Horizon 500 Windlass

[ahill]

Other than a jammed gear a few years ago my windlass has been trouble free.
However, this weekend when retrieving anchor the gypsy would not get past the line splice & pull the chain.
I could manually bypass the splice & retrieve the chain but at the splice, the gypsy would turn without picking it up.
I could hold the tension lever down & it woud pick up the splice.
After that it would work fine sometimes and not on others.
The tension lever spring seems normal.
Any suggestions?

 

[Slacktime]

Does it sound like it's grinding? How old is the unit? I had a similar problem with the windlass on my '03 Marlin. Mine had a burned out motor and Lewmar wanted over $300 to replace it. I found a guy in the UK who used to work for them and he sells the parts for it. I was able to get a new motor for about $70 plus shipping. Amazingly it came in three days from overseas!

Here is his website: http://www.slspares.co.uk/parts.php?pro ... ric+Motors

and here is his email address. support@slspares.co.uk He also has the service manuals albeit for a fee.


Good luck

 

[ahill]

The motor is fine.
Thanks for the supplier tip!
I downloaded the installation & parts manual a few years ago.

 

[ahill]

Horizon Tech said my line might be piling up and causing the glitch.
I'll check on next trip.
Said if line piles up to less than 12" to deck the problem can occur.

 

[eppem]

How old is the anchor line? I had similiar problems with my 2003 that I bought used in 2006. Line would skip over windless on occasion but always get hung up at the splice. Anchor line was old and stiff, I had flipped it around and respliced it about 3 or 4 seasons ago and it didn't get much better.

Replaced the anchor line off season and it works much better - just a thought.

 

[Tucker]

Yep, had the same problem and changed to the 8-plait line anchor line, fantastic stuff.

 

[LeapFrog]

I've got the 3 strand that was spliced just over a year ago... does the same thing and is starting to get worse as the windlass is starting to gradually eat away at the splice as it tries to retrieve it... If I lower and then raise the anchor a couple times, it will eventually continue winding past the splice... I only have about 200' of line in my Marlin anchor locker with plenty of room to spare, so it's not a problem with too much line... Looking forward to "finding" a couple hundred extra dollars and getting several hundred feet of the 8 plait...

 

[Enough Already]

Has anyone tried adjusting the head unit? I have a wrench (never used) that fits the large nut on the side of my windlass. Might be wrong but I think one time I jammed the windlass and it seems the center spool separated a bit and things now seem looser on the retrieve. My chain/rope connection is now slipping as well. Digging out the manual tonight to see if tightening the nut would help solve the problem.

 

[ahill]

Thanks,
Headed to the boat tomorrow, I'll file a report on my findings.

 

[Tucker]

Has anyone tried adjusting the head unit? I have a wrench (never used) that fits the large nut on the side of my windlass. Might be wrong but I think one time I jammed the windlass and it seems the center spool separated a bit and things now seem looser on the retrieve. My chain/rope connection is now slipping as well. Digging out the manual tonight to see if tightening the nut would help solve the problem.

I thought that was a tension adjustment?? I had a rope kinking problem and the chain/rode splice would not pass over the cog and the winch locked. Not sure the 8-plait is the end-all, haven't loaded it yet. Got a soaking/drying procedure that needs to be done first. It seems to want to stretch alot.

 

[ahill]

Problem Solved!
Finally got back to the boat and found that the anchor line had piled up in nice 10" diameter coils between the stem and threaded rod connecting the bow eye to the lifting eye behind the windlass.

 

[Tucker]

I've heard that you can soak the entire anchor rode in fabric softener and it becomes more limp less kinks. Never tried it...

 

[ahill]

I've had many people over the years recommend Selsun Blue to soften up stiff lines.