Replacing a windlass

[DBA Forum (B) - Jeremy May]

Unless I'm missing something, wouldn't it be a good idea to make sure it all works before your engine packs up near a weir?

[DBA Forum (B) - Edward & Pam Burrell]

Angelus built in 1884 still carries such a piece of kit. It too was
seized up but now in good working order. It is a really valuable piece
of kit and hugely powerful. I have used it for a number of reasons.
One of them was to set up a system of block and tackle to pull a tyre
out from being half round the prop. The other was when we got lodged in
a narrow canal lock gate and had to winch the barge backwards to
extricate. Removal would be a massive job only to replace it with an
inferior winch. If you have a trad barge then clean it up, get it
working and flaunt it, as they say.

Edward

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Jeremy May
Unless I'm missing something, wouldn't it be a good idea to make sure it all works before your engine packs up near a weir?

[DBA Forum (B) - Charles Mclaren]

Even if u always raft up on yr friends (and they remain yr friends!!) c

Charlie McLaren...Sent from my iPhone

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Edward & Pam Burrell
Angelus built in 1884 still carries such a piece of kit. It too was
seized up but now in good working order. It is a really valuable piece
of kit and hugely powerful. I have used it for a number of reasons.
One of them was to set up a system of block and tackle to pull a tyre
out from being half round the prop. The other was when we got lodged in
a narrow canal lock gate and had to winch the barge backwards to
extricate. Removal would be a massive job only to replace it with an
inferior winch. If you have a trad barge then clean it up, get it
working and flaunt it, as they say.
Edward

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Jeremy May
Unless I'm missing something, wouldn't it be a good idea to make sure it all works before your engine packs up near a weir?

[DBA Forum (B) - Charles Mclaren]

Seriously your anchor and Windlass are your most important safety equipment at all on board. You should never leave your berth without having the anchor ready to drop. Would you drive your car without brakes?
Make sure the one you have works. That it is oiled not greased. That the crew know how to drop it instantly. Once you get to grips with it and know it you will find it is a magic piece of engineering and you won't be able to better it with a modern one.
C
Charlie McLaren...Sent from my iPhone

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Charles Mclaren
Even if u always raft up on yr friends (and they remain yr friends!!) c
Charlie McLaren...Sent from my iPhone

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Edward & Pam Burrell
Angelus built in 1884 still carries such a piece of kit. It too was
seized up but now in good working order. It is a really valuable piece
of kit and hugely powerful. I have used it for a number of reasons.
One of them was to set up a system of block and tackle to pull a tyre
out from being half round the prop. The other was when we got lodged in
a narrow canal lock gate and had to winch the barge backwards to
extricate. Removal would be a massive job only to replace it with an
inferior winch. If you have a trad barge then clean it up, get it
working and flaunt it, as they say.
Edward

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Jeremy May
Unless I'm missing something, wouldn't it be a good idea to make sure it all works before your engine packs up near a weir?

[DBA Forum (B) - Peter Cawson]

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Charles Mclaren
You should never leave your berth without having the anchor ready to drop. Would you drive your car without brakes?

Not a practical possibility on most vessels with modern windlasses. My windlass, typical of modern electric or hydraulic ones, has to be powered down as well as powered up, but I have the advantage of being able to deploy it from the helm position. It would take some time to drop my anchor with sufficient chain to act as a brake.

I accept this is a drawback of using modern gear, but it's an unfortunate fact of life I have to live with. Fortunately I've not yet been in the position of loosing power in a fiercely flowing river and I hope it will never happen. I do have a "chuck-it-over-the-side aft kedge that would hopefully have some effect, thought it's stowed under the deck hose in an aft locker! What should I (and everyone else with such a windlass) do?

Peter

[DBA Forum (B) - Charles Mclaren]

Hi. Two barges I know well have only been saved from nasty accidents that is collision with bridges in a fast Running Tideway, by letting go their anchors. one with a rope around the propeller the second when the engine failed. Both, had they hit the bridges, could have sunk. C

Sent from my iPad

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Peter Cawson

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Charles Mclaren
You should never leave your berth without having the anchor ready to drop. Would you drive your car without brakes?

Not a practical possibility on most vessels with modern windlasses. My windlass, typical of modern electric or hydraulic ones, has to be powered down as well as powered up, but I have the advantage of being able to deploy it from the helm position. It would take some time to drop my anchor with sufficient chain to act as a brake.
I accept this is a drawback of using modern gear, but it's an unfortunate fact of life I have to live with. Fortunately I've not yet been in the position of loosing power in a fiercely flowing river and I hope it will never happen. I do have a "chuck-it-over-the-side aft kedge that would hopefully have some effect, thought it's stowed under the deck hose in an aft locker! What should I (and everyone else with such a windlass) do?
Peter

[DBA Forum (B) - Colin Stone]

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Peter Cawson
My windlass, typical of modern electric or hydraulic ones, has to be powered down as well as powered up,

Well, that is not very good.
Anchor winches should always let the anchor and chain drop freely, otherwise one cannot be certain of where the swinging circle is.

My first anchoring was an emergency when the fuel filter became airlocked on the Bergse Maas on day 1/2 of ownership. I was mighty glad that the anchor and a good few m of chain ran out really quickly once the brake had been released and we quickly stopped careering across the river. .

An old winch should also make easy work of hand lifting a heavy anchor with its gearing.

Colin Stone
KEI
Sent via BlackBerry® BIS

[DBA Forum (B) - Peter Cawson]

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Peter Cawson
My windlass, typical of modern electric or hydraulic ones, has to be powered down as well as powered up,
Well, that is not very good. Anchor winches should always let the anchor and chain drop freely, otherwise one cannot be certain of where the swinging circle is.

Colin - I may have to review my words! I'm not at the boat at present and I've used my windlass only once for achoring in a Dutch lake to spectate a skutze race - apart from testing that it worked when I bought the boat. There's no obvious release to allow the anchor to drop under gravity, but I'll have to take a closer look next week when I return to the boat. Perhaps there is a quick release - I really should know about these things!

Peter