Anchoring: Transition from rope to chain on the windlass

[Mark Sutherland]

I have not used my anchor.  My windlass has a smooth barrel with a lower gypsy for the chain probably pretty typical. I envision winching in the rode with the rope around the smooth barrel section of the windlass.  When I get to the chain section of the rode, do I stop the windlass before the chain reaches the windlass, or can I bring the chain section of the rode in a few feet with the chain ON the barrel, then maybe put a snubber on the chain(to bear the weight of the chain and anchor) while I transition the chain off the barre and on to the gypsy?   I have a bad back so I won't be able to stop the chain short of the windlass and "pull" the rode whatsoever to get the chain the last few feet to the gypsy.  Thanks.

[Terry Forshier]

I use the gypsy,snug the rope then let it haul the anchor. The gypsy should just make the transition to chain seemlessly.

[Jim Hardesty]

If the chain-to-rope splice splice is correct, there is no problem.  The splice should look like a back splice on the last link of the chain.  No knots should go thorough the gypsy.   The gypsy does both and the transition (splice) without a hitch.
Jim

[Mark Sutherland]

I'm not quite sure if I follow....  I'll have three wraps of rope wrapped aroud the upper barrel section of the windlass.  At the moment the chain reaches the reaches the windlass, my thinking is that the chain will naturally follow the rope right onto the smooth upper barrel of the windlass(not what I want, I don't think).  I want the chain to transition to the lower, gypsy section of the windlass, right?  How do I get the chain to make that transition?  Do I simply push down on the chain until the gypsy grabs it? (I hope I'm using the term gypsy correctly here).  Thanks.

[Ron Hill]

Mark : Check with the windlass maker and find out what kind of "rope" (braid on braid or 3 strand) the gypsy will handle.  My windlass will take a braided line with no problem.

The there is the chain to line splice that was already mentioned.  Then the transition from line to chain in the gypsy should be seamless.  A thought

[scotty]

So, the rope is already on the lower (gypsy) unit.  It just takes the chain with no real change.  On my boat I find that it works smoothly if I slow the process just before the transition.  If I don't, sometimes the rope backs up a bit.  If it does back up, I stop, and carefully pull the line down the hawser pipe.  (remember how dangerous a windless is - never get hands or feet or clothing near it when it is turning!!!).  My brother had an interesting situation.  He put on a windless, but the line wouldn't feed correctly in the windless.  To make a long story short, he ended up replacing the line and now it works perfectly.  You'll get your system set and then it really is a marvelous bit of gear.  Good Luck!

[Mark Sutherland]

Scotty,  My assumption was that the upper portion of the windlass winch, the smooth barrel section, was intended for the rope and that the lower section was for the chain.  Are you saying don't use the upper barrel section at all, and feed the rope thru the lower section that was intended for the chain?  (I don't have the manual with me, so I'm struggling to name the parts of the windlass correctly).  Thanks.

[scotty]

Yep.

[Ron Hill]

Mark : If you set up a few blocks you can use the drum (with a couple of turns of a halyard) you can use the windless to crank someone up the mast. 
A thought

[Jim Hardesty]

That's the way I go up the mast.  A couple of trusted friends, one tailing, one spotting.  It's a quick ride to the top.
Jim

[Les Luzar]

Mark,
I have a Lewmar Sprint Windlass that was installed around 2006. It has 35 ft of chain, and then my 3 strand anchor rode is spliced on to my chain. The windlass pays out the chain and then simply continues to pay out the three stand rode. When retreiving the anchor the windlass simply hauls in the rode and continues to haul in the chain. You do not need to use your barrel on the winch.

You can go out with me and we can drop my hook behind Isle of White, if you like.

Les