windlass PSC31

[NorthstarPSC31]

I would like to install a windlass on my one-year old PSC31. It seems the chain locker is not deep enough to allow a vertical windlass to work properly. So a horizontal one is recommended.

Anyone has had experience with this situation?

[JohnRPollard]

Northstar,

We own a PSC 31, but it's not equipped with a windlass. However, I have never heard of a clearance problem such as you describe above. My suggestion would be to join SailNet's PSC e-mail list serve ( http://list.sailnet.net/read/?forum=pacificseacraft ) and post your question there. There are quite a few 31 owners on the list and many of them have windlasses, so hopefully you could find an answer. Good luck to you.

[Cool Change]

I know this is an old thread but I am looking for information regarding installing a windlass on a PSC 31. Has anyone out there installed one?

[orientalnc2010]

Hi Coolchange,
I installed a horizontal lewmar H3 and am pleased with the results.
The H3 is the only horizontal that allows the use of a gypsy that can handle a rope chain combination. That is a rhode with a chain to rope splice that will ride smoothly over the gypsy. The H3 is a bit over kill for the 31 but I like having the 1000watt motor as opposed to the 700watt motor in the H2. I did get the capstan on the port side also for my secondary anchor.
The install is clean as the motor and the reversing solenoid are housed inside the windlass, no exposed connections below deck. I wished the unit came in a stainless steel housing instead of a housing painted white but everything on a sailboat is a compromise.
I chose to run 2/0 cable to the 100 amp breaker and the house battery bank. The other choice was to install a dedicated battery someplace forward just for the windlass but space in the 31 is limited as you are aware.
I also felt it necessary to fabricate a 2" thick plate to elevate the windlass for a fair lead to the bow roller. The whole project is a large undertaking, second only to installing my reverse cycle AC this summer.

[Cool Change]

Hello Steve,
Thanks for your reply and the photos. The installation looks excellent. One of the models we are looking at is the Lofrans Cayman horizontal. It is about the same price on Defender, it is also 1000 watts though it is lighter, at 41 Lbs.

The h3 would definately be a possibility as well. How did you route your wiring? I will be using the same method as you in that I plan to run it to my battery bank which in my case is in the starboard lazarette. My circuit breaker will be on on the panel 90 degrees off of my existing breaker panel which I can access throough the hanging locker. My thought is I would run the wiring from the anchor locker through the bilge to where I need to go but I would be interested in your thoughts on that and to hear how you accomplished it on your installation. I am thinking of having the mechanical part of the job done by a professional (ie the deck mounting) and then do the rest including the electrical myself. What do you think? A last question.... how did you go about manufacturing the 2" plate you mounted the windlass on. It all looks so professional. Nice installation! Thanks again for your reply.
Rick

[SVArgo]

Originally Posted by Cool Change

The h3 would definately be a possibility as well. How did you route your wiring?
Rick

Rick,

On our 37, as-built by the factory, the windlass power cables run in the small space formed underneath the deck joint / toe rail connection. You have to remove the headliner panels to get to it, but it isn't too bad. It also is probably a little shorter as it avoids the down-up-down runs that will occur if you route the cable through the bilge. You can also "thread" a cable tie with an eye on it onto the hull/deck joint screws that protrude through the glass. Beware, they are sharp and will poke a hole in your thumb.

And it keeps the cable out of the bilge, which is always advisable if possible. Though I did route a portion of my wind gen cable through the bilge.

Ryan

[orientalnc2010]

Hi Rick,
Thank you for the compliments, the 2" thick plate is laminated maple encapsulated in multiple layers of glass and finished with gel coat. I just painted on the gel coat and sanded through the grits to 800.
My boat came pre wired for the windlass, 2/0 cables were in the forepeak and terminated behind the side of the hanging locker where you would access the back of the battery switch. FYI, I did try to remove one of the white covered overhead panels that would give you access to the wiring space just under the bulwarks but gave up.
The panel is fitted so tight that I feared it would break before it came down.
If you look at the pics you can see the back of the breaker mounted where you proposed, the cables in the pic are labeled to Batt2 and to Windlass. The black cable, return, travels unbroken to the battery. Be sure to fuse the red cable within 8" of the battery terminal. They sell a large ANL fuse that mounts right to the battery and makes life easy. I think I'm fused here at 250 amps.
When you run your cables be sure to run your control wires, 12 gauge, if you want some sort of a remote switch at the helm. In my case I have a remote mounted in the port lazarette so someone at the helm can operate the windlass in the cockpit. I did mount foot operated switches near the windlass but mounted them on the sloping face of the bulwark. My reasoning was to keep water out of the "water proof" foot switches.
There is also a pic showing a connection in the locker behind of the anchor locker, this is were I connected the 2/0 cable to the factory#8 wire that comes out of the windlass from lewmar. It is also were I mounted a terminal strip to connect the control wiring along with an inline fuse. I got a little carried away while I was in there and removed the "monkey fur" from this locker and installed the cedar lining that you see. I think the fumes must have gotten to me at this point.


Just a small bit of advice if you have someone mount the windlass. Be sure to go over the exact layout with the installer so you are happy with the lead off. The spacing between the bow rollers will not likely be the same as the spacing between the gypsy and capstan, if you order a windlass equipped that way. Also, and you may know this already but it is worth mentioning.
Don't rely on the gasket and sealant to protect the plywood coring you will be drilling many holes through. Instead of removing the coring in the large drop holes, I coated the exposed plywood with thickened epoxy and applied gel coat. The smaller mounting hole I drilled oversized and filled with thickened epoxy, then drilled the proper size. Take your time, you only get one shot a getting it right.
Good luck

[AlLorman]

You do really nice work, Steve. You can work on my 31 any time you want. ;-)

Al Lorman
s/v Ann West PSC 31 No. 55
Annapolis

[Cool Change]

Thanks steve for the additional information. Did you run your control wiring or was it already there? If you ran it, Im curious what path you took. You raise a good point about the distance between the centers of the gypsys not neccesarily lining up with the bow rollers. How close does the H3 line up? Did you center for the chain gypsy or split the difference between both?

Thank you Ryan for your suggestion of running under the panels to access the space between the toe rail and deck. I will take a look and see how hard that will be on my boat. I like the idea of a shorter run and keeping the wiring out of the bilge.

Rick

[orientalnc2010]

Thanks Al, next time you cruise by Oriental give me a call and I will try to squeeze into my schedule.
Rick, the control wiring was installed by the factory with the 2/0 cable. There was another thread that discussed the tight fitting panels we are talking about removing and most owners did not have much luck getting them out. I did try to run a snake through the wire chase under the bulwarks for my radar cable but was unsuccessful. The radar cable went nicely through the bilge. I would not go under the fuel tank as there is room there, you can go beside it. It is possible to keep the wires very high in the bilge and as long as there are no splices, which in your case there should not be I would not worry to much about it. The run will be longer but go with a large cable like I did and the run length won't be a problem.
As far as the bow rollers and the windlass, I would suggest placing the windlass on deck and play with it. Run the anchor rhode from the windlass to the roller and you will see what you need to do. It may be that you need to **** the windlass slightly in order to keep the windlass on the deck pad while getting the bow roller and the gypsy to align in the same plane. I then ran a piece of small stuff from the bow roller and over the gypsy and fine tuned it. Once you set it up on deck, what I've described will be obvious.