Galley Maid Windlass info

[brettportzer]

My windlass has never been set up correctly, and I've actually never used it. The main anchor was missing when we bought the boat, also the chain. The backup anchor was in its place, with the rope going in the wrong spot. The windlass was never operational, etc... I eventually got power to it and tested it out and it would spin, but, the gearbox and interior parts were very rusty, and I knew it would need refurbishment.

Also, of course, I have core problems up there, so, first step was to remove the windlass. I followed the directions found on the forum here, and it actually came apart very easily. Nothing frozen, a few whacks with a 4lb hammer on a pipe with a cap and it was out.

Talked to Rick at Galley Maid today, and I wanted to basically make an update with info that I haven't really seen here previously.

Basically, Galley Maid didn't start making Windlasses until 1979, mine is serial # 7903-02, probably pretty early.

They changed the case in 1985 to a round gearbox, and the motor electronics are different now.

In my case, refurbishment is not possible, the gearbox is toast.

I could just buy a new gearbox, but, then we'd have to adapt my old motor, and if that ever goes, then I would have to get a new motor, and new control box anyway.

ALSO, of interest, a new windlass comes with all of the above deck hardware in stainless steel, not chromed brass, with the exception of the wildcat.

So, probably going to go for a whole new windlass setup.

Anyway, I especially thought that the fact that the above deck hardware is now stainless was noteworthy, I didn't know that. And also, his pricing is pretty linear... It is not a whole bunch cheaper to buy the whole new set up, but it is definitely less work vs doing things twice.

 

[rwaldrop13]

My windlass has never been set up correctly, and I've actually never used it. The main anchor was missing when we bought the boat, also the chain. The backup anchor was in its place, with the rope going in the wrong spot. The windlass was never operational, etc... I eventually got power to it and tested it out and it would spin, but, the gearbox and interior parts were very rusty, and I knew it would need refurbishment.

Also, of course, I have core problems up there, so, first step was to remove the windlass. I followed the directions found on the forum here, and it actually came apart very easily. Nothing frozen, a few whacks with a 4lb hammer on a pipe with a cap and it was out.

Talked to Rick at Galley Maid today, and I wanted to basically make an update with info that I haven't really seen here previously.

Basically, Galley Maid didn't start making Windlasses until 1979, mine is serial # 7903-02, probably pretty early.

They changed the case in 1985 to a round gearbox, and the motor electronics are different now.

In my case, refurbishment is not possible, the gearbox is toast.

I could just buy a new gearbox, but, then we'd have to adapt my old motor, and if that ever goes, then I would have to get a new motor, and new control box anyway.

ALSO, of interest, a new windlass comes with all of the above deck hardware in stainless steel, not chromed brass, with the exception of the wildcat.

So, probably going to go for a whole new windlass setup.

Anyway, I especially thought that the fact that the above deck hardware is now stainless was noteworthy, I didn't know that. And also, his pricing is pretty linear... It is not a whole bunch cheaper to buy the whole new set up, but it is definitely less work vs doing things twice.

Sounds like you have a plan in place, and I envy you. When we bought Pau Hana we were told all the windlass needed was new foot switches and to have electric motor rebuilt. We spent $1400 at Raz Marine to have motor rebuilt, only to find out that whoever disconnected starboard battery bank also removed anchor windlass power wiring between chain locker and generator room. I hadn't gotten to that project before Ian sank the boat. Share pics if you will, I'd like to see the project. I'm living vicariously thru everyone else until we go back to a boat.

 

[madhatter1]

I would recommend checking out Good Automatic windlass. I have one on my 34 and the 46. Very straight forward install. Very reliable. I have the 850DW and it picks up the new 70LB anchor I just put on no problem. They look better in person than the pix on the web site. Very well built. Good match for a well built Hatteras.

Also they are freefall and by design no need to tie off to a cleat after anchoring. Set and forget in fair weather.

 

[Captain Ralph]

Galley Maid, Ideal, Good, Maxwell,
Please kids, grow up and stop feeding the dinosaurs.

 

[whoover]

I see that Brett is on lake Ontario. I do not know his future cruising plans but the Good Automatic worked well for me for my anchoring in the same waters. If it had been chain I would have had more confidence in my ability to hook up. I needed parts for it and their customer service is excellent.

Walt Hoover

 

[rwaldrop13]

Galley Maid, Ideal, Good, Maxwell,
Please kids, grow up and stop feeding the dinosaurs.

