Anchor Winch

[scubapro]

I did try to do a search on this matter but had no luck.

Does anyone have a South Pacific anchor winch fitted & how good are they???

Any info on any other winches would be appreciated.

I am getting sick & tired of pulling up the anchor.

Cheers

Scubapro

[gawby]

Mate,

I thought about a anchor winch but opted for a retrieving ball. That is driving away and pulling the anchor up with the ball and then it is a lot easier to just pull the rope in. No strain. A lot less money.

Graeme

[timddo]

mate, i got one.

i can tell ya one thing. bloody good, cheap and efficient. I got a 7kg anchor + 5 meters of chain. make sure you use good quality nylon rope. Get the cheap polyester rope and the anchor winch won't run smooth. You can always use the ball retrival system with the anchor winch. it's about $400 now. For the price you pay it's good.

[shonky1]

I've got a South Pacific 710F, best bit of gear for $550 Ive ever purchased. I have it on a 6.2 Sportfish with a bloody big anchor (about 15kg) and it has no dramas pulling it up. They are a bit noisy first up but as the gears bed in it gets quieter, the bloke that makes them states this on the instructions. I use 14 mm silverline with it as 12 mm slips a bit in the gypsy. The retreaval rate is not flat out but it save pulling the thing by hand, oh and its Australian made as well.

[rossi]

I had a 710 H on my Signature 610c - Missus got sick of getting covered in mud, rained on etc, so I relented and bought HER a winch.

The winch was OK but they have a brass main cog which will shear off at the spigot if you abuse the unit. Do not jam the winch into the bow roller and if you are going to use all chain then make sure you use a snubber. South Pacific advise that you only use rope with the 700 series and I agree as they are only a light weight unit and chain puts too much strain in the innards. If you want to use all chain go the 800 series as they are all stainless inside rather than stainless and brass.

And try to avoid chain piling by making sure the rode has a nice clear drop into the well.

I went through three brass main gears in mine BUT it was thru my own stupidity not the product - every time I'd bust a cog South Pacific would send me a new one at 16 bucks a shot. In the end the tech department emailed me with some questions and they sent me out a stainless steel cog at the same price just in case . I think they thought I was a lunatic.


Anyway, good unit powerfull motor, cheap, Aussie owned - but don't abuse them.

[Fish Guts]

i dont think you can go past a muir winch.

[Essence]

Dreamdays has a early 710, its great and it pulls up 12m of chain.
Changed to a stainless gypsy, if the current is running a bit hard, drive upsteam from it to relieve the pressure and it winds in real quick. Best money ever spent.

[100]

does any one have a pic of the winch set up that they would share? can it be used to hold the anchor in the bow roller when under way?

[Spaniard_King]

Guys could some of you guys with winches post a routine of deployment and recovery of the anchor as I am thinking this may be my next addition :P

[Chimo]

Gary

Get a ring off Jimmy and a float and some 12mm silver and your set!

Cheers
Chimo

[Spaniard_King]

Gary

Get a ring off Jimmy and a float and some 12mm silver and your set!

Cheers
Chimo

Hi C himmo,

The problem is mate, non of my deckies wanna tip toe around the cabin to throw or pull the anchor as I dont have a hatch to gain access through the cabin to the anchor stowage. As mine is built for comercial use they all seem to fit anchor winches and do without the hatch. I must admit there are plkenty of plusses for not having the hatch...ie a very dry cabin;)

[shonky1]

To deploy anchor, when on the spot where I want the anchor to be I release it while in gear at idle, I keep idleing untill it hits the bottom and select neutral keeping the anchor in freefall. The momentum of the boat pulls enough rope out for a good lay. Retreive: Idle the boat in gear following the rope and retreive at the same time, when rope is vertical select neutral and keep retreiving.

I drive with it like this all the time.

12770

[Spaniard_King]

Thanks Shane,

Does the winch secure the anchor well enuff when using rope or do you have to tie off to a bollard?

[shonky1]

The only time I tie it off to the bollard is if I have to pull it from a snag or if I do an overnighter, only for piece of mind. It has never slipped yet and I have been using it for over a year.

[timddo]

Garry,

this is my setup

[100]

what is the difference between the the free fall and motor out? apart from the fact it come out quicker.. is there any difference? and do you ever have to touch it? or can be all controlled from a switch?

[rossi]

710 H is power out. you hit the switch and the rope winds out

710 F is free fall - I haven't owned one but I think that when you hit the switch the main cog disengages from the motor's worm drive and the anchor drops on its own weight.

[100]

so it is just that the anchor will drop faster? that is the reason and only benefit? any draw backs?

