Anchor Windlass for CD 36

Bill Starck · Post by **Bill Starck** » Mar 11th, '06, 21:20

I am about to buy an electric windlass for my CD 36. Looking at Lewmar 900, Horizon Freefall, horizontal unit, gypsy only.

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions from the board?

Bill Starck
RYAL
Swansea, MA

patturner · Post by **patturner** » Mar 12th, '06, 11:52

This is not a great picture, but I put a Lofrans Kombra in last Summer and have been happy with it. I chose to remove the club boom for the staysail but with this unit the club boom still swings over it (just barely tho'). It's very handsome with the Anodized aluminum. It's called a Horizontal, but technically it's a vertical I guess. As you can see the motor drops down through the deck. I liked this unit because it seemed to combine some of the best attributes from both the Vert and Horiz units.

[img]http://homepage.mac.com/patrick.t/.Pict ... _Kobra.gif[/img]

Pat
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GLASS WEED PIPE
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KATANA AY50

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Mar 12th, '06, 11:52

Bill,

Before you buy Lewmar check to see if they will sell you replacement brushes for the motor. When the brushes wore out on my Lewmar windlass they wouldn't sell me new brushes...told me I had to buy a new motor.

The new boat will not have a Lewmar windlass.

Mike Thorpe

Bill Starck · Post by **Bill Starck** » Mar 12th, '06, 14:25

Hi Mike,

Looking over old posts, sounds like Leo MacDonnald had a problem with Lewmar also.

What windlass are you looking at for the new boat?

How important do you think the "Free Fall" feature is?

Bill

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Mar 12th, '06, 14:44

Bill,

I had a lofrans on Journey's End, it was a great windlass and I'm hoping to put a Lighthouse windlass on the Outbound.

I've never had a windlass with a free fall feature. It's always been power up and power down for me. Assuming that free fall means that it just runs out untill you stop it (how) what stops the chain from piling up ontop of the anchor?

patturner · Post by **patturner** » Mar 12th, '06, 15:53

I like the Free fall feature. You control the rate of fall by releasing a friction clutch with a handle. The more you loosen the clutch the faster it falls. To stop simply apply more pressure. Much more accurate then the power down function IMHO. Make sure the windlass has a good manual backup system.

I have heard complaints about Lewmar.
Lighthouse is a very, very good windlass and I would have gone
for that, but it's pricey. The Lofrans Kobra is similar to the Lighthouse.

Pat
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CLOUDY TRICHOMES
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EXTREME VAPORIZER

Leo MacDonald · Post by **Leo MacDonald** » Mar 12th, '06, 17:54

Hi All,

I'm petty sure (never say 'never') that my 'Lewmar' interest will be restricted to the 'Lewmar' product line winches ONLY. It seems to me the other companies they buy up are for first sales only base on previous (before Lewmar) reputation.

But, as I said before, the winches are great!

Neil Gordon · Post by **Neil Gordon** » Mar 12th, '06, 18:31

Leo MacDonald wrote:It seems to me the other companies they buy up are for first sales only base on previous (before Lewmar) reputation.

It's a great way to slowly dilute a good brand. If true, it's only a matter of time until the winches are branded (perhaps unfairly, if it's possible to be unfair to a winch) with the tarnished reputation of the other products.

Len · Post by **Len** » Mar 12th, '06, 18:31

I am pretty happy with my windless. It is an Ideal. A vertical unit made of bronze and stainless. Narrow enough to be mounted off to the side of the deck. If you have no club or want to get rid of yours i would recommend the lighthouse, (which would be too wide to fit with the staysail boom in place)
I have mine set up so that it can be operate remotely from the cockpit up/down/, from the bow with foot buttons or free fall with manuel handle control at unit.
http://www.lighthouse-mfg-usa.com/
http://www.idealwindlass.com/

bottomscraper · Post by **bottomscraper** » Mar 12th, '06, 19:46

It's a veritical bronze mounted on the starboard side with deck switches. So far it has worked great. The picture below is large so don't bother clicking if you are on dialup!

http://sailmahalo.com/picture_collectio ... %20002.jpg

Greg Ross · Post by **Greg Ross** » Mar 13th, '06, 00:38

Good looking equipment here from Australia, if you're patient you can, for a premium even order it in natural bronze finish .
http://www.maxwellmarine.com/about_us_n ... news_id=21

Conversely here's what came off ebay in running condition and will get a rebuild for my Ericson 31. According to the labelling it's a Mustang Capstan, built in New Jersey circa 1980. Rated pull 700 lb. rope only obviously.
<img src='http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-1/1 ... ge027W.JPG' width=640 height=480 >

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Mar 13th, '06, 09:30

The windlass that I had a problem with was manufactured by Simpson Lawrence which was then taken over by Lewmar. The problem is not with a lesser brand dragging down the Lewmar name, Simpson Lawrence made a great product, but just the opposite Lewmar dragging down the aquisition.

Lewmars marketing strategy is to buy the companies they can't compete with in the open market and then reducing the quality as much as they dare and eliminating customer service. The bean counters are in charge.

My 2 cents worth.

The Cape Dory Board

Anchor Windlass for CD 36

Anchor Windlass for CD 36

Lofrans Kobra

Windlass

Free Fall

Lewmar

Re: Lewmar

We als have an Ideal

Maxwell deserves a look

Lewmar