Thinking of installing a manual windless

[bkseawolf]

Hello all,
I am thinking of installing a manual windlass on my 1962 Columbia 29 Volador.
This will be a Lofrans Royal, which is a horizontal mount windless.
My question is:
Since I have to reposition my through deck fitting for the rode, is it best to have it a little behind the gypsy so that it would be easy to clear a jam, or should the chain drop right off the gypsy into the hawse pipe.

One more question:
Since I will have approx 150 feet of chain and probably another 200 feet of line, it seems the gypsy is just for chain and I would have to haul the line in by hand and feed into the hawsepipe. Another reason to possibly have the pipe a little behind and not directly underneath the gypsy??

The port side of the windless has a drum for line only. It seems if I wanted to install another bow roller for two anchors and divide by chain locker, I would still have to haul the chain portion of that side by hand.
It seems that after the expense of installation, there is still a lot of hauling by hand involved.
Any advise or inspiration is appreciated.
Fair Winds.
Bob

[CaptainForce]

Originally Posted by bkseawolf

.........This will be a Lofrans Royal, which is a horizontal mount windless............
........... is it best to have it a little behind the gypsy so that it would be easy to clear a jam, or should the chain drop right off the gypsy into the hawse pipe........
........... it seems the gypsy is just for chain and I would have to haul the line in by hand...........
............The port side of the windless has a drum for line only...........
Fair Winds.
Bob

If the port side of the windlass has a drum for line and the starboard side has a chain gypsy; then, this sounds like a vertical rather than horizontal windlass. My vertical windlass has the chain drop through the deck directly under the back side of the windlass with a spike positioned under the gypsy to clear any chain that might not disengaged from the gypsy. I've not experienced jams after the gypsy. There are gypsies made to accomodate chain and line. They have a groove at the center of the form that is the template for the chain. Maybe you could switch to this gypsy. If you haven't yet considered, be sure that your gypsy matches the chain you will be purchasing. You may shift your rode from the chain gypsy to the line drum when raising your chain-line rode and drop your line in the through deck fitting letting the line fall from your hand, while tailing the drum, across the back of the chain gypsy. This can be cumbersome while also levering your windlass. I usually let the line flake on the deck and then feed it into the locker after the anchor is secured. Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[CaptainForce]

Bkseawolf, My mistake! I checked the vertical-horizontal question and found that the vertical refers to the axis of the drum and not the orientation of the rode over the drum. Now I've learned that I have a horizontal and not a vertical windlass! I've been calling these wrong for years! thanks, Aythya crew

[bkseawolf]

CP,
Thanks for your reply. I usually would not worry about a windlass on a 29 ft 8,000lb. displacement boat. But after two shoulder surgeries I am trying to make the work easy as possible. and hope to do some coastal cruising in waters where there may be some depth. I have made the same mistake regarding horizontal and verticle. Have to stop and think about it at times. Thank goodness I am a sailor and not a pilot!
Fair winds.
Bob

[casioqv]

A sheet winch makes a good manual windlass. If you put a roller on the stern, you can walk the anchor line back to the cockpit, and use your jibsheet winches as a windlass.

[Omatako]

A manual windlass IMHO is like being partly pregnant.

If you need help to weigh the anchor, get proper help. It can't be that much more expensive and the electricity requirement for a small vertical capstan is very light. And they mostly have a rope drum over a chain gypsy.