Opinion on Simpson/Lawence Sprint 600

[mikeporterinmd]

Anyone have an opinion on the Simpson/Lawence Sprint 600? This is
a vertical windlass that they claim is good for boats up to 30+ feet.
I'll be putting it on a CD-22.

How important is the ability to free-fall the anchor? This model doesn't
seem to have that feature.

What other windlasses have people been installing and are happy with
or not so very happy with? Given the small foredeck of a 22 and what
appears to be a decent anchor locker, I'd prefer a vertical windlass.
Anyone have trouble with them and prefer a horizontal?

Thanks,

Mike

[captd]

Hi Mike.
I had one on my 22 ft. Hunky Dory. Worked fairly well . I say fairly well because once in a while the rope jumped out of gipsy. Someone had to reach through the hatch or go up forward to put it back in.
The forward deck is sloped up so it won't free fall unless you mount the winch up higher, quite a bit higher. So I changed the fairlead to a tilt jobby. I used a bruce anchor which nestled in pretty good. The danforth never set right in the thing. The flukes had a tendency to hit the bow of the boat. The Ranger has the 800 series and it works pretty good. I had Wefing put a tilt on it. If you don't, you have to go forward just to drop anchor. If you have to do that you just as well save your money and do it by hand or use the float lift. Where the rope joins the chain it will slip some times and you have to work it both directions till you get past it.
A slack line is when it screws up so you will learn to keep a little tension on the rode. Allow it to pull the boat forward.
CaptD

[drjohn71a]

Hi Mike....

I think I have the 800 on the TomCat. It is situated so that it deploys OK by itself, but Capt D has pointed out a really big, important concern - you cannot let it run excess line out. It seems to literally throw the line out and will jump out of the gypsy in a flash if you don't keep tension on the line, whether going out or coming back in.

One problem with tilting the apparatus is that the anchor line tends to jump out of the bow roller in rough weather.

All in all, these problems hit much more frequently in heavy seas and storms, and it is extremely stressful and dangerous to have to go out there on the bow to place the anchor line back on the gypsy or the roller!

John

[Sneaks]

I have the Sprint 600 on the Jenny B, for all the reasons you state plus I'm reaching geezerhood. It's worked flawlessly since day one. I use a genuine S/L rode/chain combo, 300 ft. of rode, 15 ft. of chain. I put the breaker near the helm.

Don

[Moxieabs]

I looked at a SL V700, it is a vertical model that seems to be a more robust and better built unit for $700. Anyone have any experience or opinions on this model?

[mikeporterinmd]

I'm wondering if the V-700 isn't a better windlass, too.

One just went on Ebay for $550...

They can be had on the internet for a little over $600, or $700 at West.

Due to physical issues, I really can't man the anchor like I used to. At
least it is not the best idea. I was watching my wife handle the anchor,
and particularly the chain last night for the first time. If we were in a
storm, she could easily be injured up there. If the anchor were to snag,
it wouldn't be hard for her hand to be pulled into the chain stopper.

So, a windlass that isn't prone to jamming would be good.

I forget who made our anchor rode. It's a good one, though. The
line is nice and supple without being too stiff. Slightly prone to
hockles, though. Might need to be pulled out and straightened up a bit.

Initially, I think we would go with the bow roller that's already on the boat.
Pushing the anchor out from the hatch doesn't seem to be that bad.
Eventually, perhaps we'll go to one of the self launching bow rollers.
We do use a Danforth and would prefer to continue using one since
we usually anchor in soft mud. I know other anchors work, but Danforths
seem to perform very well on the Chesapeake.

Thanks for the comments,

Mike

[thataway]

The Tom Cat has a Horizontal axis 700 with power up and down. We put a free fall, or powere up and down on the CD 25. I don't see a lot of advantage on the free fall, unless you are going to be doing a lot of deep water anchoring. I have never had a problem with any of my self tailing windlasses jumping line--not sure why the others are.

