Windlass Replacement 2013-2014

Over the last few years the list of projects slowly decreases and this winter it the time of the Windlass (at long last)

Current set up using the Manual Goiot Windlass.

Please click on any of the pictures to get a full size image

Anchor Locker

SS Chain router (seems to be different across the D35's) 

Anchor locker windlass fits well

Original Goiot Manual Windlass

Other windlass's are raised to the maximum of the available space.

Showing Chain drop

The chain router which others have cut to enable the windlass to be mounted as high as possible.

Windlass remover, showing base GRP molding

Windlass removed

With the windlass un installed I was able to chock it up to see the maximum height achievable before anchor hatch surgery.

My current feeling is that with chocks and by cutting some of the chain router away I will be able to raise the new windlass some 3 - 4 inches making a significant change to the chain angle.

When I started thinking about an electric windlass I dis quite a lot of research as we all do.
I came to the conclusion that a Vertical windlass would be the best for me (based on the chain slipping issue due to the angle of the chain from the roller).

Following some discussions with other Dufour owners (many thanks guys) and a lot of trawling through the WEB I opted for the Quick Hector 1000.

I would have opted for the Chain and rope but:
1) I have never used the rope side (apart from fitting a rope snubber while at anchor)
2) The deal I got was for the chain only (although it is described as Rope/Chain)

Old Goiot Manual windlass and new Quick Hector Electric Windlass

Difficult to see clearly but the manual windlass capstan makes the chain a good 1 inch lower on entry.

What became blindingly obvious when I sat the drilling template over the Goiot Windlass was that the footprint of the Hector was bigger both length and width.

Length should not be an issue as there needs to be a spacer block to raise the windlass to its maximum.

Width, well there lies an issue. The width is significant as tits where the bolts are located to hold it down.

First thought is to mock up a wooden spacer and have it fabricated in aluminium. allowing me to install in the original holes and providing a secure platform for the new windlass.

So on Nimrod the first challenge was to clean out the anchor locker, my father always says if you work in a mess, you will do a messy job, you know thats very good advice....

So Dad, Anchor locker cleaned and empty.

Now that the locker is empty I can offer up the Windlass. drill a few new holes, dolt it down and get on with the interesting stuff of wiring eh!!!

 

Wrong!!

Few things to overcome.

1) the new windless doesn't quite fit. its too big.
2) the holes for mounting the new windlass are spaced further apart (Port and Starboard) than the old windlass.

Still, if it was easy it wouldn't be called Yachting eh!

So off with the SS chain plate.

And now she fits.

So now the windlass fits I needed a spacer such that I can fit the Windlass to the Spacer and the spacer to the anchor locker.

The test spacer is made out of MDF from the windlass template and 10mm thick.

With this in place I needed to cut the SS chain plate Port and Starboard Chain and Rope feeds which took several attempts to cut the right amount off, but less is more right.

So now we have a 10mm spacer (MDF as the template) and the SS chain plate cut.

 

 

Fits like a dream.

Next is to have the spacer fabricated from either SS or Aloy and get the windlass bolted down into its new home.

So I have taken the paper template and am having a 10mm aluminium spacer manufactured.
This should do three things.
1) give me more hight for the windlass (not much but every mm counts when you have a horizontal one and its in a locker.
2) allow me to bolt the plate to the anchor locker and get the optimum alignment for the windlass.
Give me something to bolt the windlass too.

While that is being made up I have ordered 9mtrs of Red and Black 2AWG tinned cable from the US.

I searched and searched for local suppliers and in the end found that non tinned cable was going to cost more than tinned from the US. What a world we live in.

A very helpful chap I found on the net I can highly recommend.
Greg's Marine Wire Supply

So with the wire on order I also ordered a 80A thermal fuse (also coming from the US)
Again great help from those one the net.

Should do the job.

Advantage Marine Supply

Then I have found a route for the cable and pulled through a draw line down the underside of the deck all the way from the switch panel to the bow. Lets hope the wire goes through as easy.

Then I looked at the chain drop. In the old install I had a hole which the chain dropped.

Now the new windlass needs a slot (bigger but in around the same space).

So out comes the cutter and the fibreglass. 

This needed doing in one day such that there was no hole left in the locker for rain water to flood down.

First the hole

It felt bad cutting away the locker.

Then using some car repair Aluminium mesh, I roughly moulded the slot required.

First Fix was to form the basic shape and hold the mesh in place.

Things are beginning to come together.

During last weekend's horrendous weather in IRL I managed to pull through a big bunch of cables
the 2AWG red and black and 3 twin power cables plus a line for future cables. well if your going to pull through some cables pull enough I say.
I used some washing up liquid to make the cables sloppy and to stop them getting caught and stripping the insulation. Fantastic idea. worked very well.
My only issue was having to pull a foot or two then go back to the entry point and check it was all ready and not snagged.

New wiring from bow (LHS) old existing fuse panel wiring (RHS)

As we all know one job leads to another eh, so now I have cables from the bow to the old fuse panel location.

The fuse panel has always been a thing of mess and had to be dealt with at some stage..... Well this is the "some stage". See new-fuse-panel.

Windlass power plus 3 other cables (oh and a draw cord)

Chain riser nearly glassed in

The new drop for the chain took some careful modelling and several updates to get it right.

New chain drop and cable route

Port side locker drain

As I had decided to give the locker a paint job, I took the opportunity to drop the drain hole on the Port side. Don't you just hate a locker with water always in the bottom!

Electric distribution for the bow

Under the windlass (pre paint). All sealed  

Electrical Distribution

So finally the installation is complete.

The Anchor locker now has a relocated drain hole on the Port side which actually drains the whole locker rather than leaving 10mm's of water in the bottom.

The locker has had a nice new paint job to complete the picture.

The foot switches installed inside the locker to aid weather protection.
you will notice that the rear switch is on a slight angle. This is so you can open the cap without covering the forward switch.

I will be adding a hand remote later.

All in all I am very happy with the job.

Many thanks to Mum and Dad for buying me our new toy!