After 5 years my windlass has suddenly developed a nasty problem. It is a
Simpson Lawrence Sprint 1000 that I use with a Delta 35, 50 feet of 5/16 chain
spliced to 9/16 NE 3-strand. While it seems to function in UP mode, when I put
it in DOWN it grinds, squeals, and stalls within a half revolution. I was
hoping it was a washer stuck under the gypsy, but I pulled that apart and the
same symptoms exist with just the shaft sticking up.

This means that the problem must be either in the reduction gears or in the
motor. In either case, the next step appears to be removing the windlass and
disassembling. It seems easy, I just have to convince my 8 year old daughter to
crawl in the chain locker and back off the mounting nuts.

The windlass was used a lot for two years, not so much in the last few years
(maybe twice last year). I always drive the boat over the anchor, and always
break it out gently with the boat motion. The gypsy gets washed out, and the
only annual maintenance is making sure the clutches are free to be used in an
emergency (normally they spend their entire life locked up). As it stands now,
I can use the windlass manually (though it's tedious - you actually have to
convert it between manual deploy and manual recover modes), but I'm guessing
that If I pull it out I'll be without a windlass until its fixed. I assume that
if I try to use the motor in UP mode it will quickly die.

Does anyone have a guess as to the cause? I suppose I should hope its in the
gear train, but it really feels like something is amiss in the motor. I found
one post that these are permanent magnet motors, and the magnets can come
unglued from the cases. I also heard a motor can cost $1000! Are there shops
that rebuild them? Any advice appreciated.

-jeff www.sv-loki.com
"I like sailing because it is the sport which demands the least energy" Albert
Einstein

On Mon, 31 May 2004 10:02:51 -0400, "Jeff Morris"
wrote:
After 5 years my windlass has suddenly developed a nasty problem. It is a
Simpson Lawrence Sprint 1000 that I use with a Delta 35, 50 feet of 5/16 chain
spliced to 9/16 NE 3-strand. While it seems to function in UP mode, when I put
it in DOWN it grinds, squeals, and stalls within a half revolution. I was
hoping it was a washer stuck under the gypsy, but I pulled that apart and the
same symptoms exist with just the shaft sticking up.
===============================================

The problem is almost certainly with the reversing clutch in the gear
case. I had a similar problem with my SL 1500 but fortunately caught
it with a month left on the warranty. The problem with mine was due
to a faulty seal between the main shaft and the gear case which
allowed water into the gears, causing corrosion of the bearings. The
gear case internals are engineered like a swiss watch and there isn't
much that can be done on your own. Since mine was still under
warranty SL ended up replacing the entire unit rather than attempt a
repair. I was happy with SL's warranty service but not with the
durability of the product.

Wayne, you're exactly right.

I pulled the windlass today and indeed, one of the needle bearings is totally
shot (effectively a ratchet), another is rather rough. There was no moisture
inside but there is a fair amount of surface rust on the gears and the outside
of the case had corrosion.

Unfortunately, the warranty is 3 years and I'm over 5, so I'll be pricing out
replacement bearings (I'd have a machine shop do the work) and a new gearbox.
Maybe this is better than a shot motor - we'll see.



"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 31 May 2004 10:02:51 -0400, "Jeff Morris"
wrote:
After 5 years my windlass has suddenly developed a nasty problem. It is a
Simpson Lawrence Sprint 1000 that I use with a Delta 35, 50 feet of 5/16
chain
spliced to 9/16 NE 3-strand. While it seems to function in UP mode, when I
put
it in DOWN it grinds, squeals, and stalls within a half revolution. I was
hoping it was a washer stuck under the gypsy, but I pulled that apart and the
same symptoms exist with just the shaft sticking up.
===============================================

The problem is almost certainly with the reversing clutch in the gear
case. I had a similar problem with my SL 1500 but fortunately caught
it with a month left on the warranty. The problem with mine was due
to a faulty seal between the main shaft and the gear case which
allowed water into the gears, causing corrosion of the bearings. The
gear case internals are engineered like a swiss watch and there isn't
much that can be done on your own. Since mine was still under
warranty SL ended up replacing the entire unit rather than attempt a
repair. I was happy with SL's warranty service but not with the
durability of the product.

