PowerWinch Windlass

Knot Salted · Jan 13, 2018

Old 412 PW was on our boat from decades ago. Still works as new, but very hard on me to pull anchor, and not remote ops.
Found the manufacturer Care Free of Colorado still alive and kicking.
They have a newer line of horizontal freefall windlasses. All made in Colorado. I refuse to put chinese hardware on my boat if ever I have a choice.
Any experience on the 46 class PowerWinch?
Note ‘experience’.

Knot Salted · Jan 13, 2018

..and no, the admiral will not assist.

MartySchwartz · Jan 22, 2018

schaefferoil said:
Old 412 PW was on our boat from decades ago. Still works as new, but very hard on me to pull anchor, and not remote ops.
Found the manufacturer Care Free of Colorado still alive and kicking.
They have a newer line of horizontal freefall windlasses. All made in Colorado. I refuse to put chinese hardware on my boat if ever I have a choice.
Any experience on the 46 class PowerWinch?
Note ‘experience’.

Yes, I have one (that particular model) and have used used it for about 4 years now. I manually lower the anchor rather than let it fall on its own (you can read the whole free fall-vs-power down in another thread.) Over all I like the windlass and would buy it again. When I bought it the cost was less than a third of the least expensive alternative. When I bought it the control relay was bad. I called them and they sent a replacement over-night since.

Marty.........................

Knot Salted · Jan 26, 2018

Cool. I will have mine available soon with an aluminum cover ..the old plastic one was toast.

Nomad Willy · Jan 26, 2018

You’re talking about a horizontal capstan right?

MartySchwartz · Jan 27, 2018

Nomad Willy said:
You’re talking about a horizontal capstan right?

No, the Class 46' is a horizontal windlass with a chain gypsy for G4 5/16" chain. They do make a horizontal capstan though. My old Powerwinch was a dual model with both a chain gypsy and a capstan. I just looked at their web site and the price of these has gone up quite a bit in the past four years.

Marty.......................

Knot Salted · Jan 28, 2018

Nomad Willy said:
You’re talking about a horizontal capstan right?

Yes the 412 is a horizontal capstan, no chain gypsy. Just on for up, and off.

Nomad Willy · Jan 28, 2018

Knot Salted,
Here's my latest winch/capstan.
My 435' rode is all in the plastic box.
This capstan is whisper quiet. My older capstan was VERY noisy. The new one is green as it was a prototype at a nice price. Figured I'd paint it a different color in a week but must like it at least a little. Very powerful and especially for it.s size.
Endurance Marine near Vancouver BC.
The blackish stuff below the plywood base was oil for sealing the base. Runoff and long since cleaned up. Linseed oil, turpentine and some other stuff. The ply has knots in it because it was a salvaged piece of construction decking. 7/8ths Douglas Fir. In Alaska one needs to scrounge at times.

Knot Salted · Feb 3, 2018

That is a cool setup, Nicely done!!

Knot Salted · Feb 3, 2018

...and the knotty wood looks great

Knot Salted · Feb 9, 2018

Anyone who wants my working 412 with aluminum cover may have it for shipping. It will need an on/off power switch.

Yamez4u · Feb 28, 2018

412 powerwench

I already have a 412 Powerwench who’s cover is more then a little shabby. Did you make the aluminum cover, or did you buy it some place. If you still have the wench I would not mind having it for spare parts and the cover. If you don’t have it I am little curious what the cover looks like. Did you have a picture?

Al · Feb 28, 2018

Nomad Willy said:
Knot Salted,
Here's my latest winch/capstan.
My 435' rode is all in the plastic box.
This capstan is whisper quiet. My older capstan was VERY noisy. The new one is green as it was a prototype at a nice price. Figured I'd paint it a different color in a week but must like it at least a little. Very powerful and especially for it.s size.
Endurance Marine near Vancouver BC.
The blackish stuff below the plywood base was oil for sealing the base. Runoff and long since cleaned up. Linseed oil, turpentine and some other stuff. The ply has knots in it because it was a salvaged piece of construction decking. 7/8ths Douglas Fir. In Alaska one needs to scrounge at times

Hi Eric- Having the same unit based on your recommendation, I had a local sheet metal shop construct a stainless cover to go over the electrical motor and battery wires. Worked out well and looks professional.
Give me your email Eric, I can send you photos that way- Thanks,
Al-Ketchikan

Simi 60 · Feb 28, 2018

Knot Salted said:
. I refuse to put chinese hardware on my boat if ever I have a choice.

Reds under the bed eh?

I bet you are posting using a Chinese computer and your house, vehicles and boat have more Chinese componentry than you think.

Knot Salted · Feb 28, 2018

Simi 60 said:
Reds under the bed eh?

I bet you are posting using a Chinese computer and your house, vehicles and boat have more Chinese componentry than you think.

