Lewmar V700 windlass installation

I had the courage to buy a V700 but I am having to build up courage to cut a hole in the deck.So while I build up the courage I have some questions.
1. How far back from the bow roller is required to allow the windlass to work at its best? I have a davit back about 15" from the end of the bow roller. Should I move this or squeese the windlass in between?

2. Should I remove the anti skid surface under the windlass?

3. Is the 3M 4200 used on both sides of the rubber? Or do I just need the 4200 between the deck and the rubber

4. Is the metal plate for under the deck?

5. Can you plug the hole in the antiskid where the old hawse pipe went through with a part of the new hole you cut out?

6. What filler material goes into the epoxy to make it a paste that Dr Bob talks about using to replace and seal the balsa core?

7. Should I wire this directly to a battery? Does it matter which one, house or starting?
If these questions seem silly Im sorry, but I would rather seem silly than to learn from my mistakes. Thanks
 
I'll give you my opinions, but they are just that....opinions:
1. I wonder what type of davit you have, and what are the consiquences of removing it? 12 to 15" in back of the roller is fine--but you want to have the rode/chain go straight down into the chain locker--and not onto the V berth.

2. I have done it both ways, but prefer to remove the non side.

3. I put the 4200 on the deck side.

4. Plate goes under the deck

5. Plugging hawse pipe holes is not easy. You may be able to use the plug you cut out--but I use a hole saw, so there will be a 1/4" pilot hole in the center of a plug I cut out. Some hawse pipes are small and round, others are oval, and large, so it depends on what you have.

6. Cabosil or fumed silica is the thickening material. At times I also use high or medium density filler, depending on what I am filling.

7. I like to go directly to a battery, and choose the engine start battery, since I have the engine running when running the windlass "up".

Nothing silly here!
 
Thanks Bob, If it isn't raining when I get up I will see how much I can get done tomorrow. All good answers, or rather, opinions as ussual
 
I asked a lot of questions and I got excellent responses. I now have no fear of putting holes in my boat. I just wish someone had told me to drill right though the template and not to take it off. I was trying to save a plug to fill the hole where the old hawse pipe was needed to draw the line to avoid the hole left from a hole saw. Removed the template, big mistake. I do know that I am becoming a better person. I did not cuss even once!
 
Hi Guys, The switch that came with the V700 is the basic switch and I intend to use it for a while before I upgrade to a contacter. The problem I have is the thickness of the dash where I drilled a small round hole to mount the switch is about a half inch thick. That is all the threads that are on the switch. Is the correct way to mount this switch to cut a square hole and fit the switch into square cutout and try to tighen up the switch to the face plate somehow?
 
JGrider":15elfrht said:
Hi Guys, The switch that came with the V700 is the basic switch and I intend to use it for a while before I upgrade to a contacter. The problem I have is the thickness of the dash where I drilled a small round hole to mount the switch is about a half inch thick. That is all the threads that are on the switch. Is the correct way to mount this switch to cut a square hole and fit the switch into square cutout and try to tighen up the switch to the face plate somehow?
Click to expand...

I think you may be able to find a thinner section somewhere, not sure. On my TC, it's mounted way over to the RH Side, not on the dash proper. You do need to be able to SEE the chain/rode come up to know when to stop it! :shock: I'm converting to a contactor very soon. Replaced the switch recently and it worked well for awhile but still is "intermittent" at times. I have a larger square hole that is just covered by the face plate with the four screws at the corners holding it into the fiberglass...

Charlie
 
Thanks for your reply Charlie, I have already drilled a hole so I am commited to the location. I have also change my plans and have ordered a cheap contactor, $23.00 and will be looking for a different swith as well.
 
Related question: I have one of these vertical units and want to lube the above deck components. But, the cap is stuck and I don't feel like the plastic handle supplied is up to the task of breaking it loose. I am actively looking for a square headed bolt I can use with a pipe wrench but it looks like I will be doing some time with the grinder this evening to make it fit. Any other ideas?
 
Just use the hole you've drilled for the switch for the final application with the contactor. Get a switch with a LONG threaded shank, of course.

Meantime, you can mount the switch you have on an aluminum bracket you can easily make, and mount it off to the right of the dash and below the starboard side window. (Will require longer wiring temporarily than when finished permanently.)

Another really good reason to use the contactor method is that you can add a remote cabled switch to the set up, and use it from the deck yourself. Make it long enough you can pass it through the hatch on the v-berth, and then you can go forward and operate the windlass on the foredeck when you have problems, need to wash the anchor and/or rode off with a brush, or simply want to operate it from there by yourself to see the retrieval process in a difficult situation, etc.

