Safe Windlass Operation

A

Ashley Lynn

New member
What is the proper (Safe) way to retrieve the anchor with the Lewmar 700 windlass? I retreived the anchor (I thought I did it slowly) which inflicted a small but noticable chip in the gelcoat on the bow. How can I prevent the anchor from swinging into the bow when I cannot see the anchor from the helm?
===============================================
2nd question: What type activator do I mix with the factory cans of gelcoat to repair the chip I created in the gelcoat?
===============================================
My first blemish on my brand new cdory.......the agony...
===============================================
Thanks a million for the advice.
 
Trick Number One for Anchor Retrieval is to put a piece of ribbon in your chain link that will come across your bow roller at the point that the anchor will be coming out of the water. This allows you to stop the retrieve and let your anchor straighten out...provided you have a swivel on the end of your chain / anchor attachment point. Then you can ease it up on to the roller.

You might also check todays post to the "Great Ideas under $20.00.....for how to prevent Gel-coat Chips.

Someone here that has bought a new boat and got some of the Gel-Coat patch kit will know if it included a tube of hardener...or if you will have to provide your own.

Now you have the first blemish....go ahead and enjoy your boat and drill a few holes in her just for the fun of it.

Mike
 
Funny you should ask.......just patched some nicks using the Spectrum Gelcoat patch kit. It's a small jar of gelcoat, about the consistency of vaseline, and a small tube of hardner. You add 10-12 drops of hardner to half the amount of gelcoat in the jar, mix it well, cover your nicks, then wait an hour or so for it to harden and then sand it with 400 grit wet sandpaper, then 600 grit until smooth. Then wax/buff to finish. Using a hot hair dryer speeds up the drying. Very simple and effective. You can order the ket directly from Spectrum, who makes the gelcoat colors for C-Dory.
 
Steve,

Can't compare to MarineTek. This is real gelcoat in the exact color to match your C-Dory, from the company that suppplies C-Dory.
 
Ah yes, the old anchor into the bow routine. I did this a couple of times, even after I thought I had it figured out. My problems is the bow roller. If I don't do just very quick and short flips of the switch the roller will pop the anchor up and off the roller. Then the anchor proceeds to hit the hull. Anyway, I painted a small section of chain just prior to where the anchor will meet the roller. That way I can do my quick switching. I have an anchor swivel but 90 percent of the time the anchor comes up pointed the wrong way. Not sure how to avoid this. Just seems that the anchor wants to hang that way.
 
I tied part of a Target Stores plastic shopping bag (part with the red 'target') to the chain about 4 ft from the end, about when the anchor breaks the water. Gives me fair warning where the anchor is and easily passes through the gypsy on the windlass. A brightly colored ribbon will do also as suggested earlier.
 
If you're having banging problems, or problems with your banging, (with your anchor, that is) it just might be partly the fault of your anchor roller.

Most anchor types require a pivoting anchor roller like the one below. It has a long enough reach to add some extra clearance between the anchor chain, and the boat.

Sometimes some anchors can be used with a windlass and the original OEM anchor roller.

Bruce type anchors because of their low center of gravity and short shank, often allow this.

It's nice to be able to use the original roller, but if the clearance is so low that you can't avoid that troublesome banging around by coming up slowly, you might look into whether an extending pivoting roller would give you some more room.

09226_f.jpg


Joe.
 
Thank you all for the great advice. I'm getting straight on it. ===============================================
Do all "new" boat owners feel this obsessive-compulsive? The boat is at the forefront of most my thoughts. Wow!
===============================================
 
A new boat is going to get dings--or it is not being used. It is only a boat!
We bring the anchor up slowly--and let it untwist. So far in my life I have avoided articulated anchor rollers. The Delta filts fine on the factory unit (which are windline) for the Tom Cat--the C D 22 and 25 both have Danforth type--I am going to use a Delta on the CD 25 also--

Marine Tex is an epoxy--Gel coat is a polyester--different products.
 
Yes, the factory anchor roller works fine with my Delta 22, however, added an aft roller to support the shaft to self-launch easier.
 
Do all "new" boat owners feel this obsessive-compulsive? The boat is at the forefront of most my thoughts. Wow!
Click to expand...

Bob (or Nancy),

Yes!

I have a 2006 Honda Ridgeline which just 15 minutes ago I backed into a sharp piece of broken concrete and put a 1 foot long scratch in the right, rear quarter panel. Amazingly, I took it in stride. Had that been my new boat, I'd of had an absolute fit on the dock and would've cried hysterically.