Do not take the load on the windlass--after the anchor is down, and when setting it, if there is any load, use a snubber to the side of the anchor pulpit. the windlass nor the pulpit is made to take the loads of a boat fetching up hard--It is best to have a bail over the top of the pulpit to keep the line from "jumping out"--Anchoring is as much an art as a science--and quite a bit of both. Feeling how the anchor is setting is very important--and then comming back under power to set the anchor is also important. As noted before it is important to power to the boat until the anchor is right below the pulpit--and used the boat to break out the anchor--then the windlass to bring the anchor and rode up to the surface, and into the pulpit.

[Sea Wolf]

Mike- No doubt you've figured out we're talking about two different things here and have the terms a bit confused.

Free fall refers to the ability of a windlass to disengage the clutch automatically and drop the anchor quickly. It's important in eliminating drift when anchoring over a specific spot, like when you're fishing over a wreck, or when needing to drop a lot of anchor line quickly in deep water.

The other idea is self-launching, referring to the launch of the anchor without assist from a person. Some anchors will self-launch out of a fixed bow roller, while others require a pivoting bow roller which drops its nose down to pivot the center of gravity of the anchor down and initiate lauching. Having the self launching feature is extremely important if you are adding a windlass for safety reasons, because if the anchor doesn't self launch, you're back on the dangerous bow again.

To be worth it's cost, a good windlass system can be operated entirely from the helm with the push of a button or two. Don't settle for less!!!

If the chain to rope junction becomes a problem with a windlass, the enlarged doubled-back rope part can be reduced in diameter greatly by a type of splice I re-invented a while back:New Rope-Chain Splice Idea.

There are numerous thrreads on Free Fall, Self Launching, Sprint 600 Windlasses, and many other related topics on the Anchoring Forum.

Joe.

[mikeporterinmd]

I've been reading the old threads both here and on thehulltruth.com. I've
just learned about anchor swivels. Never used one before. Necessary
with a windlass and 20' of chain?

With a rope rode, it seems like installing chocks on either side of the
pulpit, allowing the rode to lead back to the main cleat is the proper
way to snub. Correct?

How does something like the Lewmar ProFish 700 Anchor Windlass look
on the bow of CD-22? (This is a SS horizontal)? Is it huge looking?

The Sprint 600 is on Ebay with a reserve. I've been told the reserve
price is $800, so I won't be buying that one. I did present some
evidence to the seller that the reserve is rather high, so I guess he could
change his mind. Reserve auctions are so annoying. If you have
a minimum price, just start there...

Mike

[Dreamer]

Until recently, I thought my 600 would not free fall. Using a forceful foot on the plastic lever that comes with it, disengages the gypsy and down falls the anchor. After loosening it that one time, it unlocks easily now.

The windlass has worked well but complains when pulling the whole 300' of rode. It has to cool down every 50' or so.

[SeaSpray]

I have the horizontal Lewmar and a pivoting anchor roller. I works great but I have one slight problem.
In rough water the weight of the anchor will cause the clutch to slip just a little. After 10 to 15 minutes I will look and the anchor is drooping so I give it a shot of up power to tighten it.

I could add a chain lock/pin but then I would have to open the hatch to reach out and release it to anchor.

Anyone have another solution?

Steve

[Sea Wolf]

THE NEW V-700 IS THE REPLACEMENT FOR THE SPRINT 600, WHICH IS NO LONGER MADE.

YOU CAN ALSO GET FREE FALL CAPABILITY BY INSERTING THE CLUTCH HANDLE IN THE WINDLASS DRUM/GYPSY TOP AND RELEASING THE CLUTCH, BUT YOU'RE BACK ON THE DREADED FOREDECK!

EVERY INSTALLATION GUIDE I'VE EVER READ RECOMMENDS A SWIVEL FITTING IN THE RODE. WITH THE WINDLASS, IT MUST BE PLACED BETWEEN THE CHAIN AND THE ANCHOR, AS IT WON'T PASS THROUGH THE GYPSY. IF YOU DON'T GET ONE, YOU'LL WISH YOU DID, SOONER OR LATER. KEEP IT LUBRICATED WITH WATERPROOF SILICONE LUBRICANT LIKE SUPERLUBE.

