Windlass control options

[Winter 42]

My windlass is currently setup with a dinky up down switch feeding the relay.

 

The dinky switch has to go, to be replaced with a pendant.. corded or wireless.

 

Where can I buy a pendant? I see lewmar want around 700 bitcoin for their wireless gizmo.

 

Also, on a charter boat I had recently, their windlass had a soft start/stop thing where it ramped up to operating speed. Seems much nicer. Can that be retrofitted to an exsisting windlass?

 

I have the lewmar pro series 1000.

[Island Time 1,225]

if you have the solenoid box already, this, or similar will work fine ;

http://www.winch.co.nz/categories/runva-winch-accessories/12v-wireless-remote

Others from $25.00...

[Island Time 1,225]

I'd like to know how it's tweaked KM. Even the "Marine" ones aren't. Usually no tinned cable, no real water resistance etc. Just a name on the outside.

[Winter 42]

Thanks Island time. those looks cheap enough I will try them out and see how it goes.

 

The lewmar remote is waterproof, and floats. that seems like a good idea.   but not a $700 good idea. 

[John B 106]

I have a wireless  Auto anchor unit ,its a  fantastic thing  and has a  chain counter.

 

 Saved our butt from dragging numb nuts at least once , paid for itself 10 times over.

[Winter 42]

I have a wireless  Auto anchor unit ,its a  fantastic thing  and has a  chain counter.

 

 Saved our butt from dragging numb nuts at least once , paid for itself 10 times over.

 

I like the idea... can you say how much it cost?

[John B 106]

Auto anchor is expensive, I bought mine before Kiwi/ lewmar  took it over .

I can't remember exactly but it was more than a boat buck  list price. I got lucky and found one on trade me from a stalled boat project.

 It was a raft up of 3 or 4 power boats dragged down on me when I was by myself , crew ashore.No one on the power boats.  Someone yelled and I literally ran to get the snubber off, hit the control and throttle all together and even then had to motor/ reverse the anchor out when their outboards were about 10 ft from my bow, over the anchor. I was savage on the windlass that day, but , when needs must and all that. That would be 5 or 7 years ago and there have been other times its proved pretty handy over the years.

 

 Anyway , I can't speak highly enough about auto anchor , but it is expensive.

[Zozza 293]

I have a wireless  Auto anchor unit ,its a  fantastic thing  and has a  chain counter.

 

 Saved our butt from dragging numb nuts at least once , paid for itself 10 times over.

 

Auto Anchor AA710 Wireless Remote with Kit  $1,374.25

 

Auto Anchor AA730 Remote control with LCD readout S1,076.11

 

Gulp!

[Island Time 1,225]

Or a Cruz pro ch55 or 60, fits pretty much any winch, from $380.00.

[Zozza 293]

Or a Cruz pro ch55 or 60, fits pretty much any winch, from $380.00.

 

Does the same job as those two big dollar ones?

[Zozza 293]

Nope. The Cruz Pro are good and a very fair price but don't have the same level of fruit the AA's do.... some of which are over fruited for most people.

 

Also the Cruz Pros are for chain only rodes. They will sort of do a Rope/chain rode but accuracy will drift each use and you'd need to recalibrate them a lot. That will quickly get annoying.

 

There is another manufacturer, Italian, who makes wireless counters not unlike the Cruiz pros but with a splash more fruit. Their flasher wireless one with up/down winch control is 299 Euros (450 NZ +/-) but again chain only. They do a nice count only for around 160 Euro (250  NZ +/-)

 

That's where Auto Anchor shine, Brian one of the brains behind it (died a few years back way too young) recognised another companies new winch would be a game changer so built in to the AA's the ability to recognise and work with rope chain combo rodes. The product he saw that triggered that was the Freedom500 auto rope to chain winch made by a mob called Maxwell, a market near 1st and definitely set a new trend in winches.

 

A little good new NZ story there as the winches Maxwell, then NZ owned, made were designed and built in the Wairau valley and Auto Anchor was designed and built in Northcote. Both have gone on the be world leading products and trend setters.

 

The counter you want Zozza is the same as mine, cost $2.95, 15 minutes with a tape measure and one cold beer. It's called a permanent marking felt pen

 

Ah yeah - actually a bit more than 2.95 for that special paint I bought off you, but still cheapy chips in comparison!

[jonathan 4]

i have coloured things in my chain every 10m....

 

 

cost F all,   about to install the relay thing, styill going to run a wire tot he helm, not that keen on remotes, i am either going to be at the helm or up front while anchoring  where the foot controls are anyways

[Winter 42]

i have coloured things in my chain every 10m....

 

 

cost F all,   about to install the relay thing, styill going to run a wire tot he helm, not that keen on remotes, i am either going to be at the helm or up front while anchoring  where the foot controls are anyways

Yeah I'm not really that fussed about a counter, I just want to be able to easily up down from both the bow and the helm. 

Tiller steer boat, so I don't have anywhere easily reachable where I can still stand and see. So the wireless option sounds good to me.

 

Lots of options infront of me now. Might start with the el cheapo remote and see how that goes.

 

Thanks everyone