Windlass

What does an electric windlass actually consist of?

How do you install a windlass?

1. Select the location: Decide where on the boat you want to install your windlass and possibly a dedicated battery. It's best to choose a place that is easily accessible and close to the bow where the anchor and chain are mounted. If your boat has an anchor well that is large and deep enough, you can embed a fiberglass shelf or screw a metal plate into the well for the winch to be installed on. Note that the chain wheel on the windlass must be roughly flush with the anchor roller.
2. Prepare the location: Measure, it's better to measure too much than too little. Then drill the necessary holes for mounting bolts and wires. If you're mounting in the deck of the boat and it's made as a sandwich construction with wood or foam in the middle, you can go up a few dimensions in hole size. Then fill the hole with epoxy. Once cured, drill the final (and smaller) hole in the epoxy. In this way, you have sealed the sandwich construction from water ingress. When sealing bolts, screws and wires, we prefer to use e.g. Butyl sealant. It should be applied around the hole from above and possibly on the bolt/screw/wire itself. Do not seal from below (under the deck), as any water ingress should be able to run down into the boat rather than cause rot in the structure itself.
3. Install the windlass: Mount the windlass on the deck or in the anchor well. Make sure it is securely fastened and level. Use hand tools for tightening instead of a screwdriver. This avoids over-tightening and damaging the components.
4. Install the control switch: Install the control switch in a location that is easily accessible from the rudder or windlass. Make sure to run the wires from the windlass to the switch with a tight connection to minimize the risk of corrosion.
5. Connect wires: Connect the wires from the windlass to the control switch and make sure all connections are secure and properly wired. Install an appropriately sized fuse according to the windlass power consumption.
6. Install the battery: Place the battery as close to the windlass as possible. This also avoids the need for excessively thick cables (the further the power has to be transported, the larger the cable size should be). Make sure that the battery is stable so that it can't tip over.
7. Install the anchor chain. A little tip: Install a piece of rope at the end of the chain, between the chain and the drum of the windlass. That way you can always cut the rope and move on quickly in case of an accident.
8. Test the windlass: Test the windlass to make sure it works properly and that the control switch, cord and battery are working correctly.
9. Set saildrop the anchor with one touch and enjoy a cold one! 👍

How to anchor correctly

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to set an anchor:

1. Choose a suitable location: Look for a location that is protected from waves and wind and has a suitable bottom for anchoring. Avoid areas with rocks, coral or other obstacles that could damage your anchor or chain. In addition to nautical charts, you can use Google Maps with satellite view to see what the seabed looks like in your desired area.
2. Prepare anchor and chain: Make sure your anchor and chain are properly attached to each other and to the boat. If necessary, gently run the anchor down from the bow so that it hangs vertically and is ready to be dropped. This will prevent it from hammering into the hull when you need to let out more chain quickly.
3. Position the boat: Position the boat over the area where you want to set the anchor. Make sure that the wind and current do not push the boat in an unwanted direction.
4. Lower the anchor: Slowly lower the anchor. Once the anchor has hit the bottom, add more chain while the boat is drifting or in reverse. The chain should be placed in a minimum ratio of 3:1 in calm weather. Better 5:1 for longer stays in calm to moderate weather and up to 10:1 when weather conditions deteriorate sharply.
5. Attach the chain/anchor rope: Once the anchor is set and chain is laid out at a minimum of 3:1, secure it by tying the chain/rope to a bollard on deck.
6. Check the anchor: Once the anchor is set, check it by gently backing the boat up to make sure the anchor is securely set and holding. If necessary, make a reference point between the rail of your boat and the shore so you can see if the boat is drifting. If the boat drifts, it's up with the anchor and try again.
7. Monitor the weather: Always keep an eye on the weather and wind direction, and be prepared to adjust the anchor chain length as needed.

How to use a snubber:

1. Attach the snubber to the anchor chain using a shackle or chain hook. The snubber should be attached to the chain about 1/3 of the way down the chain. The longer the snubber, the better the effect.
2. Run the snubber line from the chain to a cleat or other strong point on the boat.
3. Adjust the anchor chain so that it is slack and the snubber line takes over the load. This will absorb shock and drag on the boat's equipment. It can also prevent the boat from rocking too much in strong winds and waves, making it more comfortable for the crew.

Is your boat an "anchor sailor"?

"It's a good idea especially for motorboats because it's simple and requires nothing more than a piece of rope - and it takes a little practice.
If the rooster foot (the line that is attached to the anchor rope with a roller connector) is not adjusted correctly, it will not work as intended. It is therefore important to do the following:

1. The rooster foot must be tied to the anchor chain/rope with a roller connector and then the anchor chain/rooster foot must be slackened out about 1 boat length.

2. Tie the rooster foot amidships or at the stern

3. The length of the rooster foot should be adjusted until the boat is stable at an angle of approximately 40-45 degrees.

This allows the boat to lie completely steady without anchoring at all. The boat will lie at an angle to the wind and the pull on the anchor will be constant. This is an advantage despite the fact that the wind pressure is somewhat greater when you are at an angle to the wind."