Windlass reinstall

Hi all.
Need advice and opinion. We removed our windlass due to water leaking issues. In order to remove it we needed to cut the electrical wires at the base of the housing. One of the POs installed the windlass in a way that this was the only option. My original thought was we would be able to rewire at the motor, but that has proved to be impossible due to the motor construction. I have about 4 inches of pigtail to splice more wire to. I will be using an 8 gauge ancor marine wire. (I am repairing the deck under the windlass-removed the waterlogged foam core and replacing it)

Questions I’m trying to get options on:
1. Should I use some form of watertight connector so I could remove the windlass in the future? If so what 8 gauge connector should I use?
2. If Not a connector, opinions on splicing the wire?
3. I am short room, and fitting a gland may be difficult how can I seal the hole for the wires to keep them watertight? The leak would be right over the berth...

Thanks all for your help

Paul
KK Manatee “Oma”

With only 4” of wire to work with it would be difficult to use something like a terminal block. I guess that you will have to use a butt connector to splice it. Use a quality adhesive lined butt connector and it should be fine . If you want the belt and suspenders approach after you use the butt connector and heat it to shrink the cover you could add a 2nd layer of adhesive lined heat shrink over the entire butt connector. Can you leave a bit of a loop so that if it ever needs to be removed you could then add a terminal block?

As Commodave suggested a quality butt connector should work fine. Get ones with the sealant lined heat shrink tubing and use another piece to double seal the connection. Longer than the butt. You might also get a small quantity of silicon grease and coat the wire ends with it before crimping. NOt gobs or it may interfere with the heat shrink seal.

Then run that out to a Power Post [Ancor] That way you won't need to cut it again.

Can you fold some extra wire inside the case of the windlass. You may then be able to use a seal gland fitting such as a CABLE GLAND.

Also when installing leave a weep hole at the back of the windlass so if ANY water gets inside from the axle openings it has a way to get out. Those axle seals don't always work well.
I didn't understand that and the water was trapped inside to the point the water ruined the motor.