If you require a windlass to retrieve your ground tackle then
you are restricted to 12 or 24-volt windlasses that, due to
the nature of 12 or 24 VDC current, need thumb-thick
cables.

Stupid, stupid stupid. Why doesn't anybody manufacture
a 120 or 240 VAC windlass so as to require less thick
cables strung the length of one's boat? A thick cable to
the inverter and regular house-type, 30-amp rated wires to
a 120 or 40 VAC windlass from a properly-sized inverter
would solve the problem.

Better yet, try downsizing your boat so as to not require
a windlass. Or, perhaps just a large manual winch on
the foredeck for those feebles with bad backs or weenie
arms?

--
Sir Gregory - fully of retrieving his ground tackle by
hand and arm strength alone.

On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:52:54 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:


If you require a windlass to retrieve your ground tackle then
you are restricted to 12 or 24-volt windlasses that, due to
the nature of 12 or 24 VDC current, need thumb-thick
cables.

Stupid, stupid stupid. Why doesn't anybody manufacture
a 120 or 240 VAC windlass so as to require less thick
cables strung the length of one's boat? A thick cable to
the inverter and regular house-type, 30-amp rated wires to
a 120 or 40 VAC windlass from a properly-sized inverter
would solve the problem.

Better yet, try downsizing your boat so as to not require
a windlass. Or, perhaps just a large manual winch on
the foredeck for those feebles with bad backs or weenie
arms?


More news from the Pseudo Sailor.

But the answers are simple, few cruising boats have an honest 1,000
watts of AC electrical power available.

(Skip reports a 80 amp windlass times 12 Volts = 960 watts)

But then, you wouldn't know, would you, with your tiny toy boat and
your permanent mooring.
--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok

Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:52:54 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:


Stupid, stupid stupid. Why doesn't anybody manufacture
a 120 or 240 VAC windlass so as to require less thick
cables strung the length of one's boat? A thick cable to
the inverter and regular house-type, 30-amp rated wires to
a 120 or 40 VAC windlass from a properly-sized inverter
would solve the problem.

More news from the Pseudo Sailor.

But the answers are simple, few cruising boats have an honest 1,000
watts of AC electrical power available.

(Skip reports a 80 amp windlass times 12 Volts = 960 watts)


It would also be electrocution waiting to happen.

A hydraulic powered windlass would be a better option . . . .



--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk
[at]=@, [dash]=- & [dot]=. *Warning* HTML & 32K emails -- NUL

"Ian Malcolm" wrote in message
...
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:52:54 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:


Stupid, stupid stupid. Why doesn't anybody manufacture
a 120 or 240 VAC windlass so as to require less thick
cables strung the length of one's boat? A thick cable to
the inverter and regular house-type, 30-amp rated wires to
a 120 or 40 VAC windlass from a properly-sized inverter
would solve the problem.

More news from the Pseudo Sailor.

But the answers are simple, few cruising boats have an honest 1,000
watts of AC electrical power available.

(Skip reports a 80 amp windlass times 12 Volts = 960 watts)


It would also be electrocution waiting to happen.

A hydraulic powered windlass would be a better option . . . .


Wrong! That is way more complication than needed. Why is
it that so-called sailors wish to clutter up their vessels with
systems detrimental to safety and well-being?

1) sail a boat the right size so that one can manually handle
the ground tackle and other systems.

2) if, for some reason you can't abide choice number one then
sail a larger boat but not so large that one needs electric
or hydraulic assistance.

3) instead, rely on muscle power as in a good manual windlass
or even a large, two-speed (with a granny gear) sheet winch
placed on the foredeck.

HTH.

--
Sir Gregory

On Sat, 25 Jan 2014 14:59:13 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:

"Ian Malcolm" wrote in message
...
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:52:54 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:


Stupid, stupid stupid. Why doesn't anybody manufacture
a 120 or 240 VAC windlass so as to require less thick
cables strung the length of one's boat? A thick cable to
the inverter and regular house-type, 30-amp rated wires to
a 120 or 40 VAC windlass from a properly-sized inverter
would solve the problem.