Absolutely.
I avoid where I can. And it is not the red that bothers me, it is the lack of green.

ak-guy · Feb 28, 2018

Nomad Willy said:
Knot Salted,
Here's my latest winch/capstan.
My 435' rode is all in the plastic box.
This capstan is whisper quiet. My older capstan was VERY noisy. The new one is green as it was a prototype at a nice price. Figured I'd paint it a different color in a week but must like it at least a little. Very powerful and especially for it.s size.
Endurance Marine near Vancouver BC.
The blackish stuff below the plywood base was oil for sealing the base. Runoff and long since cleaned up. Linseed oil, turpentine and some other stuff. The ply has knots in it because it was a salvaged piece of construction decking. 7/8ths Douglas Fir. In Alaska one needs to scrounge at times.

I had one of those Endurance winches on a former boat. It didn't last, Perhaps they made improvements since then and mine was very noisy.

This is my current setup on my Allweather. The Powerwinch is low end as far as windlasses go. I had to take it apart just to fix it as soon as it was mounted, a factory assembly problem. I couldn't arrange a usable foot switch arrangement so I ended up putting a waterproof full on/off switch next to the windlass. This is not a temporary on/off switch but it works very well as the drum only pulls the rode when you pull on it.

FlyWright · Feb 28, 2018

Yamez4u said:
I already have a 412 Powerwench who’s cover is more then a little shabby. Did you make the aluminum cover, or did you buy it some place. If you still have the wench I would not mind having it for spare parts and the cover. If you don’t have it I am little curious what the cover looks like. Did you have a picture?

Yamez4u, I have one in my garage cabinet. Send me a PM with your email address and I'll email you some shots. Or you can start your own thread and I'll post the pics there.

Don't want to hijack Knot Salted's thread.

Simi 60 · Feb 28, 2018

ak-guy said:
The Powerwinch is low end as far as windlasses go. I had to take it apart just to fix it as soon as it was mounted, a factory assembly problem.

But its american therefore the best.....................or at least that's how the story goes

Maybe a Chinese windlass is looking like a better option after all
Like these hats and shoes

Nomad Willy · Feb 28, 2018

Ak-guy,
I'm convinced the new Endurance capstan is superior to either the old Endurance or the Power Winch. The Power Winch drives a gear about 6" in dia with a very small gear. Too small IMO. The PW boat capstan is a modified version of their trailer boat winch. That's how I know about the gears. I took it apart and couldn't believe the small gear. Probably 1/2" or 9/16" dia. The Endurance has planetary gears.
I got my Endurance from the factory in Surrey BC. Just an hours drive from here. If your PW fails I could probably get you an Endurance.

No sales pitch here I just think the Endurance is much better.
Here's my old Endurance. I'll send it to you to play with if you like.
It's problem is electrical. It's very noisy.

BruceK · Feb 28, 2018

Simi 60 said:
But its American therefore the best.....................or at least that's how the story goes

Maybe a Chinese windlass is looking like a better option after all
Like these hats and shoes

The 65% wool in the cap is almost certainly from Australia. So it`s ok.
I bought some pure New Zealand wool sweaters in NZ. The raw wool had been exported to China,returning as sweaters. Aussie wool is currently $18 a kilo,raw.
Muir windlasses are Australian,but pull one down,the components are made in a range of places.

Knot Salted · Mar 11, 2018

BruceK said:
The 65% wool in the cap is almost certainly from Australia. So it`s ok.
I bought some pure New Zealand wool sweaters in NZ. The raw wool had been exported to China,returning as sweaters. Aussie wool is currently $18 a kilo,raw.
Muir windlasses are Australian,but pull one down,the components are made in a range of places.

Oh, and thanks again to BruceK for the pictures showing that we are stuck with China in so many ways.
Whenever I have a choice, I will actively avoid.

Restitution · May 30, 2018

Chinese products are certainly getting much better. I'd certainly consider buying a Chinese product for my trawler before I bought an Australian one. I found that in Australia, you never know what your gonna get. Place is crawling with convicts with no way do defend yourself. :socool:

sdowney717 · Jul 14, 2018

I got one cheap, $25 at a local used boat store, about 15 years ago. I never knew who made it till today. I just finished repairing its electric motor, needed new brushes. The bearings, I regreased, they are flanged bearings, and could use new ones. The drum has a needle roller bearing on the the side to keep side to side clearance tight. Has 3 gear reduction and one way clutch. Must wrap rope around drum to pull, but it pulls very well. Mine is setup to run on 120vac, not DC. It uses a PMDC motor made by Briggs & Stratton and a full wave bridge rectifier. So about 95 vdc. Motor is secured to unit with 3 hose clamps.

My cover was weak too. I fiberglassed the inside of the cover. Even though thicker it still fits, and its real strong now, strong enough to stand on.
picture link

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kifrP33uRZZMBJGd7

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