Anchor Windlass Selection Guide 

• How long is my boat and what is its displacement?
• How long is the anchor rode you wish to use and will it fit in your locker?

Examine the depth of locker and determine the amount of fall which is the vertical distance between the top of the anchor locker and the top of the anchor rode when it is completely stored inside the locker. This will help determine whether your boat is best suited to a vertical or horizontal windlass.

• How much pulling power should my windlass have?

The correct windlass pulling power must be determined by first calculating the total weight of the ground tackle which comprises the anchor and rode. Take the figure and multiply by four to arrive at the pulling power figure required.

The factor of four covers the effect of windage, speed of tidal current and includes a safety margin for unknown circumstances

Safety guidelines suggest that the required windlass pulling strength must not exceed 1/4 of the maximum pull capacity of the windlass.An example of a 35lbs tackle(anchor + rode) x 4=140lbs should be covered by a windlass of 600lbs pull capacity (which is then well within the 1/4 figure)

• Horizontal windlass- no nonsense design offering best performance with smaller lockers .As the anchor rode enters the gipsy it makes a 90o turn and feeds directly into the locker A minimum fall of 12”/30cm is recommended. Most of windlass is on deck & easy installation.
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• Vertical windlass-aesthetics and added security of the anchor rode making a 180o wrap around the gipsy. The inherent design of the vertical windlass requires at least 12”/30cm of fall.More of unit is hidden below deck and suitable for large anchor lockers.
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This is to allow gravity to properly self-tail the anchor rode through a 90o turn into the anchor locker.Additionally nylon line is light weight and a short fall in a vertical windlass system might prevent the rode from feeding completely into the locker.

• Working load-In a typical anchor recovery situation the windlass will pass through a number of phases of operation as the boat approaches the anchor and finally breaks it out of the seabed. The load and speed will vary at each phase. For any anchor recovery the windlass will operate longest in the “working load” phase and will experience a significant peak in load during breakout.
• Circuit breaker-Any installation of electric powered windlass must be protected with a circuit breaker. This ensures complete protection of the electric motor and cables in the event of overload.
• Safety at anchor-windlasses are not designed to hold high loads while a boat is at anchor. When the windlass is not in use and the boat is at anchor, the anchor rode should be secured using a chain stopper or attached to a load bearing point such as a cleat.
• General Safety Tips-always tie off rode while at anchor.
• Always secure rode.anchor when underway.
• Always look before deploying your anchor.
• Always motor up to anchor while retrieving.
• Always shut off breaker when working on windlass.
• Always shut off breaker when windlass is not in use.
• Never-use your windlass to tow or pull boat.
• Never use your windlass to lift a person.
• Never stick fingers in or around gipsy while operating.
• Must-keep all loose clothing and hair away from windlass when operating.
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