Windless

[Woodrow Newmans]

I own a 36' Prairie Boat work trawler weight about 25K loaded. I currently have a manual winless on it. This won't work in my area around Panama City, Fl due to depth. At about four inches a stroke I would stroke before retrieving anchor to boat. I have found a great deal on a Good CFD 5/8 windless. The problem is this unit only accepts 5/8 anchor line. I currently have about 50' of chain at the end of my anchor line. So if I use this unit I would have to lose the chain. My anchor is a plow type about 25lb see picture below. I not sure if this will create hook-up problems. What say the trawler community?

 

[Shrew]

Windlass

 

[Woodrow Newmans]

Yes, and if you put enough hot sauce on them they taste good also.

 

[Bmarler]

It certainly wouldn’t be my preference. It’s a free drop all rope system. It seems like there’s no access to the rope as it comes in, everything is hidden in the housing. Maybe it works ok, but I wouldn’t like that. Not having chain would also be a deal breaker for me. I would keep looking for a different unit, there’s always something out there.

 

[BruceK]

Windlass

In my time, a Moderator could correct a Thread Heading error, an OP could not.
If still so, it would be a courtesy to make the correction, if the OP wants it.

 

[Comodave]

I have never been a fan if the Good windlasses. I would like to have more chain than 50’ too.

 

[Caballero II]

In my time, a Moderator could correct a Thread Heading error, an OP could not.
If still so, it would be a courtesy to make the correction, if the OP wants it.

What he said above.

 

[High Wire]

Don’t know about today’s Good windlass. Personally I’d choose something else that is built for 5/16” chain.
At 25#, your delta is a lunch hook for that boat. 44# minimum for cruising outside of hard sand imho.

 

[Woodrow Newmans]

It certainly wouldn’t be my preference. It’s a free drop all rope system. It seems like there’s no access to the rope as it comes in, everything is hidden in the housing. Maybe it works ok, but I wouldn’t like that. Not having chain would also be a deal breaker for me. I would keep looking for a different unit, there’s always something out there.

Thank you for the advice. I am going another way, with the sandy bottoms we have here in northwest Florida I need all the hook-up I can get.

 

[ranger58sb]

At 25#, your delta is a lunch hook for that boat.

We had a 35-lb Delta on our 34 Mainship... not so great in the Chesapeake slime. We once found ourselves making about 2 kts upstream as the tide came into the little creek where we'd anchored and power-set.

Changed to a Fortress -- FX-23 I think -- and that solved it, for here. Today I might even have considered an FX-37... although the shank would have been getting a bit long for our pulpit. And we didn't have a windlass, back then so the FX-23 weight was at least easy enough to manhandle.

-Chris

 

[Woodrow Newmans]

We had a 35-lb Delta on our 34 Mainship... not so great in the Chesapeake slime. We once found ourselves making about 2 kts upstream as the tide came into the little creek where we'd anchored and power-set.

Changed to a Fortress -- FX-23 I think -- and that solved it, for here. Today I might even have considered an FX-37... although the shank would have been getting a bit long for our pulpit. And we didn't have a windlass, back then so the FX-23 weight was at least easy enough to manhandle.

-Chris

I was guessing on weight of my anchor. I took my wife's scale down to boat and weighed it. I have a 37lb anchor, and the current set up holding power is fine. I tested it the first first night out when bring boat home. Anchored up in 6' to 7' seas tried to get some sleep almost had tie myself to the bed. We were hammer all trough the night. Got up the next morning and anchor had done a great job. I am going a different direction on my "WINDLASS" probably Lewmar Pro-Series #1000. Thank for everybody comments they were vary helpful. I am sure I will be back with more.

 

[Comodave]

That is one thing that is great about TF, you can get feedback on something before you spend the money.