Windlass Problem

[Rosemary]

I have a 2020 R27 OB. When using the windlass to pull up the anchor it will stall and just hum or spin but not retrieve any rode. I have to reach under into the rode storage and pull on the rode to get the anchor up. Any suggestions to solve this problem ?

 

[Maggie Anne]

Are there any twists in the line? I've found that sometimes a twist will form a kind of a kink in the line that won't easily go through the windlass. After laying out my rode several times on the dock to untwist it, I finally bought a swivel to attach to the anchor and that seemed to help.

 

[Mike and Sarah]

I’m guessing you need to tighten the slip clutch on the windlass. You should have received a wrench with the boat. It has a square drive. Use the wrench to turn the large nut next to where he anchor rode runs. Key is to tighten just enough to retrieve the anchor. You do want it to slip if the anchor gets hung up.
Hope that helps

 

[Rosemary]

Excellent ! Thanks !

 

[ALICE J]

Not a good practice to pull the boat with the windlass, perhaps/maybe in dead calm/flat seas, but motor assist is a good practice. Sometimes I have an issue with the chain-rope splice, but I added some small line to increase the diameter of the rope at the splice and it seems to do the trick. Perhaps you have worn the line and it now is too small for the casptan to properly grab, or if the chain has twisted and worn the casptan, maybe it needs to be replaced. A good swivel from Mantis Marine is my choice.

 

[linedoctor]

I had the exact same problem on the exact same boat….as Mike mentioned make sure the clutch is tight but also the anchor locker is pretty shallow so the chain/rode piles up to the top of the locker quickly. Flatten the pile of chain and anchor line as you go and it will feed. It just takes a little extra attention and effort.

 

[Chimo]

Are there any twists in the line? I've found that sometimes a twist will form a kind of a kink in the line that won't easily go through the windlass. After laying out my rode several times on the dock to untwist it, I finally bought a swivel to attach to the anchor and that seemed to help.

The old mariner term for those 'kinks'? They are hockles caused by twisting, in our case from the new line being wound on a spool. Save the cost of the swivel if that's your only issue since the swivel only lets the anchor spin as you retrieve. Have a little trip out to 3-400 ft deep water (assuming your rode is about 200 ft total) and let the whole lot out. Let it sit for a while to unwind and get saturated then haul it in, being careful as to how it lies in the anchor locker and that doesn't cause a jam. Repeat a couple of times until you anchor is coming up straight with spinning. Return to dock and treat yourself to a well earned adult beverage of choice.

 

[praymond]

Hello,
The wrench to tighten works and also the grip on the left side can be adjusted. Since I average 7 to 10 feet of water when anchored, I purchased an anchor rode bag that I secure on the bow outside the anchor locker and I have about 75' of chain and 75 feet of rode in the anchor locker. The rest is in the bag and it is all still attached in case I would need more.
The anchor locker is woefully small and sometimes I wonder why there is a windlass control at the helm as that anchor ain't never going to store itself 🙂
Dean and Patti