New windlass suggestions

My original windless continues to throw a breaker as well as stopping and difficult to make work. Just not dependable. Nearly hit shore trying to leave cove yesterday. Had it! Going to replace windless, rusty chain and anchor. Any suggestions for the new windless. I have a 1984 35' CHB and want to replace the all chain but want dependable windless and remote. Looking for suggestions and insight. Thanks. Presently have a horizontal and plan to stay with horizontal.

Our boat has a Lofrans Tigres, it has to be at least 20 years old (but propably since 1985) and if it died I would buy another one in a heartbeat.......

Still avaiable today... Horizontal Windlasses - Tigres

What kind is it? Many are rebuildable. May be a mere electrical wiring issue, solenoid or the motor. Or lubrication.

My first choice would be to rebuild. If replacement your only option, find one that fits in the same footprint with existing switching and cabling.

Several years ago, I removed an old powerwinch and installed a Lewmar Pro Series 1000. While it's not the most expensive out there or, many would argue, the highest quality, it's been flawless in operation for me. I probably set the anchor on average 10 times per month, mostly for fishing, on a combo 120 ft chain/240 ft line rode.

Mine was a mess...a Vetus windlass with130 amp motor so it was a strong one worth saving though I didn't know it at the time as I had little info about it.

The positive power stud broke off when I tried to remove it to service the windlass so I took it to a local alternator/starter service guy.

New stud, inspected....rewound and painted for $95 plus tax. Works like a gorilla now.

If yours was good and now wimpy...a rebuild may be peanuts compared to new..if dissatisfied with prior performance there are many options and you have to start laying out which are the most important to you ...only then are suggestions relevant.

If you can't repair your's look at a "Good" Windlass they are excellent.
Bill

If they were that excellent, they wouldn't just call them "Good!"

I think it's a strange name for a windlass company. I have used their high end model for the last 8 seasons and never gad an issue. The factory is in Barnegat, NJ.
Bill

rochepoint said:

Our boat has a Lofrans Tigres, it has to be at least 20 years old (but propably since 1985) and if it died I would buy another one in a heartbeat.......

Still avaiable today... Horizontal Windlasses - Tigres

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+1 to the Tigres. But I would look into rebuilding your current one first.

Maxwell HRC-10-8

I am very happy with it, 6 months old.

Second vote for a windlass by the "Good" Windlass company. I just had to replace the tension finger spring and pivot bolt because the previous owner bent it badly somehow. One quick call to New Jersey, $15, and it showed up on my doorstep two days later.

Wasn't aware of the "Good" Windlass company. Does anyone know if they support all existing models or do they consider some older units obsolete and thus do not support them with parts. My old Maxwell was declared obsolete and I couldn't even get a break pin.

As far as I know the original 1993 Good rope only windlass is still supported by the company to this day. I went with a rope/ chain windlass and with a more powerful unit.
Here is a link to their web site....
Good Automatic Windlass customer support
I upgraded to the F850 C

That's the thing about Good, they only make a few models and as far as I know, they do still support them all. They only have a few models and they don't change. One thing about Good - they're not very flashy - you won't see them on a million dollar boat, they're not sparkling pretty chrome like some Lewmars, just basic, very simple design.

I will say one negative thing though - mine is an 850, for combination chain and rope rodes. It can be very finicky about the rope it will grab. Good sells rodes specifically typed and sized for their windlass, but it's expensive. Maybe my clutch wheel is just getting old (although it doesn't look it, and we don't use it much. Old boat but the windlass was just installed in 2005.)

I'll add I purchased a custom rode/ chain 100' of chain and 300 of rode. I like the color coding they use it's basic and functional.
Since I replaced everything at once including the anchor it never let me down. I rode out the hurricane the pre-dated Sandy. Technically superstorm Sandy was not a hurricane. I wish I would have rode out Sandy I think my boat would have fared better...
Bill

I replaced mine with a lewmar with remote. I have a 65lb rocha with 120' of chain and 200' of rode. What a difference by going up a size. Have 42 GB. So far so good.

I don't think Good makes anything to the OP's horizontal spec. If you want the best, then go from "Good" to "Ideal". Pricey, made in the USA and they support everything they have made in the last 80 years. Just about any configuration you can think of.

FlyWright said:

My first choice would be to rebuild. If replacement your only option, find one that fits in the same footprint with existing switching and cabling.

Several years ago, I removed an old powerwinch and installed a Lewmar Pro Series 1000. While it's not the most expensive out there or, many would argue, the highest quality, it's been flawless in operation for me. I probably set the anchor on average 10 times per month, mostly for fishing, on a combo 120 ft chain/240 ft line rode.

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I'd be walk'in in Al's shoes here.
I think windlass's have gotten a lot better recently. Al's windlass didn't cost him a fortune and it gives good service. A lot of lower cost hardware performs flawlessly if it's not abused. My $425. capstan makes an awful racket and is extremely small but it lifts good (small trees included) and otherwise performs very well. Most of these expensive units are great but just not needed IMO.

SCOTTEDAVIS said:

Maxwell HRC-10-8

I am very happy with it, 6 months old.

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Agree; we installed one on our previous boat and it worked perfectly. With 150' chain and 250' brait, we seldom saw the brait in the windlass but when we did it handled it with aplomb - remember that it would have had a lot of chain weight to contend with once it hit the brait. Reasonably quiet as well.

For heavier lifting the HRC-10-10 is also available.

