windlass problem

[lauren]

Just brought my 2005 albin 36 ET to southeast Alaska. It has the standard lewmar horizontal chain puller that drops chain into locker. It came with 200 feet of chain and rope attached. First night headed north set the anchor in about 80 feet of water. With most of that out the chain took off on its own and of course the rope did nothing to arrest the process. Chain may have been wrong size or something but will never know as I could not get it up on my own.

I will use the boat to fish and anchor for halibut in 350 feet of water. I am not going to run 600 feet of chain so need to be able to pull line also. Think I need to go to vertical that can pull chain and line. Would like one that can pull all on same drum so I can do an extra wrap as needed.

My question. The old lewmar I am guessing is 1000w and anything i am looking at seems to be 1500w or worse. There are a lot of systems installed post 2005 and not a lot of room to get into tight spots. Anyone ever rewire for a larger windlass? Did you have to drop wire down through the bilge area to get it through? Will I have to do heavier wire and the other components too? lauren

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[SJR]

Was it that the breaker was flipping when you tried to pull on it with strain?

[lauren]

no, it was complicated. It had run out on its own after about 80 feet of chain, so an extra hundred of chain and a hundred rope. Had to anchor somewhere I would have preferred not too so the phone would work for a meeting. Get up in the morning and strong current. could cut the rope with butter knife and was going to ask the windlass to pull the line without a drum to double wrap. Seemed hopeless and was traveling north needing to make tide timings further up. Did not have time to wait 6 hours for tide to ease up. Gave up on it, and my issue was why it spun out on its own once some weight on the chain. could have been too big of chain for the roller? I am going to ask a lot of it for halibut fishing at 350 feet. thinking I need to go to a drum so can double wrap as needed and get that extra half turn on the chain too.

[scfgfmn]

Hi Lauren
Can't help you much with your problem but can tell you I have a 32 Sportfish in Wrangell and one of the first things I did was pull the windlass and installed a hydraulic drum. Best thing I did yet. Not enough swear words in the English language for that pos windlass!

Brian

[catalina_mike]

You can step on the top catch to slow the line running out. Not sure about that one but most have a method of stopping a free dropping chain / line. Try and find a users manual on it and review procedures to see if anything is there.

[WillieC]

Brian, Yes. We go to Fisherman's terminal in Seattle often, since it is near Seamar, my new favorite supplier. Everything on those AK boats is hydraulic. So how is the pump PTO accomplished? Thanks.

[Serenity]

Lauren, if I tried to anchor in 350 feet of water, I would probably be off the coast of the Azores from Long Island. To haul 600 feet of chain and rode into the boat, I would have to run the ground tackle into my cabin. IN fact, I am going to add another 20 feet of chain so my Horizon 700 could pull my anchor up. The rope gathers under the capstan and backs up, not allowing the rope to fall away. Most of my anchoring is under 20 feet. 350 feet must be an adventure to say the least.
Good luck.

[scfgfmn]

WillieC

I have just a single belt driven hydraulic pump w/res. run off front of crankshaft with an electric clutch. Hauls a Forfjord #6 65 lb anchor attached to 90 ft 5/16 chain on 250-300 ft 5/8 braided line. Works great. Also can use hydraulics to run pot puller through plumbed quick disconnects. Don't have one right now, unfortunately, previous owner kept that.

[WillieC]

I just so happen to have a dual sheave on the front of my crankshaft. See the pics here: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=9381&start=120 Page 9.
One is used for the antifreeze pump, the other is waiting for information like this. Thanks, sc...
Funny, my dad, may he rest in peace, was quite the hydraulics guru, one hell of a machinist. Kept can companies running from coast to coast. I think there must still be hydraulic pumps in the shop across the road, my next proyecto, HA!

[DougSea]

Hey Lauren,

I have the same windlass as you and I run 250' chain (really helps in tight anchorages as I can go shorter on my scope).

Have you checked the tension on the gypsy? My windlass has never just "run" even with significant strain on it, way more than the weight of your ground tackle. The only real challenge I've had has been the chain "popping" out of the gypsy and as Mike notes above that can be alleviated by putting your foot on the follower and pressing gently to keep the chain engaged.

[Marcy K]

Lauren,

Just reading this now. We have the same Lewmar Profish 1000 windlass (I think from your picture). There is a "free fall" feature, maybe you had that engaged and that's why it continued to run out rapidly. Check your manual if you have one. Not on boat now so I can't tell you. Good luck.