Help removing wildcat

[Salty lady]

I saw that someone said that you shouldn’t power the anchor down or the gears will strip or destroy.
I have a 50+ lb anchor and there is noway that I can hand lower it.

Salty Lady 53MY #555
Ft Pierce Chester Ct

 

[oscarvan]

I saw that someone said that you shouldn’t power the anchor down or the gears will strip or destroy.
I have a 50+ lb anchor and there is noway that I can hand lower it.

Salty Lady 53MY #555
Ft Pierce Chester Ct

You put the big wrench on it and loosen the clutch just enough so the wildcat starts slipping. No need to get your fingers in there. When all else fails read the book..... Section 4

http://users.neo.registeredsite.com/8/0/1/22928108/assets/Vertical_Windlass_Manuel.pdf

 

[Bob Bradley]

Watch your air supply!

It's ok. Lots of space under the cover frame, and these heaters are actually certified for use in tents. They have automatic low O2 shutdowns.

 

[dsharp]

Got a good coat of resin over and into the replaced end grain then ran out of warm weather. I'll finish the job in March.

View attachment 46989

Why cut so close to the toerail? You didn’t leave yourself much to glass to unless you are going to try to run it up the rail.

 

[Bob Bradley]

It was wet that close. Its also not as close as it appears in the pics. Minimum remaining is over 2"; most is 3 - 4". There's plenty of room to feather in the glass. The smallest area is in the forwardmost portion. That's under the pulpit which is through bolted. It should be very strong.

 

[Salty lady]

Thanks for the copy of manual for the windless

 

[whoover]

I may be crazy but I am doing mine from underneath. Its all cut away back to dry core so its to late now. I plan on using 1/4" marine plywood in three layers with two layers of 1208 cloth in between alternating 90 degrees at each layer. All of the non skid on the bow will be painted this year as it is looking tired so if I need to I can run screws in from above to clamp it and just repair those small holes after.

Walt Hoover

 

[Looking Glass]

Finally got the gypsy off. Now I am off to buy a pipe to bang the collar through. I assume it is the rust colored ring, not the inner brass ring or the outer chrome ring.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Thats correct. The outer ring is actually part of the casting of the deck plate.

 

[dsharp]

It was wet that close. Its also not as close as it appears in the pics. Minimum remaining is over 2"; most is 3 - 4". There's plenty of room to feather in the glass. The smallest area is in the forwardmost portion. That's under the pulpit which is through bolted. It should be very strong.

Right after i posted that I kept looking at the picture and thinking that it was probably wider than it looked. The only part that was close was the starboard side. The reason I mentioned it is because it’s a pain in the ass if you have to go up the toerail. It looks like it will be better than new.

 

[RichardM]

I did not want to be working overhead with resin. I had the boat shrink wrapped, and on a 40 degree sunny day, its at least 50 in there. I put a Mr Heater Big Buddy up in the V-berth and leave the anchor locker door open. I run it on high and the lower skin of the deck is fairly warm to the touch. I did mix the resin a tad hot and it went off just fine and hardened up nice. The same with the thickened stuff that I troweled in place to bed the end grain. On one slightly cooler day I put a 2nd Big Buddy up on the bow with me under the cover and after 15 minutes I had to turn it off, as it was getting uncomfortably warm. I could probably finish the job with the two heaters even in the 30 degree weather we're having now in CT, but I don't want to have to grind the fiberglass under the cover, so I'm waiting til spring to finish.

What type of resin did you use? Epoxy or Polyester?

 

[Bob Bradley]

Poly.

 

[scottinsydney]

You might find that the inner silver ring is actually the circlip. I would remove this before you start banging with the pipe.

 

[Looking Glass]

You might find that the inner silver ring is actually the circlip. I would remove this before you start banging with the pipe.

I tried banging on the rust colored ring with a 1 1/2" pipe and a masonry hammer but got nowhere. I banged on the inner ring and was able to move it about a half inch lower but the shaft did not move at all. I am not sure what this ring is but I could not move it further because I did not have any tool that could fit into the small groove to push it down further.

I have everything soaking in PB Blaster for a few days and plan to return with a couple of MAPP torches and try again. I am almost at the point of cutting everything out.

I had planned on repairing the windlass but it looks I like a might be replacing it.

 

[jmooney]

The inner ring is a bushing . The rust colored ring is the pipe welded to the top of the gear box. The shaft as I remember is removed from the top . One of the problems created by banging on the pipe from the top is widening the top end of the pipe, making it that much harder to go down . Heat the top plate and try to turn the gearbox from below in order to break it loose from the top plate. I have an Ideal windlass , which is very similar.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I have removed two of these. They don't come out easily. It takes an 8lb sledge hammer and many many significant swings to get it moving. The rusty ring is the one you want to force down. I have anyways had some trusting fool hold the pipe for me as I swung the hammer. Call Rick at Galleymaid. He'll tell you what to do.

 

[Looking Glass]

Finally got the windlass off. After letting it soak in PB Blaster for a few more days, I slipped the 1 1/2 inch piper over the shaft and it it with an 8lb masonry hammer and it came loose.

Now to find a replacement. Any suggestions? I have 11 3/4 inch space between the pulpit and the bottom of the deck.

 

[brettportzer]

Why not send it to Galley Maid and have it refurbed?

 

[Bob Bradley]

Doesn't appear to be much left to refurb. That's why I swapped out mine. You could just about push your finger through the gear box. Here's the link to my conversation about replacement...https://www.samsmarine.com/forums/showthread.php?34827-Windlass-Recommendation

 

[brettportzer]

I wasn’t meaning that as a rhetorical question, I am likely facing a similar situation with my windlass, and I have read here of numerous people sending their 50yr old Galley Maid’s back for renewal, but I haven’t yet heard that someone who wanted to wasn’t able to do so because of the state of their windlass.

So, I am wondering if that is not an option, for that or other reasons, or whether a replacement with something more modern or different is desired for entirely different reasons.