Windlasses

[wilhelm]

We intend to mount an anchor windlass on our LM 27. can any owner suggest a neat way to feed retrieved chain into locker without having to cut down locker cover.

Stay Safe its not over yet.

Wilhelm  

[Sula]

Hello Wilhelm. I can't suggest a way of doing it without cutting down the cover, other than making a new cover (out of plywood, HDPE sheet, or GRP, perhaps?) for the remaining opening, and saving the original cover off the boat in case you want to revert to it at a later date.

The previous owner of my boat cut down the cover, which works in a practical but not aesthetic sense. He did not, however seal the exposed cut open end of the sandwich construction of the cover, which I've been intending to correct but not yet done.

My winch is the horizontal axis type, mounted to the port side on top of a wooden platform perhaps 2.5cm thick, and drops and picks up the 7mm chain into/out of the chain locker without a problem (unlike some previous boats I've had, which required the pile of chain to be toppled manually several times while it was being retrieved to avoid jamming up).

If I was starting from scratch I'd put the winch in a similar position (though I'd also consider a vertical axis type winch), use 6mm chain to save weight, make up a new cover for the remaining opening, and store the old cover 'just in case'.

The shortcoming of the installation I have is that it doesn't leave enough distance between the winch and bow roller for the length of shank of an adequate sized anchor to allow the anchor to sit properly housed in the standard (?) bow roller when not deployed. As result my anchor is supported only part way along, with much of the anchor cantilevered forward, which is not very satisfactory in various ways. I'm pondering installing a stub bowsprit (or short bow platform or extended bow roller) to better mount the anchor when it isn't in use, and to keep it away from the hull when it is being launched and retrieved. This may need the winch to be mounted higher, depending on how that 'bowsprit' is attached to the boat.

p.s. Having said all that, it now occurs to me that perhaps another way of doing it (and keeping the whole of the original cover in place) is to mount the winch so that the chain exit from it is just slightly behind the back of the anchor locker, and fit a tube or pipe* to take the chain, at a shallow angle from the vertical, through the deck and the aft bulkhead of the chain locker. Such a tube/pipe needs to be amply wide enough to take the intended chain size to avoid jamming when it doesn't run exactly straight, and have some sort of plug at its entry to reduce the ingress of water in rough conditions. I would want to experiment with a mock-up of the pipe and anchor locker before fitting it to the boat to ensure the chain will flow, stow and retrieve smoothly without manual intervention (it's such a nuisance if it doesn't do that).  I suspect this would be more likely to be successful the smaller size the chain is.
(*often misnamed a 'hawse pipe', but I can't remember the correct term)

p.p.s I have assumed that you have the larger, roughly triangular shaped cover, rather than the small circular cover that some early LM27s had.  The small circular cover might leave enough room for a winch and chain entry to one side, while leaving the cover intact and in place. 

Good luck with your project.

John

[wilhelm]

Many thanks John, I have taken your comments on board as we are not launching this year have plenty of time undertake task.

Regards

[paulsailing]

We have a windlass on our lm27 and have a pair of polycarbonate doors to cover the anchor locker. When we fist had the boat it was a plywood lift off hatch.
There is a cut away at the aft end to allow the chain through but we tend to leave the doors open when using the anchor. 
he photo doesn't show the aft end but the idea works well. 

[falco]

Jul 1, 2020 9:59:33 GMT wilhelm said:

Many thanks John, I have taken your comments on board as we are not launching this year have plenty of time undertake task.

Regards

[falco]

Hola. Hasta la fecha he tenido un molinete vertical que por problemas de espacio, ya que el pozo de ancla del lm es relativamente estrecho. Pasaba la caedla a través de un tubo de inox que se podía ver desde la cabina de proa. Es muy mala solución la cadena no cae libremente y siempre se atasca. Es un momento delicado con corriente y barcos cerca el salir de un fondeadero si tienes atascos en la cadena. Ahora sacaré el barco y pondré una delfinera de teka. No se si será muy estético pero la cadena caerá recta y en el centro Del Pozo además reforzará toda la zona de cubierta de proa + la zona del stay de proa. Tengo dudas de cómo podré acceder a pozo del ancla ya que me quedará poco espacio
Cuando lo tenga pondré fotos
Saludos

[Sula]

This is just a Google translation of Falco's post above -

'Hi.

To date I have had a vertical windlass that due to space problems, since the anchor hole of the lm is relatively narrow. The caedla passed through a stainless steel tube that could be seen from the fore cabin. It is a very bad solution, the chain does not fall freely and always gets stuck. It is a delicate moment with current and boats close to leaving an anchorage if you have jams in the chain. Now I'll get the boat out and put in a teak dolphin. I do not know if it will be very aesthetic but the chain will fall straight and in the center of the Well it will also reinforce the entire area of ​​the foredeck + the area of ​​the bow stay. I have doubts about how I will be able to access the anchor well since I will have little space left
When I have it I will put photos
Cheers'

[captainhaddock]

Jun 21, 2020 8:15:56 GMT wilhelm said:

We intend to mount an anchor windlass on our LM 27. can any owner suggest a neat way to feed retrieved chain into locker without having to cut down locker cover.

Stay Safe its not over yet.

Wilhelm  

We purchased a 1983 LM 27 here on the west coast of Canada (Vancouver Island) the previous owners took very good care of the boat over their 30 year ownership. They installed an electric windlass quite cleverly. They extended the chain locker aft under the deck, the chain does bunch up a bit if you are pulling up a lot of chain, so it’s good to have someone on hand if you have a lot.I will see if I can include some pictures, but there is no modification of the locker cover. 

[captainhaddock]

Jun 21, 2020 8:15:56 GMT wilhelm said:

We intend to mount an anchor windlass on our LM 27. can any owner suggest a neat way to feed retrieved chain into locker without having to cut down locker cover.

Stay Safe its not over yet.

Wilhelm  

I think I figured it out