Windlass

[Freesail99]

I need a windlass, I am looking at the Lewmar V700G Vertical Windlass. I found it online for $549.00. I am also thinking of adding a battery near the windlass with a small solar panel to keep it charged. In doing so, I hope to avoid running cables to the stern to power the windlass, from the house bank. Any thoughts ?

Paul

[sailingdog]

Paul-

The battery near the windlass is a good idea. The solar panel is a good idea. The not running cables from the stern to the windlass is a bad idea. Having the solar panel and the battery means that you can run smaller cables, but the battery should probably be connected to the house bank as well, to allow it to charge suffciently.

Here's my reasoning.

1) Windlasses are very high current drain devices. If you need to lower/raise the anchor more than once, the solar panel is very unlikely to be able to top the battery off properly, meaning that the battery will likely not be fully charged, and will have a much shorter lifespan due to insufficient charging. The larger the battery, the more likely that a solar panel will not be able to sufficiently charge it.. but the more useful the battery will be.

2) If you don't run cables from the house bank up to the windlass battery and you have to raise the anchor more than once because it didn't set properly, the chance of you having enough power to do so is going to be pretty low, unless you've got a really large battery up near the bow. If that's the case—see my first point.

Sizing the battery to put up at the bow has to be balanced between providing enough power to work the windlass, and keeping the weight down to a practical minimum. The windlass you've mentioned draws 45Amps under use...

I would recommend getting an AGM battery for the bow windlass battery, as it can take a charge faster than wet cells, is less likely to be affected by salt water, and can be mounted in more positions, giving you far more flexibility in mounting it.

[Giulietta]

Freesail

Tgis has been discussed here many many times

Please check this thread. Thanks

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-m...-windlass.html

[sailingdog]

Ahh.. yes, I have a fairly good primer on windlass mounting in that thread, if I do say so myself.

BTW, again, I would emphasize, put the buttons for the windlass far enough so that you can't have your fingers in the windlass and step on the button at the same time... the chain can take your fingers and mangle them.

[PBzeer]

I have a V700, though I didn't put a battery in the bow. I would agree with SD that you need to have engine charging capability for the battery. My setup uses 4ga wire for the feed from the battery selector switch, to the circuit breaker, which I mounted in the V-berth. That is also where I have the solenoid for the dual switches (up/down at helm, up at bow). From there, it goes to two terminal posts in the anchor locker, where the windlass is then connected (that way, if I have to remove the windlass, it's right there).

So far, I have been quite pleased with the performance of the V700 on my boat, which displaces just under 2 tons.

[sailingdog]

John-

I thought an Ontario 32 was a bit heavier than 4000 lbs... that sounds really really light to me...

[Freesail99]

In my heart I knew I have to run the cables. It's just such a pain trying to hide them. I also will use a metal backing plate

PBzeer, what mixture of chain and/or rope do you use ?

Thanks for the answers guys......

[Giulietta]

Put a battery in front, I'm telling you...then run thiner cables only to charge the battery.

Then when using the winch just start the engine...

[PBzeer]

SD - Duh, me bad, meant 6 tons.

Free - I've got 30' of 1/4" Hi-test, spliced to 300' of 1/2" rode. Make sure you get the G4 Hi-test and not the new G7, it won't fit.

[sailingdog]

Freesail- If you're using a metal backing plate, don't forget to round the corners of it with a fairly large radius, to prevent hard spots against the glass. Also, don't forget to fair in above the backing plate, with a high-density filler thickened epoxy, so that there is no gap between the plate and the underside of the deck. If you use an aluminum plate, don't forget to coat the bolts with lanocote or some other galvanic isolation compound and use a polyethylene washer under the stainless steel washer, to help reduce corrosion problems.

If you go with a wood backing board, use 1/2" marine plywood, and epoxy coat it after drilling all the holes to protect it from water intrusion and rot. Then use at least 1" diameter fender washers on the bolts that go through to the windlass.