I used to see manual windlasses but not anymore. Can you still get
one of the type with a lever you push back and forth or where you use
a winch handle?

On Apr 13, 8:23 pm, wrote:
I used to see manual windlasses but not anymore. Can you still get
one of the type with a lever you push back and forth or where you use
a winch handle?

I just looked and they are still around. So, here is my question. IS
a windlass more for just breaking the anchor free or for actually
hauling it up? If breaking it free is a problem, why not just lead
the rode around a winch? One could also tie a prusik loop to your
rode and then lead that to your winch to break it free.
Another possibility is a homemade device based on a Gibbs Ascender
like Cavers and climbers use. It slides easily one way on a rope but
grabs when pulled the other way. Lead your rode through an anchor
roller pulley and then to your cockpit where it will be piled when it
comes out of the water. You have a line (Line A) attached to a Gibbs
body but the Gibbs is put on the anchor rode so that when you pull
Line A it pulls up the rode. Line A goes around the winch. The Gibbs
also has a length of shock cord attached between it and the bow. When
you pull Line A, it pulls up the rode by way of the Gibbs and you pile
the rode in the cockpit. When you slack Line A, the shockcord pulls
the Gibbs back toward along the bow and along the taut rode. Repeat
over and over just as if hauling up a sail by way of a winch.

wrote in message
...
I used to see manual windlasses but not anymore. Can you still get
one of the type with a lever you push back and forth or where you use
a winch handle?



Something like this.......
http://ca.binnacle.com/product_info....oducts_id=3235

wrote in message
...
On Apr 13, 8:23 pm, wrote:
I used to see manual windlasses but not anymore. Can you still get
one of the type with a lever you push back and forth or where you use
a winch handle?

I just looked and they are still around. So, here is my question. IS
a windlass more for just breaking the anchor free or for actually
hauling it up? If breaking it free is a problem, why not just lead
the rode around a winch? One could also tie a prusik loop to your
rode and then lead that to your winch to break it free.
Another possibility is a homemade device based on a Gibbs Ascender
like Cavers and climbers use. It slides easily one way on a rope but
grabs when pulled the other way. Lead your rode through an anchor
roller pulley and then to your cockpit where it will be piled when it
comes out of the water. You have a line (Line A) attached to a Gibbs
body but the Gibbs is put on the anchor rode so that when you pull
Line A it pulls up the rode. Line A goes around the winch. The Gibbs
also has a length of shock cord attached between it and the bow. When
you pull Line A, it pulls up the rode by way of the Gibbs and you pile
the rode in the cockpit. When you slack Line A, the shockcord pulls
the Gibbs back toward along the bow and along the taut rode. Repeat
over and over just as if hauling up a sail by way of a winch.


You don't need a winch to break an anchor free, and I wouldn't suggest using
one. You could damage a winch or even a windlass. All you need to do is head
toward where the anchor is sitting, hauling in the rode as you go. When you
get directly overhead, cleat off the rode onto a strong, backed cleat, and
keep going slowly. The anchor will come free, assuming it's not snagged on
something of course. Then, reapply the hauling. You're done.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Alan Gomes" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Apr 13, 8:23 pm, wrote:
I used to see manual windlasses but not anymore. Can you still get
one of the type with a lever you push back and forth or where you use
a winch handle?
I just looked and they are still around. So, here is my question. IS
a windlass more for just breaking the anchor free or for actually
hauling it up? If breaking it free is a problem, why not just lead
the rode around a winch? One could also tie a prusik loop to your
rode and then lead that to your winch to break it free.
Another possibility is a homemade device based on a Gibbs Ascender
like Cavers and climbers use. It slides easily one way on a rope but
grabs when pulled the other way. Lead your rode through an anchor
roller pulley and then to your cockpit where it will be piled when it
comes out of the water. You have a line (Line A) attached to a Gibbs
body but the Gibbs is put on the anchor rode so that when you pull
Line A it pulls up the rode. Line A goes around the winch. The Gibbs
also has a length of shock cord attached between it and the bow. When
you pull Line A, it pulls up the rode by way of the Gibbs and you pile
the rode in the cockpit. When you slack Line A, the shockcord pulls
the Gibbs back toward along the bow and along the taut rode. Repeat
over and over just as if hauling up a sail by way of a winch.


