Chapter Seven: The Windlass

When thinking about getting and installing a windlass there’s of course a few things to think about, a few choices to make… besides the obvious ones like sizing the windlass to your boat, and maybe to your chain if you already have a ground tackle system in use.

First there’s a couple ways of powering a windlass, and second there’s a couple variations of windlasses to consider. With powering the windlass, one can use a designated battery/charging system for power, or use the house batteries to power the windlass,… and what comes with that system is the back up of the starting battery, and the engine's alternator. What “type” of windlass is the other variation to consider, which is whether to have a totally electric windlass or one that can also be operated manually. Some boats are simply too big for the manual option, so they don’t count in this discussion. As well, one has the choice of getting a windlass with both a capstan and a gypsy, or one with only a gypsy, in which the gypsy also can run rode through it. I used to be a totally manual windlass guy but have since come to a different position on that subject. So actually let’s talk about that first.

I used to be an all manual everything guy. I’m mainly talking about electric water pumps vs manual ones, electric windlasses vs manual ones, winches and marine heads, and electric reefing systems here, because most the references in in this manual are geared towards smaller, more practical, more simple, voyaging yachts, with simpler systems. So while I still feel the same about water pumps, heads, reefing, and winches, I have changed my mind about windlasses. I’m still open to the idea of electric winches, and pressure water is freakin great, and even better when it’s hot, but only as long as there’s a manual back-up available for both those systems. I mean those creature comforts are great,  but you don’t need those comforts to go voyaging, people go voyaging without those creature comforts probably more than those that go with. But again, if you do have them, you absolutely must have a manual back-up! So, in short, they’re nice to have, you don’t need them, but if you have them, you need a manual back up in place. And this is “similar” to how I feel about windlasses, except, and this is the crucial point, I think you absolutely should have an electric windlass if you can!! It must also, however, have the ability to work manually, that’s extremely important! If all systems that run your windlass fail, you must absolutely have the ability to bring it up manually. But a windlass “needs” to be electric for me. 

My reasoning for changing my mind on the manual windlass thing is this, and I came to this conclusion because of a personal experience that happened to us on Bella Sera. Not the exact scenario I’m about to describe, but one that relates to it, and was the catalyst that made me see the light. Suppose you’re in a real blow, 40 - 50 knots, or crap even 20 knots, blowing you on to a rocky lee shore, and then your anchor starts to drag. Weighing anchor quickly is imperative! Weighing anchor QUICKLY with a manual windlass isn’t really a thing, unless you’re a real bad ass, which I’m not. And single handed this could become a very bad scenario, very quickly! For one thing, the exhaustion would be immense, but then running back to the helm to keep powering forward, then running back up forward to crank on the windlass before the wind blows you off again, throw a little angst and a lot of fear in the mix, and Man, well I think you get the picture, it’s a scary scenario! At least with the electric windlass, it cranks a bit faster and steadier, it runs on its own power so it’s not tiring you out, and, a switch to control the windlass from the cockpit is available for most electric windlasses these days, and that scenario is the best. 

Alright so let’s talk about powering the windlass. Some consider the best way to install a windlass is to utilize a separate, forward, battery system for it. It’s not common, but people do it, and I wanted to make you guys are aware of this technique, so you don’t do it! That system uses a battery that’s forward near the windlass in the bow area somewhere, and will have its own charging system. Most times a solar system, and usually only a solar system.  One could add a wind generator, but it’s not a likely scenario. Of course there is some valid reasoning for this system, well really only one, and that is you don’t have to run heavy gauge cables all the way forward from your house batteries, or any cables forward for that matter, because all the wiring is in very close proximity, if you don’t have a switch in the cockpit. So in my case on a 37 foot boat I would need about 80’ of four ought AWG cable to run from my batteries to the windlass and back. My windlass draws 85 watts, so the draw in that distance requires 4 ought AWG cable, which is about half an inch in diameter, and quite heavy! Currently for the 4 ought cable at West Marine, which, believe it or not I’ve found to be quite competitively priced for the Ancor Tinned cable, is $470 for a 50 foot spool. And while we’re talking about it, always use “Tinned” cable for every electrical need on a boat, salt or fresh! So you can see at that price, the cable is going to cost you dearly. For my reasoning it’s worth it however, and I’ll come back to that. So in addition for this remotely powered system, you still need a battery, and I would argue a damn good one because literally your life and your yacht depend on it, and a solar panel that needs to be safely and securely fastened, or at least able to be deployed, somewhere out of the way, (I’m not sure where that is on the bow of a small yacht) in a great spot that gets plenty of sunlight, plus whatever wiring and connections you need. So you can see this system will end up costing a fair amount as well, mostly depending on what battery and solar panel you decide to use, and the charge controller to make the connection to the battery.

Ok, so here’s the other way to power a windlass, and the one I prefer. It’s powering it from the house batteries, which is the way it’s usually done. Sure, the cable is expensive, but I’d rather spend the money and have, what I consider to be a way more reliable, robust system than a system that could fail you when that blow comes on and you need it most. House batteries can not only stay charged by your solar system, they can also be charged by the generator. So right away we have a system with a fail safe backup, and because you have a separate “starting” battery that isn’t part of the house system, it’s kept separate from the house system so it’s always charged and available to start the engine, you can always,  hopefully, depend on that battery. The starting battery is such a great, dependable, integral, and I would argue often undervalued part of the electrical system on a yacht. So, if all batteries fail, once the engine is running you have power to run the windlass. We also will have considerably more “charge” available from our house system. It contains more batteries, meaning more amp hours than only the one battery in the “battery forward” system. As well, if we’ve had a couple days of clouds, and maybe had to weigh anchor to move a couple times in the anchorage because the swell was bad, or we had a loud neighbor, the battery in that system might be already worn down. Whereas we can always run the engine anytime, and often do when at anchor if there’s clouds, to charge the house batteries and starting battery.  So there’s very little chance of being caught with no juice to weigh anchor with this system. And to take it a step further, if your windlass doesn’t have a manual back up…. Well… again, I think you get the picture, it’s not a good scenario.

One last thing, I also like having a capstan on my windlass. It’s another failsafe option for cranking down on, or retrieving a line. It’s also ‘forward’ on the boat where there are no winches for that task. Sometimes a tensioned line is needed to give temporary support in place of the forestay for a repair or worse a broken headstay, in which case that line actually becomes the headstay. It’s also good for retrieving a second line off the bow if for instance one uses a para anchor for any reason. Most of the rode on a para anchor is actually rode and not chain so it will be much easier to retrieve that rode with a capstan. I think it’s just a great idea to have a second option forward for retrieving lines. Second anchor (which is not something I ever recommend using) or lines used to tie off to shore or any other thing one could use a line forward for, there will be an easy option for retrieval.

So this is my reasoning for a windlass powered from your house bank. And why I believe you should absolutely have a windlass with a manual back up. As usual, safety first! Think deeply about all your systems before you buy the things. Try to come up with every scenario that system is involved in, and the ones it’s adjacent to. Some would say your ground tackle is the most important system on a yacht and I wouldn’t disagree. And if that is the case, then you want the absolute best, strongest, most reliable, fail safe system that will cover your back for any scenario Mother Nature can serve up.