You can easily make one yourself with two momentary contact switches, a few short pieces of PVC pipe, a T-fitting, and some 3-conductor cable.

Be careful when operating it! That windlass and chain, particularly, is about as forgiving as a meat grinder! :smileo

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
JGrider":1fmxsfsw said:
Thanks for your reply Charlie, I have already drilled a hole so I am commited to the location. I have also change my plans and have ordered a cheap contactor, $23.00 and will be looking for a different swith as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah, me too, I ordered a contactor that Seawolf Joe recommended. I think that THATAWAY already has that setup and now CAPTAINS Cat will too! I'll use the same up/down switch but with just the control current/voltage, it will be fine not passing that high amperage to the motor on the windlass!! :thup

Charlie
 
Just had the original V600 winch take a dive and replaced it with a V700. $642, with shipping. A couple of ocmments.

First the V700 isn't just a drop in replacement for the V600. Lewmar redisigned it, made it a bit bigger and has it made in Thailand. The unit has a different bolt pattern for one bolt and the case is slightly bigger. I just had to drill one new hole and enlarge the opening. Nothing shows. The unit came with a up down switch, a breaker AND a bi-polar relay. Since I'm out cruising, I'll install that relay this winter. The old switch works fine and I'll continue using it.

A more serious comment is that the V700 doesn't take the 1/2" rope that's part of the existing rode. It does feed the chain and chain splice, but the rope is too big and stiff, so that it releases from the gypsy instead of going down to the anchor locker. I have some Samson 6 strand plaited rope that fits the gypsy and I'm going to splice it onto the chain this week. Untill then I'll pull the line down as it leaves the gypsy.

Boris
 
Will-C":38l4dhzu said:
a 1/2 inch drive socket ratchet would seem like a good thing to have along for boats with Lewmar windlasses.
D.D.
Click to expand...

I think my 600 came with one and I have it somewhere, unless I sent it to Starcraft Tom when I sent him the windlass for parts. Don't think the new 700 I installed did, as I recall it was yellow and I haven't seen it around. Just a handle with a splined fitting on it, no ratcheting but able to clutch/unclutch the gypsy head.

Had the same experience as Boris in installation of the 700 in place of the 600 except I didn't get the relay in the box, only the switch/breaker and windlass. Have ordered the breaker to be installed on Captain's Cat when it comes in.

Charlie
 
The spline wrench is closer to 3/4 inch but not close enough to work. I have a hex headed 1/2 inch bolt that is pretty close and I will be bringing that and the 3/4 square head bolt down to the boat with a grinder tonight.
 
I installed a V700 a few years ago and it has been trouble-free. (Drilling the hole in the deck was scary but using the template made the work pretty easy.) It accepts a 1/2 inch ratchet and I carry one aboard. It also accepts the 1/2 inch 3 strand line that was part of the original rode. I spliced an additional 100 ft of three strand to it last year giving me 300 ft of line and 35 ft of 1/4 bbb short link chain. I do take all the rode out of the locker once or twice each year, hang it out in the sun and spray it with fresh water and simple green to get the accumulated crud off and keep it relatively soft. Works so far. The windlass feeds the rope/chain splice and long splice (where I added more line) but occasionally binds and I have to let a few feet out and try again to get everything in the anchor locker. Never had such a problem I couldn't get it all aboard. The biggest problem is that with as much line/chain we have aboard the drop from the deck to the locker is too short sometimes and my wife, (or I if she's running the windlass), has to go up in the Vee berth and move the pile around. The windlass will bind if the pile of chain or line gets too close to the bottom of the windlass.
 
Is there any chance that there is confusion between the various Lewmar 700 series windlass? There is the V, the H, and the Profish. My experience is that the horizontal will allow the line to fall better into the chain lockers. The down side is that the motor is on the deck (may not be a bad thing, since there is high humidity in the chain lockers)--and the windlass has a larger profile.

The current windlass on Thataway uses the 1/2" socket--which is handy, since a standard tool socket with a ratchet works well. Some of the new windlass use a standard winch handle socket--which has been the standard on sailboat windlass (as well as mid size power boats windlasses for many years. This is either square or 8 sided, and used in primary and secondary winches on sailboats.
 
I am not a sailor but after realizing the similarity to winch handle fittings, I just picked up an aluminum one that looks like the right size to try out tonight!
 
Aluminum Lewmar winch handle broke it free perfectly and I cleaned and lubed the above deck parts without a hitch. Saved me lots of tool making time. At it is a sprint 600 model with a larger star socket about 3/4in.
 
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