Anchor Windlass Capstan Problem

Ron Welebny

Ron Welebny

Member
Apr 26, 2021
35
Cape Coral, Florida
Boat Info
1997 Sundancer 270
Engines
454 Mercruiser w/ Bravo
270 SunDancer 97 model year. First use of Lofrans Marlin Rope Chain windlass. Pays out and retrieves chain properly Pays out Rope OK, but will not retrieve. Grips slightly then slips with no rope retrieved. The gypsy appears in good condition but a spring activated snubber (?) does nothing (see photo). Spring under snubber has resistance, but the neutral position is as seen in the photo. Something is 'out-of-whack.'

Suggestions?

I am going to cut off the last 8 links, and cut the rope maybe 8 inches. I shall re-splice as to get rid of corrosion and degradation (I do know how to splice).
20210919_144731.jpg
 
Ron Welebny said:
270 SunDancer 97 model year. First use of Lofrans Marlin Rope Chain windlass. Pays out and retrieves chain properly Pays out Rope OK, but will not retrieve. Grips slightly then slips with no rope retrieved. The gypsy appears in good condition but a spring activated snubber (?) does nothing (see photo). Spring under snubber has resistance, but the neutral position is as seen in the photo. Something is 'out-of-whack.'

Suggestions?

I am going to cut off the last 8 links, and cut the rope maybe 8 inches. I shall re-splice as to get rid of corrosion and degradation (I do know how to splice).View attachment 112437
Click to expand...
I don't know how much rope you have but if you are going to reuse it might be a good idea to reverse the rope and splice the chain to the other end. I did this on my last boat with 250' of line and the bottom half probably never left got deployed.
 
The fingers is a known headache, but yours appears frozen, it should ride on the nylon to hold it in the bottom of the wildcat.
 

Attachments

  • lofrans-progress-1-manual.pdf
    579.5 KB · Views: 237
Tripsdad said:
I don't know how much rope you have but if you are going to reuse it might be a good idea to reverse the rope and splice the chain to the other end. I did this on my last boat with 250' of line and the bottom half probably never left got deployed.
Click to expand...
Hugsespat57, Thanks for the good tip. I shall do precisely that...
 
hughespat57 said:
The fingers is a known headache, but yours appears frozen, it should ride on the nylon to hold it in the bottom of the wildcat.
Click to expand...
Previous comment meant for Tripsdad..
Re: the 'frozen' possibility. I have discovered that failure of the pressure finger is a common problem. In this case it appears that someone fabricated a sort-of replacement that did not work. No one seems to be manufacturing a replacement, OEM or otherwise. I remain stumped. The stud (post) nut, washer and spring are available, but not the finger. The gypsy simply will not grab rope absent pressure from the finger. I shall take the thing apart and re-ponder...
 
Tripsdad said:
I don't know how much rope you have but if you are going to reuse it might be a good idea to reverse the rope and splice the chain to the other end. I did this on my last boat with 250' of line and the bottom half probably never left got deployed.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the good tip. I shall do precisely that...
 
https://www.p2marine.com/pressure-finger-kit -for-lofrans-progress-1 kit

https://www.imtra.com/products/product-search?quickSearch=progress+1 individual parts

And reach out to @Dixon Precision here on ClubSeaRay he was fabricating the fingers

"Please note that I no longer supply any hardware with the fingers. You can buy an M8 x 40 mm long flange head screw or bolt and washer but I highly recommend using the original hardware which is all available at p2marine.com"

Best regards,
Michael Dixon
Dixon Precision Ent.
Dixonprecision@gmail.com
 
hughespat57 said:
https://www.p2marine.com/pressure-finger-kit -for-lofrans-progress-1 kit

https://www.imtra.com/products/product-search?quickSearch=progress+1 individual parts

And reach out to @Dixon Precision here on ClubSeaRay he was fabricating the fingers

"Please note that I no longer supply any hardware with the fingers. You can buy an M8 x 40 mm long flange head screw or bolt and washer but I highly recommend using the original hardware which is all available at p2marine.com"

Best regards,
Michael Dixon
Dixon Precision Ent.
Dixonprecision@gmail.com
Click to expand...

Just this. I recently had a weak spring. Cleaned the finger. Replaced spring and it is good to go. I bought a replacement finger, stud, spring and hardware from the above source to have as a spare.

Unlike you I did not know how to splice and I had made the chain rope splice too tight and it would not feed. I remade the splice looser at the chain and it feeds like a champ.
 
Thanks to all for the really helpful comments. More digging and a post from here yielded "Dixon Precision - dixonprecision@gmail.com" as a source for newly manufactured 8 mm (long) and 9 mm (stubby) pressure fingers. The 8mm is for the older Lofrans Marlin that I am refurbishing. The attendant hardware is available from P2 Marine. I had contacted Lofrans, and they were most agreeable. They sent the (PDF) parts manual for the Marlin, and the operator's guide for their X-1 which replaces the Marlin.. "close enough for government work," as they say. I have high hopes, let's see what Saturday yields. I'm thinking the thing has been used but ignored since factory installation some 24 years ago. I may just put it on the bench, disassemble completely and see then if I can clean and lube everything and successfully put "Humpty" together again. mmmmm.......
 
At least five main parts are present in windless anchor systems, including a hawsepipe, winch, pawl bar, chain wheel drum, and dog clutch. A useful guideline to keep in mind To determine how much anchor chain you'll need for my windlass, multiply the water depth at the anchoring point by 3.3 feet to get eight meters, or 26.25 feet, of chain. We'll get 7.95 feet (or eight feet) of anchor chain for every foot of water depth if we convert it to feet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,177
Messages
1,427,979
Members
61,086
Latest member
MrWebster
Back
Top