Windmark anchor winches

[Myjane 40]

Any of us used the windmark range of anchor winches , seen on trademe , and an agent in town here , vertical and horizontal styles , prices ,, ok ,,, look ok and seem to be made from the right stuff , need feedback

[erice 732]

been around for at least a couple of years as windmark

 

but don't seem many fitted yet

 

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f118/has-anyone-got-any-feedback-on-the-nz-windmark-vertical-windlass-154192.html

 

http://windlassnz.yolasite.com/

 

before that apparently were called Seastarnz

 

perhaps indian made?

 

http://www.exportersindia.com/seastarnz-products/products.htm

 

30 years ago had a bajaj super

 

a licence built, 1970's  indian vespa

 

never had any problems with it

 

 

but smelt of cardamon

 

they know heavy machinery well in that part of the world

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab6QSVnugjg 

[wheels 543]

I always look at the add info for a view of a product. I have always found it works this way for most items. If you read the guys blog, he says a lot with without actually saying a lot. For instance , Highly polished SST. Yeah OK, so what? Keep going through the list and you soon realize it's just telling you nothing of much value. The same goes for his Website where you would expect a lot of technical specs. But there is nothing.
Now look at the gear boxes. They are a simple right angle box that we use in the engineering community for angle drives. Cheap and most certainly nothing Marine about them. If you look at the Winces like Nillson and Maxwell, they have well built specific to their design gear boxes. It gets scary the load put on a gearbox and it's shaft when it comes to winching. You could possibly get away with the box if it were purely a means of gearing. But these ones are used as part of the overall load bearing of the Gypsy. They are not designed for that. As a che3ap Winch, sure they probably work and will be OK. But seeing as the Poster is asking and not sure, I suspect he needs quality, even though the price hurts, like it does for most of us. If that is the case, steer clear of them. Go for quality. It's not a huge step up price wise to go a Maxwell or other recognised name brand.

[marinheiro 352]

Nilsson still make their own winches in NZ

http://www.jamesnilsson.com/shop/Windlasses/x_cat/00317.html

Not cheap, but per KM's post you get what you pay for

It would be interesting to know where the Maxwell(owned by Vetus/owned by Yanmar) winches are made these days, still in NZ or overseas now?

[Myjane 40]

Windmark winches. I spoke to the agent tonight. Not being a knocker , I came away from the conversation very impressed ,it's not the dollar as I don't care what it costs , it's a winch that fits the boat that what I want , first of all compared to the other models , these are smaller in dimension, less down in the locker , and small two turn capstan on the top is all you want , chain below , same weight as the maxwell who is bigger. Odd ,, the feature of using the capstan separate to the chain capstan is food for thought , hight is lower and others , and change out of $2000 bucks is a plus , but not the decider as yet Just another winch

[Myjane 40]

Thankyou I am in holiday mode pondering , measuring , Am going to lessen the rode first and organise th locker ,and may come see you , Alls good grant

[Myjane 40]

Ok I have 80 mtrs of 15. Mill rode ,and 15. Mts of 8 mill chain , measured on Sunday , cleaned the locker up , as good as the day I built it 20 years ago so I could go 60 mtrs rode , and some more chain say 25 mtrs what you think , the chain stows small to the rope and if it heaped up for some silly reason would not amount to any problem in the locker being wide ,what you think