"Jeff Morris" wrote:

After 5 years my windlass has suddenly developed a nasty problem. It is a
Simpson Lawrence Sprint 1000 that I use with a Delta 35, 50 feet of 5/16 chain
spliced to 9/16 NE 3-strand. While it seems to function in UP mode, when I put
it in DOWN it grinds, squeals, and stalls within a half revolution. I was
hoping it was a washer stuck under the gypsy, but I pulled that apart and the
same symptoms exist with just the shaft sticking up.

This means that the problem must be either in the reduction gears or in the
motor. In either case, the next step appears to be removing the windlass and
disassembling. It seems easy, I just have to convince my 8 year old daughter to
crawl in the chain locker and back off the mounting nuts.

The windlass was used a lot for two years, not so much in the last few years
(maybe twice last year). I always drive the boat over the anchor, and always
break it out gently with the boat motion. The gypsy gets washed out, and the
only annual maintenance is making sure the clutches are free to be used in an
emergency (normally they spend their entire life locked up). As it stands now,
I can use the windlass manually (though it's tedious - you actually have to
convert it between manual deploy and manual recover modes), but I'm guessing
that If I pull it out I'll be without a windlass until its fixed. I assume that
if I try to use the motor in UP mode it will quickly die.

Does anyone have a guess as to the cause? I suppose I should hope its in the
gear train, but it really feels like something is amiss in the motor. I found
one post that these are permanent magnet motors, and the magnets can come
unglued from the cases. I also heard a motor can cost $1000! Are there shops
that rebuild them? Any advice appreciated.

-jeff www.sv-loki.com
"I like sailing because it is the sport which demands the least energy" Albert
Einstein



FYI and future reference, I had to have my motor rebuilt in my SL
Anchorman 1000 after 6 years of service. The motor is made by Leroy
Sommer in France and the prices for parts are ridiculus. Brushes over
$400, entire motor was $1300+ and all with a 8-12 week delivery!!

I had a local electric motor shop manufacture new brushes and put in
new bearings for good measure. Total rebuilt price- $125.

Rich

Keep in mind that on many SL electric windlasses, one of the needle
bearings IS a ratchet. It is designed that way so that the anchor rode
will not reverse the motor under light load. In my SL seatiger, I had the
same problem and simply removed that bearing. It unfroze my windlass and I
have never missed the ratcheting feature.

David
S/V Nausicaa

This may be the case in some windlasses, but the Sprint 1000 is bidirectional -
power down and power up. Unless I'm missing something, I don't think it can
have a ratchet.



"dbraun" wrote in message
lkaboutboats.com...
Keep in mind that on many SL electric windlasses, one of the needle
bearings IS a ratchet. It is designed that way so that the anchor rode
will not reverse the motor under light load. In my SL seatiger, I had the
same problem and simply removed that bearing. It unfroze my windlass and I
have never missed the ratcheting feature.

David
S/V Nausicaa

I had a similar problem. There is a clutch/gear that has to be taken out and
then disassembled. It pries apart. Clean and lube it. SL advised me that you
had to buy a new part. I did at a great cost and then found that the old one
can be serviced.

"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
After 5 years my windlass has suddenly developed a nasty problem. It is a
Simpson Lawrence Sprint 1000 that I use with a Delta 35, 50 feet of 5/16
chain
spliced to 9/16 NE 3-strand. While it seems to function in UP mode, when
I put
it in DOWN it grinds, squeals, and stalls within a half revolution. I was
hoping it was a washer stuck under the gypsy, but I pulled that apart and
the
same symptoms exist with just the shaft sticking up.

This means that the problem must be either in the reduction gears or in
the
motor. In either case, the next step appears to be removing the windlass
and
disassembling. It seems easy, I just have to convince my 8 year old
daughter to
crawl in the chain locker and back off the mounting nuts.

