ever not !?).
1 - I'm proposing not putting in any foot switches at the windlass. Instead use a wireless up-down controller backed up by a helm mounted up-down controller. Reason is to avoid more holes in the deck.
2 - It would be good to get suggestions for how to reinforce the deck underside to spread the 500-1500# horizontal load. Loads other than retrieval would not be carried by the windlass but suggestions for general strengthening to carry those would also be appreciated.
3 - It seems as if the consensus is to not mount a bow-windlass battery but use 0/0 (or whatever) cables from the main banks to provide the power.
Thoughts ?
-Sven