You don't need a winch to break an anchor free, and I wouldn't suggest
using one. You could damage a winch or even a windlass. All you need to
do is head toward where the anchor is sitting, hauling in the rode as you
go. When you get directly overhead, cleat off the rode onto a strong,
backed cleat, and keep going slowly. The anchor will come free, assuming
it's not snagged on something of course. Then, reapply the hauling.
You're done.

As a similar variant to this: Pull all the slack out of the rode so that
it is as taught as it can be, hanging straight down, and cleat it off.
Then sit back and have something to drink while you let the rocking motion
of the boat do the work of breaking it free. If you have several people on
board you can have them move to the bow while you tighten the line as much
as possible, cleat it, and then have everyone move aft to the cockpit.
This could help some.

As to the general question, I think the purpose of the windlass is to aid
in retrieving the weight of a heavy anchor and chain rode but not for
breaking the anchor loose--though I'm sure many people use them for the
latter.

--Alan G.


Alan, I like the sitting around part even better! LOL My only concern would
be if there are other boats around, you and crew have too much to drink, and
fall asleep rocking back and forth.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Capt. JG" wrote:

"Alan Gomes" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Apr 13, 8:23 pm, wrote:
I used to see manual windlasses but not anymore. Can you still get
one of the type with a lever you push back and forth or where you use
a winch handle?
I just looked and they are still around. So, here is my question. IS
a windlass more for just breaking the anchor free or for actually
hauling it up? If breaking it free is a problem, why not just lead
the rode around a winch? One could also tie a prusik loop to your
rode and then lead that to your winch to break it free.

We have an all chain rode, and I was taught not to use the windlass
for anything other than to pick up the anchor and rode.

Another possibility is a homemade device based on a Gibbs Ascender
like Cavers and climbers use. It slides easily one way on a rope but
grabs when pulled the other way. Lead your rode through an anchor
roller pulley and then to your cockpit where it will be piled when it
comes out of the water. You have a line (Line A) attached to a Gibbs
body but the Gibbs is put on the anchor rode so that when you pull
Line A it pulls up the rode. Line A goes around the winch. The Gibbs
also has a length of shock cord attached between it and the bow. When
you pull Line A, it pulls up the rode by way of the Gibbs and you pile
the rode in the cockpit. When you slack Line A, the shockcord pulls
the Gibbs back toward along the bow and along the taut rode. Repeat
over and over just as if hauling up a sail by way of a winch.


You don't need a winch to break an anchor free, and I wouldn't suggest
using one. You could damage a winch or even a windlass. All you need to
do is head toward where the anchor is sitting, hauling in the rode as you
go. When you get directly overhead, cleat off the rode onto a strong,
backed cleat, and keep going slowly. The anchor will come free, assuming
it's not snagged on something of course. Then, reapply the hauling.
You're done.

As a similar variant to this: Pull all the slack out of the rode so that
it is as taught as it can be, hanging straight down, and cleat it off.

That's more or less what Bob does. On a day we want to move, he gets
up and goes and takes the catenary out of the rode. Then he comes
back and shaves and dresses. Goes forward and repeats taking out the
slack. Then goes and has breakfast. By that time (unless there is a
lot of wind), the boat is sitting more or less right over the anchor
and all he has to do is wind up the chain.

Then sit back and have something to drink while you let the rocking motion
of the boat do the work of breaking it free. If you have several people on
board you can have them move to the bow while you tighten the line as much
as possible, cleat it, and then have everyone move aft to the cockpit.
This could help some.

As to the general question, I think the purpose of the windlass is to aid
in retrieving the weight of a heavy anchor and chain rode but not for
breaking the anchor loose--though I'm sure many people use them for the
latter.

--Alan G.


Alan, I like the sitting around part even better! LOL My only concern would
be if there are other boats around, you and crew have too much to drink, and
fall asleep rocking back and forth.

On Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:39:33 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Apr 13, 8:23 pm, wrote:
I used to see manual windlasses but not anymore. Can you still get
one of the type with a lever you push back and forth or where you use
a winch handle?

I just looked and they are still around. So, here is my question. IS
a windlass more for just breaking the anchor free or for actually
hauling it up? If breaking it free is a problem, why not just lead
the rode around a winch? One could also tie a prusik loop to your
rode and then lead that to your winch to break it free.
Another possibility is a homemade device based on a Gibbs Ascender
like Cavers and climbers use. It slides easily one way on a rope but
grabs when pulled the other way. Lead your rode through an anchor
roller pulley and then to your cockpit where it will be piled when it
comes out of the water. You have a line (Line A) attached to a Gibbs
body but the Gibbs is put on the anchor rode so that when you pull
Line A it pulls up the rode. Line A goes around the winch. The Gibbs
also has a length of shock cord attached between it and the bow. When
you pull Line A, it pulls up the rode by way of the Gibbs and you pile
the rode in the cockpit. When you slack Line A, the shockcord pulls
the Gibbs back toward along the bow and along the taut rode. Repeat
over and over just as if hauling up a sail by way of a winch.


If you talk to the anchor windlass people that size their windlass' by
the weight of the anchor plus the weight of a length of chain to reach
the bottom in your average anchoring depths. So, apparently in the
mind of the windlass people the things are simply to lift the anchor
and chain - NOT- to winch the boat around.

Another point, nearly all windlass makers do not recommend using the
windlass as a strong point to cleat the anchor line to.


Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct email address for reply)

"Bruce in Bangkok" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:39:33 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

Another point, nearly all windlass makers do not recommend using the
windlass as a strong point to cleat the anchor line to.



A good point worth remembering if you don't want to buy a replacement
windlass..

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

wrote:

On Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:23:13 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I used to see manual windlasses but not anymore. Can you still get
one of the type with a lever you push back and forth or where you use
a winch handle?

You can get a manual windlass, but the cost is pretty close to an electric that
has a manual override.

We got ours second hand from Bacons. IIRC it was about $80.00. It
was missing the handle, but Bob was able to make one pretty easily -
that also meant that he could make it the right length to be
comfortable for him. We got a second hand tape by the Pardeys, and
that showed us the efficient way to stow the handle by the windlass.
We went to a book signing and bought their books as a thank-you
because that one tip was worth it.

Bob is an electrical engineer and he has in the past converted a
diesel car to electric and drove it to work for 5 or 6 years. So he
is pretty familiar with electrical things. He thought about the
electric winch thing (We chartered two boats like ours for a week each
before we bought ours so he was able to see the advantages and
disadvantages) and decided that he did not like either of the options
for power. He didn't want to put a battery in the bow and run cables
back to the charger, nor he didn't want to run the big heavy duty
cables from the battery to the bow.

Before we decided, we asked on the live-aboard list etc, and almost
everyone said we should get an electric windlass. Except one guy, who
said his 10 year old son was strong enough to pull the anchor with a
manual windlass, and that was really all I was worried about. And I
CAN do it with the manual windlass, although it is more effort than I
normally like to make. Usually I drive the boat while Bob pulls the
anchor.

wrote:

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:31:46 -0400, Rosalie B.
wrote:

wrote:

On Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:23:13 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I used to see manual windlasses but not anymore. Can you still get
one of the type with a lever you push back and forth or where you use
a winch handle?

You can get a manual windlass, but the cost is pretty close to an electric that
has a manual override.

We got ours second hand from Bacons. IIRC it was about $80.00. It
was missing the handle, but Bob was able to make one pretty easily -
that also meant that he could make it the right length to be
comfortable for him.

That is an incredible bargain. I looked at a Lofrans manual and it was
about $750 new. If I could find a used manual windlass for $100, I'd
snap it up.

Well I'm really BAD with numbers, and it WAS 10 years ago. It was a
bargain though. It was second hand after all. I think we have a
second one for parts that he got somewhere.