Right now my baby.....er, boat is having it's bottom epoxied and painted. Can't wait to have her sitting back in her slip.

BTW, on the subject of windlasses and anchors I have a Fortress anchor which both doesn't fit the stock set-up (it gets stuck in the roller and won't descend) and is so light that the windlass literally throws it around all the time. I'm glad you brought up this topic, I've learned a lot.

-Sarge/Carl
 
BTW, on the subject of windlasses and anchors I have a Fortress anchor which both doesn't fit the stock set-up (it gets stuck in the roller and won't descend) and is so light that the windlass literally throws it around all the time. I'm glad you brought up this topic, I've learned a lot.

-Sarge/Carl
Click to expand...

Which Fortress model do you have?

I have the FX-16 on 100 feet of 1/4" chain + 200 ft of 1/2" three strand nylon rope powered up and down by a Quick Aires 500 windlass.

Works great with the Lewmar pivoting anchor roller pictured in my previous post.

Getting the right anchor with the right roller, windlass, and rode to all work together often involves a bit of a fine tuning after careful observation and thinking.

I've installed three windlasses now, and each was a bit of a challenge.

Joe.

IM001284.jpgIM001970.jpg
Fortress FX-16 anchor, 1/4" chain, and Quick Aires 500 Windlass on Sea Wolf.
 

Attachments

  • IM001284.jpg
    IM001284.jpg
    123.7 KB · Views: 0
Joe,

I'm not sure which model Fortress that I have. The dealer installed it and since the boat is having its bottom painted, I can't easily go to it and find out.

What I did notice from your last photo is that the roller on your anchor pivot is different than mine. Your's look like a flat wheel and mine is concave (forms a "v") which is very narrow and my anchor literally gets wedged in the "v" of the wheel.

-Sarge/Carl
 
An articulating bow roller in conjunction with a 14# Delta and a Sprint 600 has been a welcome addition to my C-Dory. The pivoting bow roller is longer than the factory roller and keeps the Delta a comfortable distance away from the precious gel goat.
Spectrum GEl Coat Repair Kits are a perfect match for C-Dory hulls and everything needed to cure the gelcoat is included. The special grease needed to create a perfect repair is not included. (elbow)
Installing the Sprint 600 was a challenge for my skill level but was accomplished with advice from Nick (Valkyrie) George( Wanderer) and Bob
(thataway); thank you gentlemen.
Mike 'Levity'
 
Sarge":140rly2f said:
Joe,

What I did notice from your last photo is that the roller on your anchor pivot is different than mine. Your's look like a flat wheel and mine is concave (forms a "v") which is very narrow and my anchor literally gets wedged in the "v" of the wheel.

-Sarge/Carl
Click to expand...

Sarge-

My forward roller is concave and similar to almost all common bow rollers.

The aft one is indeed flat, but has a V-grove about 1/2" deep in the center of it to help center the shaft and rode. Lewmar offers replacement rollers for their products, or someone with a metal lathe could easily turn one out of nylon stock, omitting or modifying the V-grove.

Another idea would be to add a nylon or metal sleeve on top of your existing aft roller, covering the grove. Would have to be fairly thin, or the pivot feature would be affected in that the roller wouldn't straighten out fully when retracted.

Joe.
 
Just to clarify, Bob and Nancy have an articulating anchor roller [ a Lewmar , built in sunny Canada by Kingston Anchor] http://www.kingstonanchors.com/ and a Claw type anchor . We have found that setup to work well . The factory puts a fixed roller on with the new windlass option and I am trying to train them to include the articulating roller . We change them at this point for a windlass installation.
The gelcoat Bob has is actual factory gel which comes with each boat . I think its a nice touch , not all builders do this . It just needs some regular old standard issue catalyst to go off . It will match the boat for the first year or two or longer if the boat is stored indoors or well covered.
Indeed a small ding is a badge of character and are inevitable. You oughta see the dings in my 25!!! Have fun with that boat , and get some pictures of a busy day at Crab Island !
Marc
 
Joe that FX-16 must hold mighty fine.

I have the FX-7 and it does a very good job, no complaints.

I also have a FX-7 broke down for a back up.

If I ever have to change anchors I will probably go with the FX-16 just for the added security.

I love fortress anchors,and the people who test them love them too!


James
 
Back
Top