GM Winlass Anchor Capacity?

[ThirdHatt]

Does anyone know what the maximum suggested anchor weight is for a Galley Maid Winlass? I am looking into the larger anchors and wondering what I can safely put on the original pulpit/winlass safely and use regularly.

It seems from my research so far that an anchor of about 60-70lbs would be a minimum size working anchor for my 58YF that weighs right at 80,000lbs. Unfortunately most anchor guides go by boat length rather than displacement which makes no sense to me. Always liking to take the safer route, I'd like to use a 90-120lb anchor all the time if the winlass can handle it.

For those with 50' and larger boats: Please post what weight and style/brand anchor you are using for your regular "working" anchor and also what you keep on board for a "storm" anchor.

THANK YOU!

 

[Liquid Asset]

I have a 50lb delta plow w/ 50' of Tuna chain followed by 900' of anchor rode. I also keep a 50lb danforth style anchor on board with another legnth of 200' of anchor rode. That can be used for both my Sea Anchor and my danforth if neccisary. I have never had the 50lb plow slip even in 250' of water and 8 foot seas. We regularly fish the Gulf and anchor overnight, so if the seas kick up, you got to be ready. I feel that anchors are only good if they are the correct anchor for the bottom. If you use a plow in hard bottom it may not hold no matter how heavy it is, bu if you are using it in sand and Mud it may be the best possible choice. I would like to come up with a beter way to change anchors faster between my main chain/rhode commbination, but not loose security of it coming loose.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I have the OEM setup with a 60lb Danforth painted Hatteras White and 200ft of 3/8 high test chain.

 

[Genesis]

I'll tell 'ya how I'd do this.....

First, the windlass won't be a problem. They can exert several hundred pounds of pull and being series wound it doesn't hurt the motors.

Ok, on to the anchor.....

For a "working anchor" you want one that will hold you securely in reasonable conditions. Reasonable is, in my world, defined as winds up to 20-25kts on a decent holding bottom (e.g. sand)

I'd look at the Deltas for this purpose. I bought one for Gigabite and was EXTREMELY pleased with it. Being a diver, I get to see how it sets (or doesn't) and how it behaves on the bottom. After seeing it set on the bottom many, many times, I'd have no quarrel with going to bed with that thing in the bottom whatsoever.

I'd do a Delta 88 for a working anchor. You can probably get away with a 55, to be honest, but the 88 is going to give you more security. Be warned, the 88 is a BEAST! You've got a lot of "house" area, which means you've got a lot of potential windage. I believe in stepping up one size from "recommended" - my Hatt only needed (according to SL) the 35, but I bought the 44. Your boat "recommends" the 55 (right on the edge of the 44) so I'd do the 88.

Ok, so now let's talk storm anchors.

For a storm anchor you hope you're in a place with good holding, or it doesn't matter. In that situation you absolutely, positively MUST have the anchor hold, but the winds are likely to come from the one direction you're worried about (if its a HURRICANE, then you set a bahamian moor - and you have time to do it right! We're talking about a blow-up storm here where you don't have a lot of warning - some, but not the DAYS you have with a hurricane.)

With that criteria in mind I'd look very closely at the Fortress. Either a pair of FX-85s or FX-125s for storm duty. If you buy two, and especially if you get the 125s, you now have a rig that'll work even in a hurricane.....

 

[58yfsb]

I put an 85lb on the 58YF to sleep better a few weeks ago. It looked like overkill when it arrived on the truck - but right at home on the bow. Not a problem for the windlass.

 

[Pascal]

i have an FX55 and all chain, and i love it... like all danforth, it doesn't work well in grass and if it gets clogged with mud/grass it may not reset. otherwise, the holding is great in mud and sand.

on average I anchor twice a week and over the past 3 years it failed to set on frst attempt maybe twice..

last winter, it held thru 30kts gusting 45 as a front moved thru one sunday morning at 4am... out 30 boats in the anchorage (mud, 10'), nearly all started dragging into each ogther, I think only 3 or 4 of us were holding.

even in moderate conditions, it works itself real deep in the bottom and requires some effort to pull it out.

 

[Paul45c]

FWIW, I'll second Pascal's comments on the holding power of Fortresses. I use an FX 23 for a utility/storm anchor I keep stored in my lazarette in one of those nice West Marine blue bags, and I keep an FX 37 for a hurricane anchor to hold the boat out in the canal for a big blow. Both of them hold incredibly well. They've never dragged more than enough to set them deeply in the mud, whereas I had a CQR 45 hinged plow drag several feet in the same storms.

Tell you what, once I even put a very small Fortress I keep on my small boat (forget the exact model, but it can't weigh more than 9 or 10 lbs.) as an extra safety to hold my 45c during Hurrican Wilma. Turned out I needed an anchor in exactly that direction, and that little thing had a lot more load on it than I counted on. It held incredibly well. The line on it was tight as a guitar string when I got back on the boat post-storm, and I had my hands full breaking even that little one free.

Given the light weight of the Fortress and its inability to break through grass effectively, I'm not sure I'd keep it on the pulpit as my permanent working anchor. I'd like to test more with it, first. But I'm convinced there's nothing that will hold as well once it gets its set.

 

[Genesis]

I have a little Fortress on my 23.

Some people laugh when they get on the boat to dive and see that thing.

Then I toss the anchor and we get in the water.

You can pluck the anchor line and it won't move a millimeter. Enough chain to insure that it lays on the bottom flat and the flukes start to dig is all it takes. We frequently get down there and basically nothing of the anchor itself is visible - just the chain!

I love those things once they're in the bottom...... On a bigger boat I like something easier to handle on deck (Danforths are a pain to launch and can foul on the way down) but for a storm anchor they're darn hard to beat, and on a small boat where you can control deployment easily by hand, they work great.

 

[doc g]

I have a 61' cmy,which heavier than normal. I use a 76# CQR with 400' of 3/8' chain. We just tested it in 60-70 kn winds in North Jersey during "Hurricane" Ernesto. It held well to about 60kn and then drug slowly. At 60 or so we slid about 150 feet. I had all the chain out on it also. Had to reset once in 40 hours or so. It took three of us about 90 minutes to reset the anchor . Plows seem to do well in these conditions and when you reach the holding limit they just drag slowly never letting go totally like I've had Danforth -style anchors do. I have a 110 Bruce which was securing the corner of my garage during that storm......it is now in the lazerette! Did not think I'd need it while cruising . Dumb move . Also found that using a bridle with two lines to the breast cleats helped alot to keep her from hunting back and forth in the wind. Chafe gear is key also. Also make sure you have two bridles set up beforehand. All in all ,we left Atlantic Highlands in time and found that 60 some boats were damaged when we returned. Lost a bimini and blew the clutch out of the windlass but that was it for damage. Learned alot in the process.................Pat