Ralph, at the risk of sounding dense, can you clarify? I've seen a lot of different anchor windlasses on Hats as well as the other boats I've looked at, both before buying Pau Hana and since then while researching/window shopping/preparing for the next adventure. I'm partial to free-fall anchor windlasses because a long time ago some very experienced Bosun's in the CG explained the advantages. Since then, and I can't find the thread, someone on here was very emphatic about advantages of free-fall, and disadvantages of power-down windlasses. Unpack, please.

Thanks! And the next time you're in Ft Myers I'm buying. Assuming you enjoy craft beers that is. Or a tiki bar.

 

[brettportzer]

Actually I am on the Hudson River, a bit south of Albany, NY.

My theory on the Galley Maid replacement is that they seem simple, pretty bullet proof, individually made by the same guy that has been making them for 49 yrs, etc...

If mine had been installed properly, same story as so many folks on here, it would still be working perfectly.

Actually, it did work, but it needed to come out.

The gears inside are perfect, but the housing has been destroyed by water leaks, much like the core at my bow!

I see that Brett is on lake Ontario. I do not know his future cruising plans but the Good Automatic worked well for me for my anchoring in the same waters. If it had been chain I would have had more confidence in my ability to hook up. I needed parts for it and their customer service is excellent.

Walt Hoover

 

[brettportzer]

Sounds like you have a plan in place, and I envy you. When we bought Pau Hana we were told all the windlass needed was new foot switches and to have electric motor rebuilt. We spent $1400 at Raz Marine to have motor rebuilt, only to find out that whoever disconnected starboard battery bank also removed anchor windlass power wiring between chain locker and generator room. I hadn't gotten to that project before Ian sank the boat. Share pics if you will, I'd like to see the project. I'm living vicariously thru everyone else until we go back to a boat.

This is all I have so far, really.

Notable, even in this shape, nothing was frozen up, it came right out, no problems with the bolts or anything.

And yea, it did actually work!

 

[Captain Ralph]

Ralph, can you clarify?

I understand these later days, free dropping is the later way to lower an anchor from an old windlass.
Interesting; That same old windlass has been powering down the anchor for 30 plus years. Been doing it wrong all these years and never knew it until now ??

Thoughts on free falling;
Working close to a falling object (anchor) and a flaying chain inches away looks safe ??
SOP on a big ship, still not safe but preformed entirely different than as on our recreational boats.

Chain piles on the bottom is the new correct way to lay an anchor ?

Free dropping is now required because the internal reduction gears, chain sprocket and other parts are worn out, of witch there are few replacement parts for.

Other old windlass issues include some Frankenstein engineering to keep working,, again,, again..

Having gone thru an original Ideal windlass on our Bertram, then replacing that with a later Ideal a few years later. I had enough abuse and replaced it with a modern Lofrans.
I never realized how easy working with a anchor was supposed to be until this new windlass came on board.
Since day one, the manual states to power down the anchor slowly and lay the anchor on the bottom correctly.
I can still drop it if required.

Since my lesson, I have assisted in a few other windlass replacements and these costumers and new friends have agreed; Hassle free operation and maintenance of their new windlass is great.

My comment of "stop feeding the dinosaurs" ...
I have learned some things the hard way these 22 years of ownership, of our now 46 year old Bertram. #1 is some modern equipment is better, safer, offers a better quality of life than to keep fixing & worrying about the old dinosaur bones equipment.

They are still some cave-man options on our ole Bertram. I deal with them as they fail but small cave-man options will be replaced vs patched, worried over and constantly having to be fiddled with.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

The Galleymaid can be set up to power down. Rick will do that for you when you rebuild or buy new. He did mine in 2005. I'm been powering it down ever since. I tried the free fall but found it to be too dangerous and uncontrollable.

 

[Sadey]

Isn't there a clutch on all windlasses? We free fall ours all the time. However the admiral uses the clutch/break to slow the drop to prevent the pile up.

 

[Pascal]

Some can not be modified, I asked Rick when he rebuilt mine a few years ago although he said powering down as is isn’t going to cause an issues unless there is a lot of tension on the chain.

The clutch helps control the speed at which it free falls

 

[rwaldrop13]

I understand these later days, free dropping is the later way to lower an anchor from an old windlass.
Interesting; That same old windlass has been powering down the anchor for 30 plus years. Been doing it wrong all these years and never knew it until now ??

Thoughts on free falling;
Working close to a falling object (anchor) and a flaying chain inches away looks safe ??
SOP on a big ship, still not safe but preformed entirely different than as on our recreational boats.

Chain piles on the bottom is the new correct way to lay an anchor ?

Free dropping is now required because the internal reduction gears, chain sprocket and other parts are worn out, of witch there are few replacement parts for.

Other old windlass issues include some Frankenstein engineering to keep working,, again,, again..

