That's exactly what I wanted to do with the Horizon 500 windlass, but it didn't have a control box, so it didn't seem possible. Maybe we just weren't clever enough. Then again, it's just as well we didn't go that route because the old windlass kept slipping on the rope-chain splice. We'd re-done the splice, swapped rode end to end, got new rope. Still slipped. The new Lewmar is perfectly satisfied with my splice.
We installed a Lewmar Windlass Handheld Wired Remote, 68000599. I like that the wire keeps it from going kerplunk - that was just way to easy to visualize - and I like not making more holes in the deck (for foot switches).