The windlass was used a lot for two years, not so much in the last few
years
(maybe twice last year). I always drive the boat over the anchor, and
always
break it out gently with the boat motion. The gypsy gets washed out, and
the
only annual maintenance is making sure the clutches are free to be used in
an
emergency (normally they spend their entire life locked up). As it stands
now,
I can use the windlass manually (though it's tedious - you actually have
to
convert it between manual deploy and manual recover modes), but I'm
guessing
that If I pull it out I'll be without a windlass until its fixed. I
assume that
if I try to use the motor in UP mode it will quickly die.

Does anyone have a guess as to the cause? I suppose I should hope its in
the
gear train, but it really feels like something is amiss in the motor. I
found
one post that these are permanent magnet motors, and the magnets can come
unglued from the cases. I also heard a motor can cost $1000! Are there
shops
that rebuild them? Any advice appreciated.

-jeff www.sv-loki.com
"I like sailing because it is the sport which demands the least energy"
Albert
Einstein

John,
Is the part you're talking about a roller bearing/clutch in the gear train, or
the gypsy clutch which is above deck? I pulled apart the geartrain and found
one roller bearing that jammed. When I looked it up it was listed as a "drawn
cup roller clutch" and I'm baffled as to how it could work as a clutch. Is
there some action inside that I missing?

-jeff


"John Helgerson" wrote in message
...
I had a similar problem. There is a clutch/gear that has to be taken out and
then disassembled. It pries apart. Clean and lube it. SL advised me that you
had to buy a new part. I did at a great cost and then found that the old one
can be serviced.

"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
After 5 years my windlass has suddenly developed a nasty problem. It is a
Simpson Lawrence Sprint 1000 that I use with a Delta 35, 50 feet of 5/16
chain
spliced to 9/16 NE 3-strand. While it seems to function in UP mode, when
I put
it in DOWN it grinds, squeals, and stalls within a half revolution. I was
hoping it was a washer stuck under the gypsy, but I pulled that apart and
the
same symptoms exist with just the shaft sticking up.

This means that the problem must be either in the reduction gears or in
the
motor. In either case, the next step appears to be removing the windlass
and
disassembling. It seems easy, I just have to convince my 8 year old
daughter to
crawl in the chain locker and back off the mounting nuts.

The windlass was used a lot for two years, not so much in the last few
years
(maybe twice last year). I always drive the boat over the anchor, and
always
break it out gently with the boat motion. The gypsy gets washed out, and
the
only annual maintenance is making sure the clutches are free to be used in
an
emergency (normally they spend their entire life locked up). As it stands
now,
I can use the windlass manually (though it's tedious - you actually have
to
convert it between manual deploy and manual recover modes), but I'm
guessing
that If I pull it out I'll be without a windlass until its fixed. I
assume that
if I try to use the motor in UP mode it will quickly die.

Does anyone have a guess as to the cause? I suppose I should hope its in
the
gear train, but it really feels like something is amiss in the motor. I
found
one post that these are permanent magnet motors, and the magnets can come
unglued from the cases. I also heard a motor can cost $1000! Are there
shops
that rebuild them? Any advice appreciated.

-jeff www.sv-loki.com
"I like sailing because it is the sport which demands the least energy"
Albert
Einstein

On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 10:05:56 -0400, "Jeff Morris"
wrote:
When I looked it up it was listed as a "drawn
cup roller clutch" and I'm baffled as to how it could work as a clutch. Is
there some action inside that I missing?

=========================================

That was the trouble spot on my SL 1500. The part is deceptively
complex in a way that is difficult to describe. Simply put, it
changes its' configuration in reverse (paying out), to limit the
strain on the motor and smaller gears. One end of the part fits into a
machined socket in the large casting (the cup). Unfortunately it is
engineered with fine tolerances and doesn't tolerate abuse or salt
water corrosion very well. I had to play around with mine for a while
before I fully understood how it was supposed to function. In the end
I just threw in the towell and went back to SL before the warranty
expired.