Having gone thru an original Ideal windlass on our Bertram, then replacing that with a later Ideal a few years later. I had enough abuse and replaced it with a modern Lofrans.
I never realized how easy working with a anchor was supposed to be until this new windlass came on board.
Since day one, the manual states to power down the anchor slowly and lay the anchor on the bottom correctly.
I can still drop it if required.

Since my lesson, I have assisted in a few other windlass replacements and these costumers and new friends have agreed; Hassle free operation and maintenance of their new windlass is great.

My comment of "stop feeding the dinosaurs" ...
I have learned some things the hard way these 22 years of ownership, of our now 46 year old Bertram. #1 is some modern equipment is better, safer, offers a better quality of life than to keep fixing & worrying about the old dinosaur bones equipment.

They are still some cave-man options on our ole Bertram. I deal with them as they fail but small cave-man options will be replaced vs patched, worried over and constantly having to be fiddled with.

Now your comments make sense. I understood the reason to be reducing wear on the gearbox, but the old salts that I learned from were pretty emphatic that you free-fall the anchor in a controlled fashion, ease the brake/clutch out enough to let the anchor drop, but not start the chain jumping. I'm sure there are still circumstances where a free-fall mode is desirable, but controlled fall is still more desirable than letting it just drop, which is what my earlier comment implied. Thanks, as usual you've given me more to think about as we start considering what we want next time.

 

[brettportzer]

I also learn a lot from Captain Ralph as well, however...

I don't really see how a brand new Galley Maid is really that much of an old technology thing?

I mean, yea, it would be dumb for me to get a new gearbox and stick a 45yr old motor on it along with flaking 45yr old deck hardware, etc...

But, in my case I would literally be getting brand new everything, windlass, switches, control box, etc...

How different is that from a modern Lofrans windlass?

Maybe I am missing something?

Now your comments make sense. I understood the reason to be reducing wear on the gearbox, but the old salts that I learned from were pretty emphatic that you free-fall the anchor in a controlled fashion, ease the brake/clutch out enough to let the anchor drop, but not start the chain jumping. I'm sure there are still circumstances where a free-fall mode is desirable, but controlled fall is still more desirable than letting it just drop, which is what my earlier comment implied. Thanks, as usual you've given me more to think about as we start considering what we want next time.

 

[Captain Ralph]

I also learn a lot from Captain Ralph as well, however...

I don't really see how a brand new Galley Maid is really that much of an old technology thing?

I mean, yea, it would be dumb for me to get a new gearbox and stick a 45yr old motor on it along with flaking 45yr old deck hardware, etc...

But, in my case I would literally be getting brand new everything, windlass, switches, control box, etc...

How different is that from a modern Lofrans windlass?

Maybe I am missing something?

Does GalleyMade make new, later designed windlasses?
I don't know for sure.
I assume they have painted and chromed over dinosaur bones. I further assume; done correctly the stuff can last another 30 years or so but it is still old tech bones.

 

[brettportzer]

Same basic design, but, the gearbox and motor have both been updated.

Above deck hardware is now all stainless vs chromed bronze.

Remember, the windlass pictured aboved STILL WORKED.

 

[Captain Ralph]

The clutch helps control the speed at which it free falls

Isn't there a clutch on all windlasses? We free fall ours all the time.

F M & talented to regulate the fall speed of an anchor with an old clutch.
Also standing out in the sun, cold, rain, bugs....
Takes a talented, strong, brave cave man (person).

But why??
Oh, because we keep our old dinosaur windlass running.

I've had my fun. I think most of you kids understand what I'm trying to say.
Just lots (not all, just lots) of the new stuff (Windlasses, Heads, Pumps) have impressed me.

 

[rwaldrop13]

F M & talented to regulate the fall speed of an anchor with an old clutch.
Also standing out in the sun, cold, rain, bugs....
Takes a talented, strong, brave cave man (person).

But why??
Oh, because we keep our old dinosaur windlass running.

I've had my fun. I think most of you kids understand what I'm trying to say.
Just lots (not all, just lots) of the new stuff (Windlasses, Heads, Pumps) have impressed me.

Having watched more than my share of YouTube videos, including "Onboard Tangaroa" I get it. Thanks for sharing. You make a lot of good points.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I would replace with the old GalleyMaid or Ideal. They are just built tough. Sometimes the old stuff just can't be beat. Plus it looks great and fits with the look of our old boats.
There really is no "new" technology to a motor turning a gear.



And I don't like new boats either.

 

[Pascal]

The thickness of the pulpit usually makes it hard to install modern windlasses unless they have an option for longer shafts