Lighthouse 1501 Windlass

[yachtthor]

I'm thinking about changing out my windlass to the Lighthouse 1501. Does anyone have this on their boat and can you give me some feedback on your satisfaction level?

Thanks,
Marc Cascio
S/V Thor, PS40

[arisatx]

I've thought of doing the same - so I can't give you any first hand feedback, but here's an article by Nigel Calder where he speaks to it:

Tech Transformations No. 2: The Power Windlass | Articles & Archives |

Are you uprgrading from a manual windlass or an existing electric one?

[arisatx]

...Calder must've like the 1501, as I see that's what he had also installed on his recent custom Malo 45 build that is now for sale up in the PNW:


2005 Malo 45 Classic Boat For Sale

[rtblock1@juno.com]

We have the Lighthouse 1501 dual windlass. Our previous two boats had no windlass and a manual crank one so I don't have a lot of comparative experience. For what it's worth here are my comments on the Lighthouse:

Very well built, reliable and strong.

Water stopping plates work quite well to keep water out of chain locker

Below deck motor housing rusted badly. Apparently newer models have better anti-corrosion covering

SS Rope gypsy is too smooth making use difficult. We are all chain so not too big an issue for us but would have liked to use for getting me up the mast.

Remote cockpit control and chain counter is a neat feature but proprietary battery at $120 per set is a real rip off.

In using friend's boats I have found that the gearing on the Lighthouse is much slower. I find this to be preferable, avoiding worse jamming problems when castling or other issues occur.

Again, I have no real comparative experience, but I am very comfortable giving a positive recommendation for Lighthouse.

Roger Block
Shango PS40

P.S. I've written Pacific Seacraft to see if they would sponsor an email list-serve for users to replace this mode. I've gotten no response. Is everyone else comfortable with this new mode?

[arisatx]

...one more thing - I've noticed on some PSC's with the 1501, that it requires a substantial riser, to give the chain sufficient contact w/the gypsy/wildcat.



Looks to be a good 8" above the deck. That's beyond my glass skills.

[yachtthor]

Thanks for the info, Ted, and for the picture...Nigel's article was interesting. Oh, to answer your question, I currently have an electric windlass, a Muir which gives me a little trouble from time to time. I can use it in manual mode if I want but it sometimes "slips" in electric mode.

Thanks for your info as well, Roger. I'm not too comfortable with this format. I haven't figured it all out yet.

Cheers, Marc

[chuckg5]

i'm trying to use my lighthouse 1500 for the first time after sending the motor unit in tobe rebuilt. the heavy chain around the mooring block has sunk deep into the 4 feet of mud and can not 'get it up'. when trying to use the wench, the switch replay just 'chatters' and the wench bearly moves. i go down a feel the motor and its hot but isn't moving. i'm calling lighthouse tuesday but has someone else experinced this?

[ralopata]

We've had a 1501 onboard JUNO (PSC 40 -- #46) since she was new in 2001 and it has never let us down. It seems to have more than adequate power to raise 200 feet of all chain rode and a 45-pound CQR. Usually I use a bit of prop thrust to move us forward on the anchor and then we let our forward way break out the anchor (I'd always been taught never to rely on a windlass to pull the boat up to the anchor or to rely on the windlass motor to break the anchor out. The motors aren't really built to do that).

We've noticed that after long periods of non-use or if the unit has gotten very, very salty with no fresh water cleaning, sometimes the plates have to be "broken free" before deploying the anchor. This is no big deal. You back off the clutch about a quarter turn and, with the anchor still in the chocks, engage the "raising" action. This breaks the plates free immediately and you're good to go.

To help keep some of the salt off the unit, Cynthia stitched a Sunbrella cover for it (it's great to have a wife who does canvas-work).

Though we tend to use an all chain rode, the one time I tried using rope on the smooth drum, it seemed okay (I've always wanted to try using it to haul Cynthia up the mast, but I've never had the nerve...).

For us, it has been a reliable unit. Hope this helps.

Roger Lopata
JUNO
PSC 40 -- #46

[TAK]

My how I have aged..
I think that is so sexy..

[arisatx]

Originally Posted by TAK

My how I have aged..
I think that is so sexy..

With age comes wisdom and refinement of good taste!