Windlass Install on Pulpit for those that have done it themselves.

[Island Dreamer]

I hired a guy to install a Lewmar 700 windlass and placing it at the back of the pulpit is in question. With the anchor hatch open in the V berth and the chain and rope moved, he is saying that it seems too difficult to reach in to tighten down the nuts that hold the windlass on thru the pulpit. His suggestion is to get some Starboard and mount it over the existing chain hole on the deck of the boat just behind the back edge of the pulpit. Anyone stuck their arm in and managed to bolt it on to the pulpit? OR does Parker mount these things at the factory when the pulpit is off the boat?

 

[Mpellet]

My boat is a Parker 2520 model year 2005. I mounted the windlass in 2006. I was 6-2” and wearing a 50” sport coat when I installed the windlass. It wasn’t easy or comfortable but I got enough of me through the hatch at the front of v-berth to bolt the windlass in and wire it.

Works fine but I hardly use it anymore. I started using an anchor ball retriever about five years ago and it’s much faster and less hassle for the kind of anchoring that I typically do.

 

[Swatski]

Works fine but I hardly use it anymore. I started using an anchor ball retriever about five years ago and it’s much faster and less hassle for the kind of anchoring that I typically do.

Sorry for the hijack, but I'm curious. You would still use the windlass with the anchor ball technique, just not to break the anchor from the bottom, correct?

I use the motor to break the anchor, but then reel it in with the windlass once the anchor hits the ball at the surface.

 

[Mpellet]

Sorry for the hijack, but I'm curious. You would still use the windlass with the anchor ball technique, just not to break the anchor from the bottom, correct?

I use the motor to break the anchor, but then reel it in with the windlass once the anchor hits the ball at the surface.
View attachment 30440

You certainly could but I don’t. I do very little anchoring except for Tautog Fishing in the Fall, then I anchor a lot. Much of the time solo, usually in high current areas and frequently wearing full foul weather gear and boots, most days are windy. Exactly the kinds of situations you would not want to fall overboard in. Because of this I try and minimize going up on the forward deck. Before leaving my slip, I run the anchor rode through the bow eye but bring the end of the line back and cleat it to the starboard midship cleat.

Anchor gets deployed and retrieved from the cockpit. The boat rides as it should while on the anchor with the bow into the wind and waves but instead of being cleaned off at the bow, the anchor rode comes through the bow eye, passes by the bow cleat and runs down the starboard side of the cabin and gets cleated at that midship cleat. I make scope adjustments to the anchor rode length from the cockpit.

This way I can deploy the anchor, adjust scope as necessary and recover the anchor using the anchor ball without ever leaving the cockpit.

 

[Swatski]

You certainly could but I don’t. I do very little anchoring except for Tautog Fishing in the Fall, then I anchor a lot. Much of the time solo, usually in high current areas and frequently wearing full foul weather gear and boots, most days are windy. Exactly the kinds of situations you would not want to fall overboard in. Because of this I try and minimize going up on the forward deck. Before leaving my slip, I run the anchor rode through the bow eye but bring the end of the line back and cleat it to the starboard midship cleat.

Anchor gets deployed and retrieved from the cockpit. The boat rides as it should while on the anchor with the bow into the wind and waves but instead of being cleaned off at the bow, the anchor rode comes through the bow eye, passes by the bow cleat and runs down the starboard side of the cabin and gets cleated at that midship cleat. I make scope adjustments to the anchor rode length from the cockpit.

This way I can deploy the anchor, adjust scope as necessary and recover the anchor using the anchor ball without ever leaving the cockpit.

Good stuff!
Thanks for sharing your tricks. Love it.

--

 

[Antidote]

I use a 22 pound Delta anchor now (thanks Andy for the recommendation). I launch and retrieve from the helm. No need to go to the bow. No need to touch the anchor rode.

 

[warthog5]

Windless's need fall room in the anchor locker to work correctly....Says that in the instructions....You want the rode to drop at the deepest point....It appears yours is to far forward. Mine was mounted on a block for 2 reasons....To give more drop to the rode into the center of anchor locker and it raised the chain angle so as not to scratch everything up.

 

[sailmaster]

Windless's need fall room in the anchor locker to work correctly....Says that in the instructions....You want the rode to drop at the deepest point....It appears yours is to far forward. Mine was mounted on a block for 2 reasons....To give more drop to the rode into the center of anchor locker and it raised the chain angle so as not to scratch everything up.

I like the cleat forward of the windlass double duty as a chaffer and a proper in line cleat. We mangle the clutches the way we anchor for sailboat race management. Looks like a seriously good idea

 

[Swatski]

I use a 22 pound Delta anchor now (thanks Andy for the recommendation). I launch and retrieve from the helm. No need to go to the bow. No need to touch the anchor rode.

Any special maneuvers around breaking and retrieving?

