I have seen two cases now where the anchor windlass only had one switch.
The windlass on my boat (and my previous boat) has two switches - one for up, one for down...
If there's only one switch, I'm assuming that the windlass can only be used to raise the anchor (??). Is that correct?
CAN a SINGLE switch setup be converted to a TWO switch setup?
I would think someone with some electrical expertise could wire relays / solenoids so that you could have off, up, and down. But will the windlass work that way? Or do you have to replace the windlass with a type that supports both up and down?
How then do you go about lowering the anchor - especially if the chain part of the rode is wrapped around the windlass?
I'm also then assuming that anchoring has immediately become a two person operation - one at the helm, one at the bow. That would be unfortunate - as I really like being able to single hand the boat. Sometimes I have to run up front, but many times I'm able to deploy the anchor, and then pull it up without having to leave the helm or ask for help.
The windlass on my boat (and my previous boat) has two switches - one for up, one for down...
If there's only one switch, I'm assuming that the windlass can only be used to raise the anchor (??). Is that correct?
CAN a SINGLE switch setup be converted to a TWO switch setup?
I would think someone with some electrical expertise could wire relays / solenoids so that you could have off, up, and down. But will the windlass work that way? Or do you have to replace the windlass with a type that supports both up and down?
How then do you go about lowering the anchor - especially if the chain part of the rode is wrapped around the windlass?
I'm also then assuming that anchoring has immediately become a two person operation - one at the helm, one at the bow. That would be unfortunate - as I really like being able to single hand the boat. Sometimes I have to run up front, but many times I'm able to deploy the anchor, and then pull it up without having to leave the helm or ask for help.