Lewmar Pro700 vs Lewmar Pro-Fish 700FF

The Fran Sea

I plan on putting an automatic windless on my 22' C-Dory and can't decide between the manuel and auto Free Fall unit. Has anyone had any experience with the Free Fall?? Is it possible to lower the line on the FF manually or is it alway FF? Here in Tampa Bay where the waters not deep, manual would work OK, but when we fish offshore in 100' plus, seems a free fall would be nice.

Let me have some input on your experience with both units... and any other useful suggestions..... Thanks Smile

Wefings · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:21 pm Post subject:

Offshore trying to land on a wreck or small reef after dropping the hook is exactly why they make the free fall . A "power down" windlass is way to slow going down if there is any wind or current for accurate anchoring . You will be .2 of a mile away before the anchor hits the bottom. Cool for cruising , but not so cool for fishing on the hook.
Marc

jlastofka · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:49 pm Post subject:

I have the non-free fall version of that winch and it works well. You can make it free fall by going to the bow and turning the clutch release by hand or with a tool. Free fall is probably OK for when you're temporary day anchoring to fish or whatever. If you're anchoring to sleep or leave the boat, you should lower the anchor slowly and be backing down slowly as it hits bottom to avoid fouling the chain on the anchor protrusions (depends on anchor design). I've dropped danforths overboard by hand and had them foul and drag immediately. A slow drop is a more reliable technique. You can position the boat with throttle while the anchor deploys.

You can also buy the automatic gizmo and add it to the winch if you change your mind. The cost is about the same doing it that way and you don't have to decide up front. It's simply a different part on the clutch, or maybe a couple parts. I saw it but I forget the details.

Incidentally, I have the tilting bow roller and the Delta anchor designed to go with it. It deploys and stows by itself with great ease. Nice design. Winch, anchor and roller all by the same company. Integrated system. It actually works.....

I have the 22 lb anchor and 30 ft of 1/4" chain. Probably overkill, but the winch does the lifting, so why not? 250' of 1/2" line. It all drops into the CD22 locker nicely.

I'm thinking of adding a 20 lb sentinel (or kellet) and 100' of light line to deploy it. I've read good things about that addition.

Jeff

thataway · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:12 am Post subject:

Hmm, I posted a reply to this a few hours ago..anyway. I have both the 700 and the 700 pro. I didn't order the pro (at least I don't think I did). As Mark says, it is best for fishing where you want to drop the anchor fast. you can always stop it, by hitting the "up button" and then power out as you want.

The 700 Pro is on the CD 25 which will be used on the West coast, and it may be a good thing since my anchoring depths will be greater there. The 700 is fine for Florida waters--where 30 feet is deep--unless offshore fishing.

The Fran Sea · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:05 am Post subject:

Thanks all for the input

I've decided on the Pro-Fish 700FF. Smile

Confirmed that it can be switched between FF and manual, and that's the issue. Also note on their literature that the say that the Pro 700 has 100% stainless steel CASE and the Pro-Fish 700FF IS ALL 100% stainless steel. Don't know if that's advertising gobbly gook or if there's a message there.

Adeline · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:28 pm Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:29 pm Post subject:

The free fall add on is all SS. I would doubt if all of the gears were SS--in fact I would rather that they not be.

jkidd · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:38 am Post subject:

On my Profish 700FF there is a brass pin on the clutch that you can push in with the wrench they give you and lock it in with a pin on the front of the clutch. Once this is done the free fall feature is disabled and you can power up and down.

breausaw · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:56 pm Post subject:

My question is, can you get 15' 1/4'' G4 Chain - 300' 1/2'' Line stowed in the bow of 22 CD?

Sea Wolf · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:23 pm Post subject:

breausaw · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:30 pm Post subject:

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:06 pm Post subject:

Can one of you guys with a free fall set-up give an approx. extimate of the cost. I would install it myself.

I also have all winter to contemplate this but would be interested in the cost....Thanks

Jack in Alaska...but temporarily in AZ. by the pool. Very Happy

thataway · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:52 pm Post subject:

My 700 Lewmar Windlass was $650, plus shipping of about $20. (It has gone up to about $700 since the spring). The cable and fittings was an additional $150. (wholesale cost) I have the swaging tools already. The misc costs were that of cable supports every 6", screws for these, gromets for the thru bulkhead passage and sealants--another $15. So figure that if you do the installation and have all of the tools (hole saws, crimpers etc)--plus increased shipping to Alaska, I would say that you probably can do it for just under $1,000 US. d

tpbrady · Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:11 am Post subject:

Jack,

I have a Powerwinch 31 freefall I plan to replace. I orginally bought it to speed anchoring in the Cook Inlet, but after spending more time anchoring in shallow water in Prince William Sound, I would rather have a power down winch. If I was anchoring in 10 feet of water for a short period the winch would drop all the chain (30 feet) and 20 feet of rode before it stopped. In the inlet, the freefall works ok, but you absolutely can have no twists in the rode. On free fall it would hang up at the twist and it would stop rather abruptly. Once you get all the twists out it works fine.

PM me if you are interested.

Tom