Free-Fall Windlass

[86Hat41]

Anyone have an opinion on the "Good" brand auto free-fall windlasses, or does anyone have a recommendation on another free fall windlass that will hold up to the weight of a 41 Hatteras. It will get used 7 -10 times a week (charter boat). I have been using another brand for several years and, although it works extremely well, it just doesn't hold up. I am currently on my seventh unit. Need something more heavy duty.
Thanks.

 

[MikeP]

Ideal has been making windlasses for a LONG time and they can still refurbish any windlass they have ever made. I'd give them a look.

 

[captddis]

I doubt the Good will hold up to that kind of use.

 

[Bill Allen]

I have a good all rope windlass on the shelf was gone over by good and a hi torque motor added, want it make me an offer. I replaced it with an ideal all chain for my 43. Bill

 

[sgharford]

I replaced my all rope Good windlass on my 1976 43DCFB years ago with same model (the largest all rope model for 50' boats). If you go ahead here are my two bits - keep the 30 amp thermal circuit breaker that automatically resets itself on the negative lead to the motor. To use this windlass successfully while bringing up line, you have to winch your way up to where you are directly over anchor. Then stop the windlass and drive over anchor with engines to break free, than bring up rest of the line. The motor just doesn't have enough oomph to break anchor free in nearly all instances (I'm in pretty thick mud and my anchor is oversized). At first I thought nuisance trips from thermal breaker so I took off, next I was tripping the manual reset 60 amp breaker located in engine room on positive side. Very annoying to reset, especially when you have everybody on board and trying to make way. And for the analyticals out there, I oversized the wires running to motor from battery so not voltage drop revving up amps. As long as you break free with engines, as Good recommends in user manual, it's been a good windlass for me. Believe most here are pretty stuck on all chain, and for good reason so Good all rope model may be discounted for that reason alone.

Another problem with the all rope model. On my bow pulpit there is only about 2' of line between end of anchor and windlass - no room for any chain which really stinks as it's nice to have at least some weight of chain there to protect against chafing and act as weighted shock absorber. This leads me to another point - Fortress Anchors: They are so light that the manufacture recommends I believe at least 12' of chain to get them to properly set. Guess it falls like a feather in the wind otherwise.

Honestly, If I was to do it over, I would install a chain windlass or at least a windlass with rope/chain gypsy. I’m happy with the Good windlass now that I know how to use it properly, but I think I would be happier with all chain windlass with more power. 7 times a week is allot of anchoring - I would go with the very best money could buy as I honestly think Good is really designed for occasional anchoring and if I recall correctly, it is about half the price of other windlasses in same boat size range too which may prove my point on overall quality too.

 

[MicroKap]

You can also do it without a windlass using the "charter boat method" of dropping the anchor from the cockpit, paying out the rode, cleating it on the bow and then retrieving using a float ball and stainless ring, pulling up at a 45 degree angle to the location of the anchor. Of course you'd need a mate to do this while you're on the flybridge.

 

[GJH]

The Goods have excellent reputations, and are known for good customer service. I'll enthusiastically ditto Ideal as the "best" for both quality and service.

I don't think using the winch to consistently pull the boat to the anchor is a good (no pun intended) idea on any windlass; and certainly not to break it out. As soon as I hear any sign of the windlass motor bogging down in the slightest, I have the boat moved by engine power. Backing off the clutch is another way to protect it. Yeah, I know you can do it, and my Ideal will if not much wind and current, but it's not good for longevity.

 

[Glory]

If you use a free fall with all chain it will not last reguardless who makes it.

most manfactures that make a free fall windlss will in fact normally tell that to you.
JM

 

[GJH]

Really? How so? That's a new one to me. I admit I usually power down; makes for a more gradual and eventually firm set, or so I have convinced myself!

 

[86Hat41]

yeah, the anchor and the ball deal is a good method but not for where I fish. I used to do that, it’s a pain. I anchor in a mine-field of lobster traps, most of which are underwater when the tide gets ripping. I need precision anchoring, and a free-fall windlass is the only way to do that.
Ideal doesn’t make one and Lewmar doesn’t make one big enough .Good isn’t open until Monday.
By the way, I would never even consider trying to bust the anchor free with the windlass.....you crazy?? You have to use the motors.
I use 40ft of chain, it works great. If you anchor in a rocky bolder strewn area the rope would get torn to pieces if you anchor as often as I do.
If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know.

