HI Dave, I have followed all of your posts. You seem to be very remarkale person...
But I would like to share with you my experiance with the 8-Plait rope.
I bought the Lewmar V700 winch to replace the original 2005 Lewmar winch for my trip to Alaska from Anacortes, WA.
a 2200 plus mile adventure I was looking forward to try and enjoy.
I researched rope ( not your quality of searching ) and settled on the 8-Plait rope.
It was quoted as a better choice for softness and better to lay into the anchor locker.
I read some people on this sites had problems with it and many did not.
I do not know if they where using Lewmar V700 or the Proseries, which might of made a different out come.
I did not have a problem launching my anchor, but tring to retrieve it was a nightmare.
The rope would catch in the gears and stop the winch. this would happen anywhere from 1 to 5 feet of pull.
Luckily I had installed foot switches at the bow and was able to reverse direction to untangle it and attempted to start again which was not always successful either. I made numerous trips into the cabin and anchor locker to check to see if the rope was laying properly as if this might be the problem.
I finally gave up anchoring and continued on to Wrangle, AK. where I discovered the Lonestar drum winch
I had the boat pulled and Lonestar drum winch installed and never had another problem and a much more enjoyable trip....Dennis
Thanks for the note (and niceties). And damn you
because I’m trying to find reasons NOT to use the lonestar winch, including saying I’m eventually getting a windlass! I communicated by online messenger with their Texas group and the parent company in Australia, and ultimately decided the only reasons not to do it would be aesthetics, front deck clearance, and raising the center of gravity some by having the rode above deck vs two feet below. Price is also of mention, with the horizontal Lewmar around $1100 before tax, and the Gx lonestar an around $2200, but it’s zero maintenance, far easier to install, won’t bunch and require fussing with a rode pile or a wrench, won’t require keeping mucky rode off your bed, and should outlast, so depending on your personal hourly rate time value of money view, might be pretty close. I even messaged a cdory owner who put one inside the anchor locker, Upside down bolted to the deck), which might be a failed compromise, yet he said he’d do it that way again. I ultimately got scared of using dyneema type line for the majority of my rode, due to potential chafing. Oh but it’s super strong— so is spider web silk (stronger than steel by weight). One knick I can’t see, and it’s a thin barrier saving me. And then the bridle. I am fine using an in-line snubber, as in a long stretch of nylon, or a regular snubber onto the chain or the nylon if I don’t have lots of rode out, but I couldn’t find how to attach a bridle to the thin line with confidence. With the anchor yaw, and wanting to spread potential storm loads and avoid bow roller chafe, I wanted the option of a bridle. Not needed for 90% of my eventual anchoring I’m sure, but I didn’t want to be in a storm sailing around at anchor wondering if my spiderweb was going to hold or saw itself through. And then the deck space. I’m against bow riding underway, but my two boys no doubt will want to sit up there at anchor and more free space beats less. A horizontal windlass takes up its fair share, too, though.
So, leaning toward weight low and deck space, I decided I’d either get a horizontal windlass and use the anchor locker (solving the muck and mosquito problems separately), or do the failed compromise of the under mounted lonestar + Popeye pipe (I don’t think you can call it a hawes pipe as it goes below vs over, but I forget the distinction), and either way wouldn’t use the high test spectra type line. So, that meant space saving 8-plait. If undermounting a drum, I could do the gx-2 and fit plenty of 1/2” and chain. If using a windlass, I could add more to the rode if needed. If go horizontal over vertical windlass for a few reasons: less changes of direction so less places to get hung up; more space below deck for the line to fall and pile politely; better orientation for water and sand to not work their way into places they don’t belong. Vertical looks better and is a smaller presence on deck, though.
As many people with far more experience than me might know, and finally in response to your post, I checked the line and chain recommendations of the leading windlasses. Chain was a whole thing, but 1/2” 8-plait was recommended. Yet many people had issues with the braids getting caught.
Reading further, the quality rope manufactures (eg cordage institute types) all say that PRIOR to loading their 8-plait through a windlass the first time, you need to soak the entire line in either fresh or salt water for a few hours (I saw 2, 8, and even 24 hours), saying the 8-plait holds like 50% water which it uses to gain strength against fraying in a gypsy. Without that initial soak just prior to first windlass ride, it can pull apart some and create spots where it will get caught. You only have to do this once, apparently (this is their instructions, not my opinion). It seemed well worth it to avoid troubles as long as possible while benefiting from the half size footprint compared to 3- strand which also gets hard and frustrating, especially in our small anchor lockers. (I opted for 50’ chain + 300’ 1/2” 8-plait; if I go for the drum, undermounted or not, I’d use the locker for a second bow anchor on longer cruises, and drip-safe (tote?) storage on short ones)
Did you do this? (Do people know this stuff? I had no idea). Perhaps that’s part of where you started running into trouble?
Another thing is the chain splice, and how thin and tapered you make it. (Lots of tabs open about that but not yet able to weigh in on that more than knowing it’s a thing; I’ll be splicing mine soon; my first ever splice. I’ve got a Swedish fid & whipping supplies coming, and want to buy a hot knife cutter. I do wish I got an 8-plait with different colors or tracers, in retrospect vs the all white, but not at 2x (++) the price.
For the bridle, I’ll be adding two cleats up front. Will be better for dock lines also, in terms of angles and leverage.
I’m trying hard to sit this season out for a windlass or reel, but I’ll be rewiring and adding stuff, and it’s easier to amortize over more usage than less. My wife and two little boys sleep in the v-berth, so I’m especially motivated to solve the gunkhole muck, moisture, and smell problem using the regular windlass and anchor locker. I read / saw people using fabric, foam pieces, wood, and full Bulkheads with hatches. I’m learning that on a boat it’s often easier to solve each problem separately in its best way rather than finding something that tries to solve a few at once, which goes against my usual approach.
My wife doesn’t drive the boat yet (steer, sure, drive? No), and has her multitasking on full with the kids, so I pretend I’m single handing and don’t involve her, but It’s crowded and breezy in RI so it’s a lot of scurrying on my part, especially as we tend to go comically close to shore. I’ll teach her this year, but the windlass/drum would remove a point of friction, that’s for sure.
Any insights or things you’d do differently about the lone star? Very very interested to hear all you have to say. A big thank you in advance. Might you have a photo from inside the pilothouse looking forward? I’ve seen it outside, not from inside. And do you miss the deck space? Which model, Gx-1 or 2? What’s your total rode made up of? Thanks!
This long message brought to you by coffee…
