Rode Counter
- Thread starter rudybones
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Portage_Bay
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2015
- Messages
- 2,525
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Pacific Myst
- Vessel Make
- West Bay 4500
- Joined
- May 11, 2019
- Messages
- 3,470
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Muirgen
- Vessel Make
- 50' Beebe Passagemaker
Seriously?!?
No price quoted on their web site, but I'm pretty leery of their directions to order with your credit card information, then they'll send you the total it costs . . .
Nope, Nada, Ain't happening . . . . .
Anyone have any idea if this company is really legitimate? Or what their product actually costs?
LarryM
Guru
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2011
- Messages
- 1,069
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Pelago
- Vessel Make
- Wellcraft 3300 Coastal
Seriously?!?
No price quoted on their web site, but I'm pretty leery of their directions to order with your credit card information, then they'll send you the total it costs . . .
Nope, Nada, Ain't happening . . . . .
Anyone have any idea if this company is really legitimate? Or what their product actually costs?
This link to their price list is on their ORDER page.
ranger58sb
Guru
I suspect it's made by a thrid party. because Maxwell offers and AA150 too. We had one, worked like a champ... on chain.
Didn't work great on the rope part of our mixed rode. Too much slippage, even thought the gypsy worked well enough for rope.
Seriously?!?
No price quoted on their web site, but I'm pretty leery of their directions to order with your credit card information, then they'll send you the total it costs . . .
Nope, Nada, Ain't happening . . . . .
Anyone have any idea if this company is really legitimate? Or what their product actually costs?
I replaced several Faria analog gauges on the previous boat with CruzPro digital gauges. All worked as advertised, prices seemed OK, and their customer service was really good. (The latter was about calibrating the fuel gauges but NOT using their methodology for that.)
-Chris'
Portage_Bay
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2015
- Messages
- 2,525
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Pacific Myst
- Vessel Make
- West Bay 4500
They're legitimate and have been around since the 90s. They're in New Zealand perhaps ordering from a local to you dealer would be better. Links at the top of their web page.
Seriously?!?
No price quoted on their web site, but I'm pretty leery of their directions to order with your credit card information, then they'll send you the total it costs . . .
Nope, Nada, Ain't happening . . . . .
Anyone have any idea if this company is really legitimate? Or what their product actually costs?
Seriously?!?
No price quoted on their web site, but I'm pretty leery of their directions to order with your credit card information, then they'll send you the total it costs . . .
Nope, Nada, Ain't happening . . . . .
Anyone have any idea if this company is really legitimate? Or what their product actually costs?
They are legitimate. I recently ordered a replacement vah110 battery monitor from them. Had trouble with it, and they were easy to communicate with and helpful. Replacement unit is in the mail. They refunded all my shipping expense too. Order with confidence.
The product is made by Auto Anchor. I have their control for my Maxwell on the sailboat, complete control not just a counter (their current equivalent is the AA560). I'm sure is uses the same technology. There is some installation that has to get done right, a magnet in the gypsy and a sensor underneath. If the gap is too big it will miss some pulses. Once you get that right, it works well on chain, a bit less well on line because the diameter and slippage are somewhat uncertain. But good enough to manage scope, etc. The complete control depends on it for "auto retrieve" in which it attempts to raise and dock the anchor automatically. This involves using the counter to recover the veered rode until the anchor is about 3-4' short of the roller, then it slows way down and current senses the motor to stop when it fetches up against the roller or sprit. This worked OK on chain, but not well with line or a mixed rode. If it overestimated the rode, might bang the anchor into the sprit at full tilt.
- Joined
- May 11, 2019
- Messages
- 3,470
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Muirgen
- Vessel Make
- 50' Beebe Passagemaker
Thanks Larry, and Portage Bay! I found the price page. Still not quite sure how the sensor magnets are mounted, or whether or not they are included with the counter. There's a simple diagram that shows sensor magnets above the windlass gypsy, but no close-up, or mounting specifics. Is the system customizable to different size gypsies? Or is there some other way to ensure that it is counting correctly? Maybe I'm missing the in depth explanation that is right in front of my face!
On mine, a hole was drilled part way through the gypsy, and the sensor mounted in a hole drilled through the base plate (vertical capstan). The setup of the control included a number of canned setups for many brands, plus a custom setup if you couldn't find the right one. It is just the diameter of the gypsy that needs to be tuned. If a mixed rode, two numbers. The sensor seemed to be mounted in a way that could tell if chain or rope was in the gypsy.
- Joined
- May 11, 2019
- Messages
- 3,470
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Muirgen
- Vessel Make
- 50' Beebe Passagemaker
The 1990's called. They want their web site back.
I know that's got nothing to do with the possible quality of the products, but wow! I haven't seen anything like that HTML 1.0 in many years.
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2012
- Messages
- 4,293
- Location
- Australia
- Vessel Name
- Insequent
- Vessel Make
- Ocean Alexander 50 Mk I
Auto Anchor is probsbly OK. My muir windlass came with an AA150. Sensors in windlass seem to be a weak link. First failed and was replaced under warranty. Second lasted less than a year as well. Third has ben fine for quite a while.
I had a CruzPro on my previous Ideal windlass. Didn't need it with new windlass, so sold it. You just need to devise a suitable mounting for the sensors for a retro-fit scenario, but the device itself is quite robust. When installing the magnet in the gypsy put some varnish over it to prevent rusting of the magnet.
I had a CruzPro on my previous Ideal windlass. Didn't need it with new windlass, so sold it. You just need to devise a suitable mounting for the sensors for a retro-fit scenario, but the device itself is quite robust. When installing the magnet in the gypsy put some varnish over it to prevent rusting of the magnet.
I'd add my vote for the Auto Anchor. It's been reliable and easy to calibrate. The display shows chain out, retrieval/release speed, and battery voltage. Watching the speed tells you when the chain is loading and it's time for a pause; the voltage let's you know you are getting close to the limit of windlass performance. We power-out and power-in the chain rode, so the system gets a lot of use and we've had no problems in 12 years of operation.
Ric
Ric
If it’s not broke why fix it, right?
Really though, the products are good, but probably could use some face lifting. They’ve been using the same format on their meters for a very long time.
HeadedToTexas
Guru
Haha, so true! Ah, the good ol' days.
Capn Bob
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2014
- Messages
- 38
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Undina
- Vessel Make
- Hartmann Palmer Offshore 38
I had installed a nice Lewmar windlass on my previous boat, but I wanted a chain counter. I bought a slender magnet, glued it to the underside of the capstan, and installed a sort of reed switch in the deck. I led the wires from this switch to the aftermarket remote windlass controller, which counted the turns. You calibrate the controller to the diameter of the capstan. Worked like a charm. I believe the brand of the handheld remote controller (on a coiled cable, like an old-school phone) was “Quick”
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