[timddo]

so it is just that the anchor will drop faster? that is the reason and only benefit? any draw backs?

Once it has commence dropping, you can't stop it until it hits the bottom. While the powerout you can stop it anytime. They are only $400 now. Make sure you have a swivel at the top or your anchor will not pull straight into the bow rollers.

[100]

sorry should of asked in the last post but which would people recommend? the free fall or motor out? thanks guys :)

[timddo]

sorry should of asked in the last post but which would people recommend? the free fall or motor out? thanks guys :)

Freefall and powerout at the same price now at whitworths. I would get free fall as you can use both freefall and power.

My setup cost

anchor $105
Nylone rope 100m $155
Chain 5 meters shortlink 6mm $35
10mm long d shackle $8
swivel $17

Anchor winch $399

Need to get cables for the winch $50
Probably need to weld a plate to the boat $100 ( for the anchor winch)

$869 in total cost + labour

Get this , the boat dealer told me he took 7 hours to install:o :o .

[100]

and for a glass boat? welding a plate in is not possible, so would a plate on the other side (underneath) of the fiber glass work?

and how did you join the rope to the chain? because a "D" shackle wouldnt go through would it?

[Luke G]

You might want to see a glass man 100 to get him to re-inforce the front where you will be putting in a winch, we had to do that to our's. You have to splice the rope to the chain.

Cheers

[timddo]

Luke is right. splice the rope directly too the chain. D shackle is from chain to anchor.
100 you can get a plate made up and bolted to the fibreglass. or just make it out of fibreglass.

[rubba]

mate get in touch with flatty finder he may shine some light on what youre after cheers rubba

[100]

thanks guys wont be long and ill never be man handling an anchor again woo hoo!!!

[ozscott]

I have had the 710F freefall on my Seafarer Vagabond with a Manson Plough. I have just changed from Poly to Nylon rope and I am keen to see how it goes. The Poly was fine for a year, but fluffed up at the splice between chain and rope and got slippery. I also just upgraded to the stainless steel gypsy. I reckon they are great kit, especially the free fall unit. Mine had a intermittent problem and I pulled it apart and found a brush sticking a bit in the slide - bit of 1000 grit later and she was fine and I gave it some lanotec and grease while there.

They are not (or were not and I doubt they have changed) Australian made - in fact from memory they had to issue a public notice on their website about misleading conduct about the products being australian made.

Cheers

[ozscott]

I use 5 metres of 6mm chain. They recommended that to make sure that the rode lay flat to engage the anchor. Garry my Plough goes up into an articulated (off the shelf) roller and the tension of the chain in the gypsy is enough to hold it with no problems so far (had it about 15 months). I snig it if anchoring in really rough conditions, but not otherwise. On the road I snig the chain also for safety. Its a robust little unit. It pulls the heavy anchor and rode back faster than I could do it, and you can maintain station as you do the retrieve.

Cheers

[ozscott]

just looking at the re-inforcing comment - the old girl (vagabond) had (when I cut out the holes with the hole saw) about an inch and a quater of glass and wood (a lot of glass in that 'core sample'). I didnt reinforce it - I did however use oversize washers to spead the load. I did re-inforce the bollard however just to be on the safe side.

Cheers

[ozscott]

Muirs are great, but I didnt have that type of dosh to spend on a winch...a mate of mine has a 710F thats a few years old now and she still runs well. One thing..when fitting run nice thick diamater wire to ensure the least amount of current drop to the thing...makes a big difference; mine is more grunty than my mates and I reckon its the diameter difference...size does count.

[Timfishin4fun]

What protection do you need for the front of the boat?
Does the anchor knock into it as I don't want my fibreglass stuffed?

Tim

[mikeyh]

Hey Garry (Spaniard K),
in terms of deployment just wanted to add to Shonky's reply...unless I am on a very grippy bottom and staying a short time, I ALWAYS reverse as I let anchor down (or if freefall) once anchor hits bottom....this ensures anchor is well set. To retrieve just use reverse procedure....into forward gear until over anchor , then neutral and hoist away. I have been caught at 3am when 30kn SW gale came up and anchor pulled which was pretty scary :( ...got motor started about 2 seconds before smashing into large sailboat anchored overnight. If ever staying overnight or leaving the boat I also always secure chain with carabiner and hook..
cheers, Mike

[mikeyh]

Hey Tim,
when you are travelling anchor should be tight against bollard or end roller - if it cant move it wont do any damage - however conversely if it bounces up and down it will be like a sledgehammer.

[ozscott]

Mine misses the glass the same way MiikeyH. I will post a pic.

Cheers