"If you want the best, then go from "Good" to "Ideal". Pricey, made in the USA and they support everything they have made in the last 80 years. Just about any configuration you can think of."

+1

www.idealwindlass.com

I have a LewmarV-700. This is a not-too-expensive option. When bought ($869 retail, but on Defender's $704 delivered)

When it came down to the final selection there were two in the running. I called a windlass repair shop and asked the professional which one he wanted to rebuild. Then I didn't say a word.

He rambled on but in the final analysis, did say the type of guts in the Lewmar was superior to the other option.

If money were no object, an Ideal would be ideal.
If cash is short, I'd opt to rebuild what you have, but before tackling that job I'd ask a professional if the windlass is a candidate for refurbishing. Some stuff isn't worth fixing.

Good luck.

Before you spend a thousand dollars or more on a replacement windlass, I suggest making sure you don't just have a wiring problem or a defective circuit breaker.

"Throwing parts" at a problem is not the most efficient or cost effective means of solving the problem.

If it's not an electrical problem, having the windlass rebuilt (if possible) is a good choice because you won't have to rewire or move any holes.

rochepoint said:

Our boat has a Lofrans Tigres, it has to be at least 20 years old (but propably since 1985) and if it died I would buy another one in a heartbeat.......

Still avaiable today... Horizontal Windlasses - Tigres

Click to expand...

I have a Lofrans Tigres. Capstain on the left and gypsy on the right. I also have a rhode that is half chain and half rope. I anchored last night and this morning pulling anchor I noticed that the gypsy lines up perfectly with the chain and no problem in and out. I tried to use the capstain at first on the rope portion and the rope would ride up on the ratchet and body of the winlass. I don't mean to hijack this thread but how do you use the gypsy when it is not lined up with the incoming rhode. I'm thinking to sell my tigres and get something verticle so I can use both the capstain and the gypsy

I have to go with Ron on this one. If your old windlass gave you good service and you're not moving up a lot in anchor weight, try to rebuild or get a copy. I changed-out my old Simpson-Lawrence for an identical Lewmar that must have been badge engineering only, save the SS case. It pulls my 45 lb. Bruce and all chain easy enough. Here they are side by side......even the mounting bolts were identical. I even kept the old helm switch.

dimer2 said:

"If you want the best, then go from "Good" to "Ideal". Pricey, made in the USA and they support everything they have made in the last 80 years. Just about any configuration you can think of."

+1

www.idealwindlass.com

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+1 for Ideal here too. Have a horizontal model with one bronze capstan and one composite rope/chain capstan. Superb, powerful unit.

Good has been in business since 1920. They are also a US manufacture. They stand behind their products 100%.
Bill

obthomas said:

I have a Lofrans Tigres. Capstain on the left and gypsy on the right. I also have a rhode that is half chain and half rope. I anchored last night and this morning pulling anchor I noticed that the gypsy lines up perfectly with the chain and no problem in and out. I tried to use the capstain at first on the rope portion and the rope would ride up on the ratchet and body of the winlass. I don't mean to hijack this thread but how do you use the gypsy when it is not lined up with the incoming rhode. I'm thinking to sell my tigres and get something verticle so I can use both the capstain and the gypsy

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That's why we have all chain. Plus the headache of switching over when the rode suddenly becomes chain.

And why on our previous vessel we went with the Maxwell HRC-10-8 which handles chain and rode.

dimer2 said:

"If you want the best, then go from "Good" to "Ideal". Pricey, made in the USA and they support everything they have made in the last 80 years. Just about any configuration you can think of."

+1

www.idealwindlass.com

Click to expand...

+2

jnvoss said:

My original windless continues to throw a breaker as well as stopping and difficult to make work. Just not dependable. Nearly hit shore trying to leave cove yesterday.

Any suggestions for the new windless. I have a 1984 35' CHB and want to replace the all chain but want dependable windless and remote. Looking for suggestions and insight. Thanks. Presently have a horizontal and plan to stay with horizontal.

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How did the windlass contribute to the navigation issue?

FWIW, we've been pleased with our Maxwell RC-10-10. Helm and pulpit controls. Rode counter. All chain, all rope, or rope chain works on the same gypsy. They recommend 8-plait rope, so that's what we use after the chain portion; seems to drop, retrieve, and fall into the rope locker nicely. They make a version with an additional capstan, too, and I would have preferred that... but don't have enough clearance for that under the hatch where our windlass lives.

Presumably the horizontal version would be equally good.

Speaking of good... In our owners club forum, usually the single brand of windlass that causes the most grief is Good. Broken parts, failure to feed, failure to retrieve, failure to fall, whatever... I don't have any direct experience with 'em, and I can't tell whether there are maybe contributory operator issues or not, but I've read lots of complaints about 'em.

-Chris

Speaking of good... In our owners club forum, usually the single brand of windlass that causes the most grief is Good. Broken parts, failure to feed, failure to retrieve, failure to fall, whatever... I don't have any direct experience with 'em, and I can't tell whether there are maybe contributory operator issues or not, but I've read lots of complaints about 'em.

Click to expand...

Really? While I have never owned one, I have heard nothing but great things about them on various forums and directly from owners. Including before, during and after the sale service. I'm sure there is a reason why an "equivalent" Ideal goes for much more money, but still...
Perhaps it is like what I call the Vacuflush, or Sea Ray phenomenon
, you hear complaints because there are a lot of them out there.