More news from the Pseudo Sailor.

But the answers are simple, few cruising boats have an honest 1,000
watts of AC electrical power available.

(Skip reports a 80 amp windlass times 12 Volts = 960 watts)


It would also be electrocution waiting to happen.

A hydraulic powered windlass would be a better option . . . .


Wrong! That is way more complication than needed. Why is
it that so-called sailors wish to clutter up their vessels with
systems detrimental to safety and well-being?

1) sail a boat the right size so that one can manually handle
the ground tackle and other systems.

And of course, the arm chair sailor know all about it. Ever tried to
anchor in 100 ft of water and try hauling in the 300 ft, or more of
anchor chain and a, say 35 lb., anchor?

And of course you will respond with a suggestion that rope will work
and be lighter and I'll reply, "ever tried anchoring in coral with a
rope rode?"

2) if, for some reason you can't abide choice number one then
sail a larger boat but not so large that one needs electric
or hydraulic assistance.

3) instead, rely on muscle power as in a good manual windlass
or even a large, two-speed (with a granny gear) sheet winch
placed on the foredeck.

HTH.

Of course, of course, we bow to your experience and knowledge. I
remember you once made on an epic voyage, lovingly reported here on
these pages, all the way down the bay and anchored on a mud bank for
the evening.

And, of course, this gives you the necessary experience to advise
those brave souls who actually cruise out of sight of land.
--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok

"Bruce in Bangkok" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 25 Jan 2014 14:59:13 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:

"Ian Malcolm" wrote in message
.. .
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:52:54 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:


Stupid, stupid stupid. Why doesn't anybody manufacture
a 120 or 240 VAC windlass so as to require less thick
cables strung the length of one's boat? A thick cable to
the inverter and regular house-type, 30-amp rated wires to
a 120 or 40 VAC windlass from a properly-sized inverter
would solve the problem.

More news from the Pseudo Sailor.

But the answers are simple, few cruising boats have an honest 1,000
watts of AC electrical power available.

(Skip reports a 80 amp windlass times 12 Volts = 960 watts)


It would also be electrocution waiting to happen.

A hydraulic powered windlass would be a better option . . . .


Wrong! That is way more complication than needed. Why is
it that so-called sailors wish to clutter up their vessels with
systems detrimental to safety and well-being?

1) sail a boat the right size so that one can manually handle
the ground tackle and other systems.

And of course, the arm chair sailor know all about it. Ever tried to
anchor in 100 ft of water and try hauling in the 300 ft, or more of
anchor chain and a, say 35 lb., anchor?

And of course you will respond with a suggestion that rope will work
and be lighter and I'll reply, "ever tried anchoring in coral with a
rope rode?"


Public admission of damaging or destroying coral reefs with
an all-chain rode noted! I don't know about elsewhere but
here in the Florida Keys it's illegal to anchor on coral.

--
Sir Gregory

As far as manual windlasses are concerned..... yesterday I watched (and
heard) a manual windlass in action. The conditions were perfect, hardly
any wind but it took the poor fellow almost ten minutes to bring up his
anchor. The sailboat was around 35 feet long and the depth was also about
35 feet.

In my opinion an electric windlass is as much a safety feature as well as a
great convenience. If the weather had suddenly turned or the boat was
dragging anchor or someone else was dragging anchor and about to collide
with the 35 footer above I think the poor guy above would have been hurting.

With an electric windlass you don't really have to think twice about
re-anchoring elsewhere or dropping anchor at one spot only for a bit of a
dive or other temporary activity. With a manual windlass (or none) you
would think twice about doing same.

My two cents worth...

Bert
S/V Guinevere



" Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·" åke wrote in message
...

If you require a windlass to retrieve your ground tackle then
you are restricted to 12 or 24-volt windlasses that, due to
the nature of 12 or 24 VDC current, need thumb-thick
cables.

