Windlass info

[Stevie]

Looking for some info for selecting a windlass for my Hunter Legend 306 (9m) which has a weight of approx 4.4 ton

[claymore]

Electric or bad back model?
If electric, I bought a Lofrans something or other - absolutely brilliant.

If bad back, I have an SL hand crank jobbie which is taking up space in my shed - works fine.

[Telo]

If bad back, I have an SL hand crank jobbie which is taking up space in my shed - works fine.

The bad back model concept is all relative off course....

Funnily enough I was thinking about looking around for a manual windlass for those occasions (most times these days) when the anchor has dug in really deeply while holding us during gales. Can be a sod to free from the ground sometimes. Also starts to get a bit heavy in 10m or more.

I wondered about fitting an electrically powered windlass, but was put off by the cost, the rewiring, yet another battery (at least I believe that is advisable), and the idea of another gizmo that could go wrong.

Do you still have it? (OK, I know I'd have to be nice to you from time to time....).

[claymore]

We don't have a dedicated battery but do ensure that the engine is on and we used very thick cables when wiring it all up
Cost is relative, don't you think Donald.
Lying poleaxed on a bunk all day with a bad back is the devil of a price to pay.

[Telo]

Cost is relative, don't you think Donald.

Yes. That's why I'd rather not spend so much.....

Anyway, at the moment I still pull it all up by hand, but reduce the back strain by sitting down on the job. For me, a manual windlass would be handy for freeing the anchor out of mud. It would also make it easier for Mme S to raise if I were, for any reason, incapable, deid, indisposed, done away with, or similarly incapacitated.

Anyway what's the point of getting the best first time? Old engineering view: if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing twice.