IF YOU'LL BE USING IT A LOT OR IN DEEP ANCHORING SITUATIONS, I'D RECOMMEND SOMEWHAT OVERSIZING THE WINDLASS SO THAT IT CAN ACCOMPLISH IT'S JOB EASILY. I HAVE A QUICK AIRES 500 WINDLASS ON MY CD-22 AND A SIMPSON/LAWRENCE HORIZON 1500 EXPRESS ON MY SEA RAY 265 SEDAN BRIDGE (WITH IT'S OWN DEDICATED BATTERY AND CHARGER). A BRUTE WINDLASS IS A BETTER WINDLASS!

THE CHOCKS WILL WORK FINE, FOR ROPE AT LEAST. FOR CHAIN, A LENGTH OF ROPE ATTACHED TO THE CENTER CLEAT ON ONE END AND A CHAIN HOOK ON THE OTHER WILL ALLOW YOU TO HOOK TO THE CHAIN, THEN LET A LITTLE MORE CHAIN OUT WITH THE WINDLASS, AND THEREFORE TRANSFER THE TENSION TO THE MAIN CLEAT AND OFF OF THE WINDLASS.

CHAIN HOOK

THE LEWMAR PRO-FISH 700 WILL LOOK GREAT ON THE CD-22!

IF YOU LIKE THE DANFORTH IN THE SOFT CHESAPEAKE MUD, TRY A FORTRESS ALUMINUM ALLOY MODEL WITH MUD PAWS AND ADJUSTABLE FLUKE ANGLES THAT GO FROM 32 DEGREES (NORMAL) TO 45 DEGREES (MUD)! NO SLIPPAGE, PERIOD!

GETTING THE ANCHOR, RODE, BOW ROLLER, WINDLASS, AND OTHER COMPONENTS AND SUB-COMPONENTS TO WORK TOGETHER FLAWLESSLY TAKES SOME FIDDLING AROUND, ADJUSTING, AND EVEN SWITCHING OUT OF COMPONENTS SOMETIMES, BUT IT'S WELL WORTH IT ONCE YOU CAN SIT BACK AND ANCHOR FROM THE HELM WITHOUT RISKING DROPPING YOUR BACON OVER THE SIDE OF THE FRYING PAN!

JOE.

[mikeporterinmd]

Joe,

Thanks for explaining the chain hook and rope thing. I hadn't
thought of that. Windlass or not, we need to start doing that
otherwise I'll bend the bow pulpit trying to pull the anchor out.

The anchor the boat came with is interesting...Danforth pattern,
but the previous owner managed to bend it somehow. We're going
to use it to anchor a large blow-up water trampoline. It weighs
about 30-40 lbs, so the bent anchor should hold it

Thanks,

Mike

[mikeporterinmd]

Well, we should end up with a Maxwell Freedom 500. It was 'buy it now
for $800 or make an offer' on Ebay. I made an offer and they accepted it. It
was installed on a boat, but either never used or lightly used. I'll know
in a day or two or four!

(item 170094637271)

I saw one of these work on a friend's boat - very fast. Have to see
if it will work with the anchor road we have or if I need to switch
to 8-plait. He had 8-plait (braid) on his boat, and Maxwell generally
recommends this line.

How does one connect chain to 8-plait? Learn or find someone to
do it?


Mike

[thataway]

The 8 plait splice is basically a back splice--but I don't see the need to use 8 plait--the 3 strand should work fine. Yale cordage has the splice on the web site: http://www.yalecordage.com/html/pdf/brait_to_chain_splice.pdf

I have tried swivels, and discarded the idea. I have not found a strong swivel, which will swivel under load. They just don't exist--unless you want to go to exotic bearing materials. The galvanized or SS swivels have too much friction when under load.

Just bring the anchor up slowly, let the line and chain untwist as it comes up, and it will stow fine on the roller. We have done this thousands of times in our cruising. Also a swivel adds another "weak" point in the anchoring system. Our typical anchors were a 60 lb CQR, a 40 HT or 75 HT Danforth, and a 70 lb fisherman, all carried on foreward rollers, with 200 feet 3/8 HT chain, and 300 to 400 feet of 5/8" three strand nylon rode. (We also had one hunk of 12 plait 3/4" rode 400 feet in length). Larger boats than C Dories--but same principles.