Windlass Replacement

[Capt Chad]

We currently have the factory Galleymaid windlass on our 46c. The wife has never cared much for recovering the anchor. Especially the chain that comes up by hand.

Has anyone retrofitted a self storing windlass with a chain gypsy on a 46?

[SKYCHENEY]

We currently have the factory Galleymaid windlass on our 46c. The wife has never cared much for recovering the anchor. Especially the chain that comes up by hand.

Has anyone retrofitted a self storing windlass with a chain gypsy on a 46?

Send the windlass into GalleyMaid, they will rebuild it with a longer shaft and a wildcat so you can run all chain.

[Capt Chad]

Looking at their windlasses with the wildcat under the capstan on line I like the idea. So then I just fab up a SS pipe at an angle that will let the weight of the chain take it into the locker?

[SKYCHENEY]

Looking at their windlasses with the wildcat under the capstan on line I like the idea. So then I just fab up a SS pipe at an angle that will let the weight of the chain take it into the locker?

They will send back the hawse pipe and a new electrical control box and foot switches.

[Pascal]

I m glad I had my galley maid rebuilt. It already had the chain wildcat. It was 30 years old when I brought it to them. Contrast that with a pair of Maxwell 4000 on the boat i run which are making awful noises and just 11 years old

[Capt Chad]

I like it. Thanks for the information.

[madhatter1]

I just changed out my galley maid to a Good Automatic windlass. Most work was removed the old windlass and it was in great shape. Operating it with wireless controls and still have foot switch for “up”. Need to add one for down. Good supplies each windlass with rope and chain combo. You would need the 850-C-DW.

[43DoubleCabin]

I like the idea of Galley Maid rebuilding them. On my 43 DC I only have power up and no wildcat. And no hawse pipe. Things can be a bit hairy cutting that anchor loose. And then when retrieving the chain likes to get squirrelly in the capstan when the rode comes in. Not to mention the mess on the deck due to no hawse pipe.

[Pascal]

If anchor out frequently the right windlass requiring no human help is not just a convenience but a safety item. I would never own a boat with it. Just as important is being able to control the windlass from the helm(s) so you don’t need to have somebody on deck in weather

[drburke]

Speaking of rebuilding, my Ideal Windlass will need to be refurbed soon (Galley Maid is a clone). There was a time when the company repairs seemed to be down to a few old guys months behind.

Since that time, Ideal has been acquired by Schaefer Marine and seems to be doing pretty well.

I like the idea of old-school US hardware over newer China stuff, even if more expensive up front.

https://www.schaefermarine.com/our-p...deal-windlass/

DAN