Thanks for all the imput guys.

 

[Doug1954]

Good Evening,

My partners and I have a 1988 41 Ft Hatteras. The windless crapped out
due to water intrusion and failure to maintain the gear housing. The unit was a Galley Maid Brand, so I contacted Rick at Galley Maid. We pulled the old unit.
The gear housing was severly rusted and I don't think that the gear oil had ever been changed by the previous owner. I took the motor off and brought it to a local motor man and for $80 bucks he took it apart and cleaned oxidation, put it back together and painted it. The Capstain needed to be rechromed and I found The chrome Shop on the internet and the shop happened to be six miles from our mooring point. Bob and he wife are rechroming the capstain, base plate and the bolts for $375. A real deal!!!

Rick at Galley Maid had a used gear box from a boat that had upgraded and we got it for $730 shipped to us. Another real deal.

I bought a one inch by 14 inch Honduran Mahagony Board and cut out the spacer and have been soaking it in linseed oil before installing. Previously the spacer was plywood coated with enamal paint. I did not hold up.

Once installed I am going to have a cover made for the unit and I an going to change the gear lube 80/90 once a year, as water finds its way into the gear box. No way to stop it. Just schedule an oil change once a year and you will have a windless hasell free.

Good Luck,

Doug

 

[GJH]

"Ideal doesn’t make one and Lewmar doesn’t make one big enough "

When did Ideal stop? That's news to me. Have you given them a call?

 

[ron6785]

I'll chime in with Mike and George, Ideal are super people to work with. They really stand behind their product. They currently are building me a new larger gear box that will fit in the same footprint as my current one which is too light for my anchor and tackle.

 

[86Hat41]

I’m sure Ideal are great people to work with. They quickly responded to my email inquiry, stating that they DO NOT make a free-fall windlass big enough for my boat, nor do they believe there is another on the market that will hold up to the frequency in which I use mine.
Now I’m contemplating the “Lofrans Tigres”, which is a free-fall but manually controlled with a lever.
Anyone have any experience with these.

 

[86Hat41]

How about the Maxwell RC10?

The operating instructions on there site make it seem like a very confusing windlass to operate, do you have to keep going up on the bow and tightening and loosening clutches etc....perhaps I'm misinterpreting them, but it is supposed to be a manual free-fall.
Customer service opinions??
Durability opinions etc...

 

[MikeP]

I free fall with my Ideal all the time. I don't understand how there can be an issue - you are releasing the gypsy's clutch and the gypsy is just turning on it's bearing. The winch itself isn't doing anything at all - no shafts/gears turning.

Or am I misunderstanding something?

 

[madhatter1]

I have a Good on my 34C and it is WAY better that the POS lewmar it replaced. The simpson lawrence/lewmar POS company has a convenient way of obsoleting the motors so you need a new windlass. The arm that puts tension on the line was plastic and the spring would pop through it and snag the rode and chew it up. Anyway on to the Good windlass. They look way better than they appear in the web site. Install was very easy. Operation is flawless (once you get used to dropping a freefall). It has enough power to what it is supposed to do. And the tension arm looks like it is carved out of solid aluminum. Parts are available for very old ones and they will upgrade to newer parts since there is some compatability. Of course, do your own research.

 

[86Hat41]

The only reason I'm scared about buying the Good is the fact that they don't return emails, they're only open 4 days a week and when they're supposedly "open", no one answers the phone....and I'm trying to give them money!.....needless to say, I'm scared I will have to jump through hoops to get any problems corrected.

 

[madhatter1]

They are a smaller outfit and I am not going to make any excuses for their response and hours but I can tell you the product is first rate. I own a small national accounts energy management controls installation company. We are a handfull of guys very good at what we do but since we are small you sometimes don't get us right away. The four day thing may be due to the economy. I made my decision to buy based on what other users said about the product and factored that in with the companys claim and history. I could be wrong and stuck with another crap 2 year windlass but I doubt it. This product has been around in it's current form for many years. My other windlasses required the rode to be cleated off and the Good is WARRANTED to hold without cleating off. Again, my disclaimer to my opinion is to do plenty of your own web research. Good luck and PM if you need any other info.