New Ground Tackle Installation

[AdriftAtSea]

I've finally gotten around to installing the ground tackle upgrade for the Pretty Gee.  I removed the original foredeck cleat and the starboard side chock, and have to get around to removing the port-side chock but can't get my fingers past the bowsprit to do it yet.

The new ground tackle consists of a bow anchor roller, a windlass, two new 10" cleats and new bow chocks.  It was a tight fit, but I did manage to get everything installed.  I also installed stainless steel rubstrakes along both sides of the bow to help prevent chafe against the fiberglass.

The windlass is installed over where the original bow cleat was, which I've been told is cored with marine plywood instead of balsa.  The base plate for the bow roller is mounted on a bed of thickened epoxy to level out the deck, and is effectively epoxied to the deck, along with being held down by three 3/8" stainless steel bolts.

All of the fastener holes were drilled oversized and then filled with System Three epoxy thickened with collodial silica.  This is to help protect the deck core from water intrusion and to create a solid seat for the fasteners.  I also backed each piece of hardware with a block of 5/4" composite deck material.

This should make using my primary anchor, which is a 15kg Rocna, a bit easier.  I'm planning on installing the chainpipe into the deckplate that is visible.  This should give me a relatively easy way to store the anchor rode, while keeping the deck relatively neat. Any questions, let me know.

BTW, here's a photo of the new setup.  Sorry for the poor photo quality, but it was taken in relatively low light with a camera phone.

[BobW]

Dan,

That's a good looking installation!  You packed quite a bit of gear into a compact area.  Looks good.

[AdriftAtSea]

Thanks Bob... Should improve the anchoring out experience quite a bit.  :)

[maxiSwede]

Well done, AdriftatSea!  That looks neat.

What are your experience with the Rocna? That is an anchor that I am interested in. Seems very good at their website anyway  ;)   ::)

[AdriftAtSea]

I'm quite happy with it... I haven't used it as much as I will now that I have the windlass installed, mainly due to the weight of the anchor plus the attached chain. The complaint I have with it is that the darn thing brings up about its own weight in bottom every time I've used it. I have to spend a fair amount of time hosing it off after each use.  It sets quite well and holds well, even in fairly strong winds.  I haven't really put it to the test yet... hope not to...but will probably end up doing so this summer.

[Captain Smollett]

Dan,

Nice set-up.  Good work.

I have a couple of questions.

First:  What kind of Windlass is that?  Manual/Electric/Both?  How much did it run you?

Second: Did you custom-build that bow roller or is it off-the-shelf?  If off-the-shelf, did you have to modify it at all for the Rocna?

[AdriftAtSea]

Thanks Capn Smollet-

The windlass is a Simpson-Lawrence/Lewmar* Anchorman manual windlass with a chain/rope gypsy and rope drum.  They make it in both a gypsy only and a gypsy/rope drum version.  I bought the gypsy/rope drum version since I thought it would be a bit more versatile.  It is available in both manual and power versions, but due to the weight requirements of the power windlass, I chose to go with a manual.  Besides, I'm generally not anchoring in water that is all that deep, so I felt that a power windlass would be overkill. 

What's nice is the power version has the same foot print as the manual version, and the only major change you have to make to upgrade to the power version is to cut an additional hole in the deck for the motor.  That leaves upgrading to a power windlass as a relatively simple option for me. Running the heavy cables and iinstalling the battery for the windlass would be far more effort than modifying the deck at this point.

It uses a standard winch handle to adjust the drum clutch tension as well as operate the windlass. It is designed for boats up to about 40' and requires the use of 5/16" G4 or BBB chain and 9/16-5/8" rope for the rode, so the ground tackle it can handle is rather beefy.  I don't remember what I paid for it, but it wasn't all that expensive...at least I didn't wince when I ordered it. ;)  However, it was on sale when I bought it, so I did manage to get it at a considerable discount, which is why I had it before I even got my boat. :D

The bow roller is a standard Lewmar pivoting bow roller.  I got it at Defender.com, but I don't know if Lewmar still makes this particular model.  Several other companies make an almost identical one, so that finding one like it shouldn't a problem. 