Stupid, stupid stupid. Why doesn't anybody manufacture
a 120 or 240 VAC windlass so as to require less thick
cables strung the length of one's boat? A thick cable to
the inverter and regular house-type, 30-amp rated wires to
a 120 or 40 VAC windlass from a properly-sized inverter
would solve the problem.

Better yet, try downsizing your boat so as to not require
a windlass. Or, perhaps just a large manual winch on
the foredeck for those feebles with bad backs or weenie
arms?

--
Sir Gregory - fully of retrieving his ground tackle by
hand and arm strength alone.




---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

On Sun, 26 Jan 2014 14:30:41 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:

"Bruce in Bangkok" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 25 Jan 2014 14:59:13 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:

"Ian Malcolm" wrote in message
. ..
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:52:54 -0500, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·"
åke wrote:


Stupid, stupid stupid. Why doesn't anybody manufacture
a 120 or 240 VAC windlass so as to require less thick
cables strung the length of one's boat? A thick cable to
the inverter and regular house-type, 30-amp rated wires to
a 120 or 40 VAC windlass from a properly-sized inverter
would solve the problem.

More news from the Pseudo Sailor.

But the answers are simple, few cruising boats have an honest 1,000
watts of AC electrical power available.

(Skip reports a 80 amp windlass times 12 Volts = 960 watts)


It would also be electrocution waiting to happen.

A hydraulic powered windlass would be a better option . . . .


Wrong! That is way more complication than needed. Why is
it that so-called sailors wish to clutter up their vessels with
systems detrimental to safety and well-being?

1) sail a boat the right size so that one can manually handle
the ground tackle and other systems.

And of course, the arm chair sailor know all about it. Ever tried to
anchor in 100 ft of water and try hauling in the 300 ft, or more of
anchor chain and a, say 35 lb., anchor?

And of course you will respond with a suggestion that rope will work
and be lighter and I'll reply, "ever tried anchoring in coral with a
rope rode?"


Public admission of damaging or destroying coral reefs with
an all-chain rode noted! I don't know about elsewhere but
here in the Florida Keys it's illegal to anchor on coral.

Goodness. I hate to wake you up but I really must let you in on a
secret..... Quite a few of us don't sail in S. Florida, in fact some
don't even sail in the United States. Your statement about not
anchoring in coral is totally meaningless where I anchor. Nor has it
been for a good few years.
--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok

On Mon, 27 Jan 2014 17:58:48 +1300, "Bert van den Berg"
wrote:

As far as manual windlasses are concerned..... yesterday I watched (and
heard) a manual windlass in action. The conditions were perfect, hardly
any wind but it took the poor fellow almost ten minutes to bring up his
anchor. The sailboat was around 35 feet long and the depth was also about
35 feet.

In my opinion an electric windlass is as much a safety feature as well as a
great convenience. If the weather had suddenly turned or the boat was
dragging anchor or someone else was dragging anchor and about to collide
with the 35 footer above I think the poor guy above would have been hurting.

With an electric windlass you don't really have to think twice about
re-anchoring elsewhere or dropping anchor at one spot only for a bit of a
dive or other temporary activity. With a manual windlass (or none) you
would think twice about doing same.

My two cents worth...

Bert
S/V Guinevere


I surely agree. A year or so ago my wife and I set off for a little
vacation and decided to make a trip to Langkawi, Malaysia. We usually
stop several nights on the way and just laze along and the first night
we anchored at Phi Phi Island. The next morning the winch is dead :-(

Well, 10 Mtrs of water and 3/8" inch chain. I can do it! so hauled the
anchor by hand and set off for our next stop. And so it went for three
days...... But I can tell you I really, really, looked for shallow
water :-)
--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok

On 1/26/2014 12:30 PM, Sir Gregory Hall, Esq· wrote:



Public admission of damaging or destroying coral reefs with
an all-chain rode noted! I don't know about elsewhere but
here in the Florida Keys it's illegal to anchor on coral.


OK, oyster beds then. Satisfied?