--

 

[jarrard]

I hired a guy to install a Lewmar 700 windlass and placing it at the back of the pulpit is in question. With the anchor hatch open in the V berth and the chain and rope moved, he is saying that it seems too difficult to reach in to tighten down the nuts that hold the windlass on thru the pulpit. His suggestion is to get some Starboard and mount it over the existing chain hole on the deck of the boat just behind the back edge of the pulpit. Anyone stuck their arm in and managed to bolt it on to the pulpit? OR does Parker mount these things at the factory when the pulpit is off the boat?

Yes. I just installed a lewmar 700 on my 2120 and mounted it as far back as I could on the pulpit. Bolts were accessible. (Made my kid tighten em) works great. Got 250’ 8 plait Rode and 20’ 1/4” chain. Works great.

 

[Mpellet]

I use a 22 pound Delta anchor now (thanks Andy for the recommendation). I launch and retrieve from the helm. No need to go to the bow. No need to touch the anchor rode.

Yea that’s great if you’re comfortable operating like that. I never used my windlass in that manner because of two very significant pitfalls with that practice.

First if the anchor is not pinned in place while underway, you are depending entirely on your gipsy wheel to keep the anchor up. If the clutch nut loosens or the the gypsy wheel itself fails or if someone inadvertently hits the down button on the windlass, while the boat is underway, the anchor deploys. Depending on boat speed and how much rode deploys, there is an excellent chance of hitting the anchor chain with the engine, the anchor and chain smashing into the bottom of the hull or ripping off trim tabs and or transducers.

Second pitfall, while anchored, without cleating off the rode, all the stress of the boat is on that same gypsy wheel. Reasonable conditions and seas probably not an issue but heavy current or decent wave/ swell action and you run the risk of failure or damage to the windlass or the gypsy wheel. The instruction manual for most windlasses will advise against using the windlass to maintain tension on the anchor rode while anchored and will recommend cleating off the rode.

 

[Island Dreamer]

The biggest problem I’m having right now is trying to find somebody that can fabricate that piece to put it behind the pulpit. I have to think that with Parker mounting them directly on the pulpit, it must not be too big of an issue with rope and chain falling into the locker. I think I only have 250 feet of rope and 30 feet of chain. Can anyone comment on how frequently things get bound up with the winless on the pulpit?

 

[grouperjim]

I have done a few 2320s and 2520. Below is a link that gets the drop in the deepest part of the anchor locker. If you install the windlass as the factory does on the rear of the pulpit, the 2320 with 8 plait line (best choice of line) will start to bunch up after about a 100ft. You'll need to reach in from below to pull it down. The 2520 has a wider beam and the rode will fall better and bunch up less but will still bunch nevertheless if the windlass is on the pulpit.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=12814&p=88527&hilit=windlass#p88527

 

[Antidote]

Any special maneuvers around breaking and retrieving?

--

Throttle forward to the anchor while bringing in the rode. Making sure to keep the anchor in front of the bow. If it snags and won't come up, back away letting rode out. Turn 45 degrees down wind and drive past the anchor breaking off the zip ties then the boats movement will pull the anchor from the crown of the anchor and winch it up. In this case I have to go to the bow to stow the anchor and re zip tie the chain to the shank.

 

[Antidote]

Yea that’s great if you’re comfortable operating like that. I never used my windlass in that manner because of two very significant pitfalls with that practice.

First if the anchor is not pinned in place while underway, you are depending entirely on your gipsy wheel to keep the anchor up. If the clutch nut loosens or the the gypsy wheel itself fails or if someone inadvertently hits the down button on the windlass, while the boat is underway, the anchor deploys. Depending on boat speed and how much rode deploys, there is an excellent chance of hitting the anchor chain with the engine, the anchor and chain smashing into the bottom of the hull or ripping off trim tabs and or transducers.

Second pitfall, while anchored, without cleating off the rode, all the stress of the boat is on that same gypsy wheel. Reasonable conditions and seas probably not an issue but heavy current or decent wave/ swell action and you run the risk of failure or damage to the windlass or the gypsy wheel. The instruction manual for most windlasses will advise against using the windlass to maintain tension on the anchor rode while anchored and will recommend cleating off the rode.

I appreciate your concern. The amount of weight the windless is holding with the anchor on the pulpit is only a few pounds. Not even the 22 Lbs. of the anchor. If something was to fail it would happen in clear view from the helm and I would be able to react by powering back to neutral prior to the anchor making it way to the props. The control for the rode in tucked in the corner outboard of the wheel. It takes effort to get to if you're not at the helm.

I don't anchor in rolling waves. If I'm fishing I will drift instead. If I'm backed in to a sandbar I will go up the bow and tie off the rode.

 

[warthog5]

double duty as a chaffer

The chain doesn't even touch it....Thats 1 objective of raising the windless height.

The biggest problem I’m having right now is trying to find somebody that can fabricate that piece to put it behind the pulpit. I have to think that with Parker mounting them directly on the pulpit, it must not be too big of an issue with rope and chain falling into the locker. I think I only have 250 feet of rope and 30 feet of chain. Can anyone comment on how frequently things get bound up with the winless on the pulpit?

