Installing our New Anchor Windlass - Episode 72
This episode we receive the package we had been waiting for, our new Muir Anchor Winch from Arnold's Boat Store. Join us as we take you step-by-step through the installation including the creative solution that Troy comes up with for mounting the winch on Mirrool's deck.
We are very grateful to Arnold from Arnold's Boat Shop for supplying us with our new windlass. Arnold's Boat Shop is an online Australian run chandlery that stocks a huge and ever growing range of marine equipment at very competitive prices. Website here: www.arnoldsboatshop.com.au
To get free shipping on any order from Arnold's Boat Shop delivered within Australia simply use the code "Freerange18" at checkout.
We hope you enjoy this one. We are very pleased with our new anchor winch and it has performed perfectly since installation with our rope to chain anchor set up.
Until next week (which will be the release of our final video in the refit series)
Pascale
Installing our New Windlass - Free Range Sailing Ep 72 (YouTube)
Comments (24)
just ordered my first load of epoxy thanks for the free delivery
I have just emailed Arnolds for a quote for Paint and Anti Fouling, I will give him a go if he works well for you.
We were really impressed with the service and how helpful Arnold's was when choosing our winch and throttle lever. I'm sure he'll look after you! Pascale
The Rocna 10kg has performed really well in some trying conditions but we have found as the pull gets short and closer to the vertical it popped out ok. A wrap around the fore cleat to use the buoyancy of the boat works well. I do like 30 meters of chain as a lot of our anchoring is in 5-7 meters and I can just yell to Pascy to drop all chain and a few meters of rope and know we have it sorted but 20 should be ok for you- especially with the back muscle winch.
Another excellent video - you guys will have to learn some sea shantys for when you are using your new windlass. Heave away, Haul away. Did you mention you had a Rocna 10 plus chain and nylon rode. I just bought a near new Rocna for La Moutte (a Compass 28) which came with 10 m of 8mm chain. Which I will add to my existing 10 metres and the nylong rode. With a 28 footer, I don't have the luxury of a windlass, but will have to pull the anchor up manually. Haven't used the Rocna yet, so don't know who much effort will be required to get it out of the mud - must learn some sea shanties myself and sing extra loud to make up for not having a windlass. cheers Andrew and Deb
:)
Glad you enjoyed it again MJM :)
Nothing like the satisfaction of a new windlass. When you get the time have a look at my one on instagram (sailinghawkeye) One reason I like a steel boat lol. Thanks for the video guys. I am in need of changing chain. Curious of cost benefit for stainless. 30m of 10mm wouldnt be cheap. If you have any research links for it I would appreciate it.
The cost question is contingent on how readily you can access good quality galvanising works to re-do a chain that is getting a little long in the tooth. We just find that as soon as a chain starts to rust, it seems to get into all parts of the boat and infuriates me. A lot of hard use every day wears the coating off pretty quick. I also like stainless chain for its 'slippery' qualities in the locker- not piling up so readily, though we still flake ours down to assure of a quick drop when we need it without snarls. Good rated 316 non- chinese chain is not cheap, but it is a form of insurance that can't be skimped on. With regards links, you will have to look for suppliers in your area and what they offer as transport costs for that weight of chain with insurance would be pretty high.
Yet another fantastic tutorial! My main take away on installing a new windless: "not as easy as laying around eating chips, but it's pretty easy." Well at least for Troy at any rate ;) Thank you friends!
If you can eat chips, you can install a winch! would be a pretty catchy line for an advertisement but maybe not entirely true...
Great video folks, and thanks for the details. Glad you are making it through your upgrades. Question: does the windlass let water in from the top? Seems the hole to let the chain in would be open to that.
Yes, water can get in through the hole the chain falls through. We are able to use a bung to block it in heavy weather but it takes the anchor out of immediate action. This means we can't use it if we are navigating through close reef areas or transiting a bar of a river.
Good video Troy and Pascale, I like your ideas about anchoring even though we have gal and nylon. We replaced our Muir 600 (with a new Muir 600) because of corrosion and the gearbox becoming stuffed. The new one sounded so smooth, so we think the old one was on the way out when we bought our boat. Love the spring clip. Our grief came with removing the old mounting bolts between the shaft housing and gearbox that the spring clip replaces. Ended up cutting them off with the angle grinder and then the hole in the deck needed to be a little larger because of the new design. Jocelyn did the lot while I offered suggestions from the bunk - no chips. :) We did it ourselves because the professionals were not professional and we ended up getting a great deal of satisfaction out of this. Cheers, Ian and Jocelyn.
The smooth sound of a new winch was one of the first thing I remarked on to Pascale when we first had occasion to test it. Corroded and siezed bolts would have to be the single greatest pain in the rear I encounter working on ships. Some jobs could not have been done without resort to a gas-axe or 6 pack of cutting discs. Even more fun when they're 32mm bolts! Having now met Jocelyn, I can well imagine her taking it all in her stride though.
To state to others that after putting an important part in a "Safe" place that you will be able to find it again when needed. Brave indeed!
Ah, the unmistakable voice of long experience..
Hi Troy you are a brave man!
Great video as usual. Not that my Opti (when completed) will need winches of any kind ... but may-be when it grows up - you never know. Really like the idea of letting the black goop solidify for a bit and then tightening to spec. The sled used to even out the deck has a monstrous cousin in Fine Woodworking in an article by Nick Offerman. Funny but useful. Thank you again.
Thanks Thomas. In a previous life, I had a 3hp router and put a bottom cleaning bit in it. Making up some screw on rails and a sled, I used it to flatten and renew my old workbench. Came out flat as glass. Didn't matter. Every bit of furniture I assembled on it still rocked once we placed it on the timber floor of our old pre-WWII stumped house!
What a great tutorial by Troy with Pascale always at the ready with the camera catching all the cool angles! I thought you might glass the pine piece both on the deck and below deck for not only strength, but for longevity, but you only painted... I'm sure that's fine....
Both bits of pine are glassed as well as painted but only the top one is glassed into the deck. The lower one is glassed all around but not glued with resin to the underside of the deck, acting only as a spreader for the load. Perhaps we didn't show that clearly?
Great vid. Minor typo in link. Should be <a href="https://www.arnoldsboatshop.com.au" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.arnoldsboatshop.com.au</a>
Thanks for your sharp eyes Emile.