Anchor Winch Drum Offset to Front of Boat. Problems on roll up?

[PeterInSA]

The Anchor well at the front of our half cabin is 33cm by 33cm and 15cm deep. Looking at the Lonestar GX1 Winch that is 25cm wide, so that centre of the drum if the winch is mounted as close as possible to one side will be a minimum of 15mm off the centre line of the boat, the rope when retrieving will be wound onto the winch 15mm to the port side of the drum. We rarely fish in water deeper than15m, any problems with winch retrieval ie rope bulked up in one section (port side) of the drum?

We also have a Reef anchor, ie 5 or 6 prongs, do we need a swivel connection to the anchor, as the anchor is not positional in its Bow holder?

Thanks

Peter

[wardy40]

Peter, the winch offset isn't much of an issue if you have plenty of distance from the drum to the bow sprit roller or the additional roller that is mounted between the winch and the bow sprit. If the additional roller is used, try and use the widest roller or slightly offset the roller to match the winch offset if you can to allow free movement of the rope/chain.
15mm isn't really a lot of offset.
And yes I believe swivels are a must on a anchor winch system.

Cheers

Wardy

[GBC]

15 metres of line on a small boat winch without much pressure is never going to give the same winching characteristics every time, but what you are technically talking about is combatting fleet angles. More than about 1.5 degrees offset to any part of the drum with anchor line is not going to want to lay itself neatly, hence why little boat winches are deep rather than wide. Drag out an old riggers red book if you need that maths, I can't remember back that far now, and it isn't going to make any difference on a 250mm wide spool - the rope will fall into the low spots anyway. Get the fairlead (roller on the end of the bowsprit) as far away from the winch to decrease the offset angle if you are worried about it, but as stated 15mm is stuff all. Yes, swivels are good when they work - get a good one.

[PeterInSA]

Thanks,
The GX1 Drum spool is 200mm wide and the diam at the ends 185mm.

Raised the query, because have some experience with the Warn winch on my cruiser, not laying itself neatly, but I live with that so as long as the anchor winch does not jam can live with a non neatly wound spool.

Peter

[GBC]

Haha yep, mine too. A neatly wound 4wd winch is one that isn't taking chunks out of the bulbar in my book.

[scottar]

No reason it should jamb. With any drum winch without an archimedes you are going to have the potential for a soft line to want to bunch. Might just mean you cant carry as much anchor rope but in the depths you are talking that shouldn't be a problem.

[beerhunter]

I know my 4wd winches are too messy because when I'm winching out and it goes in [emoji1]

sent from the beerhunter

[scottar]

Hopefully the weight applied to the anchor winch should never replicate a winching situation for a 4wd. I wouldn't want to be anywhere near it if it was. If an anchor is that stuck, the line should be secured another way to attempt to free it. You should always drive up on the anchor as line is retrieved so the only real weight the winch has applied to it is that of the anchor and chain in a vertical lift.

[PeterInSA]

Re ( If the additional roller is used, try and use the widest roller )
If the winch is located at the rear of the anchor well, the drum (20cm wide) will be 20cm away from the deck roller. I would prefer the 135mm roller rather than the 195mm roller ( for looks) will the 135 unit do the job.


My Boat is 20+ year old fibre glass ( kept under cover, looks like new). Will use a plate under the Fibre glass to spread the Winch load, should I use a plate above the FG to stop any cracking, the FG appears to be around 5mm thick ie the FG is sandwiched between the 2 plates. But bearing in mind this comment, I think I should not need the extra plate...

(You should always drive up on the anchor as line is retrieved so the only real weight the winch has applied to it is that of the anchor and chain in a vertical lift. )

Thanks

[GBC]

Need to see the setup in pics, and that of the roller. If the roller is captive in a cage/hawse it only needs to be skinny and the cage can direct the line onto the roller when the boat gets askew to the angle of the rode. An open roller is going to struggle that close to the winch no matter how wide. Anchoring needs to be simple and easy - best to set it up once.

A top plate would help spread the rotation load of the winch, but a local boatbuilder with eyes on your boat would be the best bet.