Machine shop / fabrication shop......Build it out of 1/4in alum.

Now.....I want you to look at the side view of one mounted on the pulpit.

Draw a imaginary line vertical.... From where the rode drops from the windless straight down.....Where is the bottom of that line? It falls straight into the back side of the Stem...[where the boy eye is.] Now you have a tangling mess.
These are installed by the dealer a lot. Don't for 1 second think they know what they are doing. I've fixed a bunch of stuff.

• Anchor rode enters the gypsy, makes a 90° turn and feeds into the anchor locker
• Minimum fall of 304mm (12")is recommended in order to have enough gravity to pull the rode down into the locker

And that is the Min.-----More is better...Your rode will lay better and not become a Cluster.

 

[Swatski]

Throttle forward to the anchor while bringing in the rode. Making sure to keep the anchor in front of the bow. If it snags and won't come up, back away letting rode out. Turn 45 degrees down wind and drive past the anchor breaking off the zip ties then the boats movement will pull the anchor from the crown of the anchor and winch it up. In this case I have to go to the bow to stow the anchor and re zip tie the chain to the shank.

Okay, that makes sense. I find the anchor ball to be more reassuring. It is a PIA to deploy and retrieve given limited access into the pulpit, it really is a royal pain if you have my body type, lol. But, it does provide a more aggresive angle to pull up a stuck anchor, plus gives some buffer by being buoyant but submergible.

Thanks for the tips!

--

 

[Mpellet]

I appreciate your concern. The amount of weight the windless is holding with the anchor on the pulpit is only a few pounds. Not even the 22 Lbs. of the anchor. If something was to fail it would happen in clear view from the helm and I would be able to react by powering back to neutral prior to the anchor making it way to the props. The control for the rode in tucked in the corner outboard of the wheel. It takes effort to get to if you're not at the helm.

I don't anchor in rolling waves. If I'm fishing I will drift instead. If I'm backed in to a sandbar I will go up the bow and tie off the rode.

My concern wasn’t for you as you were intent on doing what you do. I explained why I don’t operate that way to perhaps give someone else pause before running around with an unpinned anchor on the pulpit.

You might wanna rethink being able to react with throttle or gear shifter in the case of an inadvertent anchor deployment. Boats don’t have brakes. if the anchor ever hits the water while the boat is at speed, the anchor will be pulled well aft of the engine before you pulling back the throttle has any effect at all on the boat’s movement.

Take care......

 

[sailmaster]

Yea that’s great if you’re comfortable operating like that. I never used my windlass in that manner because of two very significant pitfalls with that practice.

First if the anchor is not pinned in place while underway, you are depending entirely on your gipsy wheel to keep the anchor up. If the clutch nut loosens or the the gypsy wheel itself fails or if someone inadvertently hits the down button on the windlass, while the boat is underway, the anchor deploys. Depending on boat speed and how much rode deploys, there is an excellent chance of hitting the anchor chain with the engine, the anchor and chain smashing into the bottom of the hull or ripping off trim tabs and or transducers.

Second pitfall, while anchored, without cleating off the rode, all the stress of the boat is on that same gypsy wheel. Reasonable conditions and seas probably not an issue but heavy current or decent wave/ swell action and you run the risk of failure or damage to the windlass or the gypsy wheel. The instruction manual for most windlasses will advise against using the windlass to maintain tension on the anchor rode while anchored and will recommend cleating off the rode.

did you see warthog photo with cleat
solves those issues

 

[Island Dreamer]

The chain doesn't even touch it....Thats 1 objective of raising the windless height.



Machine shop / fabrication shop......Build it out of 1/4in alum.

Now.....I want you to look at the side view of one mounted on the pulpit.

Draw a imaginary line vertical.... From where the rode drops from the windless straight down.....Where is the bottom of that line? It falls straight into the back side of the Stem...[where the boy eye is.] Now you have a tangling mess.
These are installed by the dealer a lot. Don't for 1 second think they know what they are doing. I've fixed a bunch of stuff.

• Anchor rode enters the gypsy, makes a 90° turn and feeds into the anchor locker
• Minimum fall of 304mm (12")is recommended in order to have enough gravity to pull the rode down into the locker

And that is the Min.-----More is better...Your rode will lay better and not become a Cluster.


View attachment 30463

I found some HDPE plastic online and can get a sheet for about 100 bucks that would yield a 3 inch tall platform that is roughly 12” x 13”. I could probably bump the dimensions a little bit bigger but here’s the question. Each piece is only 1 inch thick so did you epoxy or glue them all together before bolting them to the deck?
If I were to go the aluminum platform are you building a hollow box or stacking all the pieces on top of each other?
Right now it’s looking like the most affordable way to go is with this plastic material which I think is similar to starboard. I would just love to hear what the minimum dimensions should be. The windless is relatively small but obviously want a good surface area attached to the deck.