The only modification I am going to have to make to it is to get a bigger bail for the end. The stock on the Rocna is a bit taller than that of the other anchors, so it doesn't quite fit into that current bail.    I will also add a rolling cover for the bolt that attaches the pivoting roller section to the base plate, since I think the threads on the bolt might be a chafe hazard. 

Pyatch.net has the windlass listed here.   You can see the bow roller at Pyatch.net here.

I hope that helps.  :D

Dan

* Apparently, Lewmar has bought out Simpson-Lawrence at some point. 

[Captain Smollett]

Thanks.   :)

The pyacht site does not give a price.   >:(

Oh well.  Please let me know how you like using it after you use it a few times.  I'm curious.  I don't think I'll get a windlass, but if the right price on a manual came along, I'd consider it.

[Fortis]

There is a very nifty way to not have to run heavy cable to your windlass.

For my boat I will be doing things thus:

Buy a smallish AGM battery and mount beneath the V berth, this is trully a small amount of weight in the bow given the anchor chain above as well as the water tank and head in the general vicinity. I will run normal small charging wire to the battery, running it off the smart charger the same as the others. I then only need the heavy wiring between this battery and the windlass motor...a grand distance of around 1.2 meters instead of more then 7.

This also gives me a "spare" emergency battery to access if something should happen to all the others, so a wire leading back on a manual switch that allows that battery to run the radio or something is a possibility.

The way I calculate it, even the smallest of the AGM batteries will carry sufficient charge to hoist the anchor about 9 or more times, and then it will have either an hour or two of charging off the motor for short hops or several days of solar and motor for longer hops.

This strikes me as an elegant solution to resistence loss in this application.



Alex.


P.S  I was never going to have a windlass on my boat...but I managed to score one of those gosh wow discounts and had to jump at it. A still-in-the-box display unit Muir powerhoist (Really good company, they manufacture in Tasmania and I have visited their factory and lusted after being able to afford their stuff). Anyway, due to what I am sure will eventually turn out to be someone's typing error in an inventory email....I walked out with a unit that sells from the factory door for $1400 AUD for...wait for it....$70.  Yes, that was SEVENTY. Like I said, at some point I think there will be screaming and pulling of hair to be heard from someone's head office.

I asked as a sort of casual enquiry when I saw it in a stack of just de-pallated gear. I was expecting between $700-900...The clerk said "um, that one is $70" I did my best to not jump up and down. "Hmmm, I said, can you find out if it is working?" He went off and checked and said "Yes, it was just display stock, wired and bolted to a counter. It says that the warranty is still good on it"   "Hmmm...$70, you say?...Okay. I'll take a chance. Sold"

Managed to make it to the car before I started giggling with glee.

Some days you win a little!

[AdriftAtSea]

Alex-

I had thought about doing a battery installation up front to reduce the long run of heavy wire, and even have a small AGM battery I could have used for the windlass, but decided against it for three reasons.  One, I ain't that old yet.  Two, I'd rather put the weight towards a bit more chain on the anchor rode.  Three, the power windlass wasn't on clearance.... :)  While I could get the manual windlass at what I considered a reasonable price, though not quite as good a deal as you got, the powered version was still considerably more expensive. 

Even having a battery forward still requires a fairly hefty run of cable so the battery can charge properly. Between the weight of the wiring, the battery and the additional weight of the powered version of the windlass, I felt I'd be pushing it a bit.  Trimarans are a good deal more weight sensitive than their monohull counterparts.  :D

The difference in weight is about 75 lbs overall—between the wiring, the battery, the windlass motor, etc.  That would allow me to go up to about 100' of chain, from the present 30'.  With 100' of chain, I can anchor in most of the locations I normally cruise with all chain out, at five-to-one scope.

Dan

[CapnK]

Looking good, Dan. Very shiny, too. :D

Alex - Awesome 'deal' you got there!  :o While I don't have plans for a windlass, I like that yours include that small, sealed, seperate 12V source of energy - just enough juice to get into port.