"Gogarty" wrote in message
...
What has always astonished me is that evry dinky little motor boat of 16
feet or more has a windlass as standard equipment while sailboats as
large as over 40 feet do not. Our boat is 37'. I installed a windless.
Best $2,000 I ever spent on the boat.




There is ONE good thing that can be said about windlasses. They encourage
adequately-sized anchors for the boat in question.

Too often I have seen forty-footers anchoring up with a 25 pound imitation
Danforth or cheap imitation plow of similar weight or, worse yet, one of
those ten-pound aluminum anchors. Too often have I seen them dragging if the
wind blows more than 20 knots.

Since weight becomes less of a factor when a windlass is used, I notice how
properly-sized anchors for the size of the boat are more often in evidence
to the benefit of all concerned.

Wilbur Hubbard