1988 300DA Windlass Install

[rickyp52]

Hi All...Currently don't have a windlass. Want to install one. Help. Pictures would be great. Where do I mount everything. Do I have to get rid of my teak bow pulpit? What do I do with the anchor locker? By the way, I did search the forums but didn't find the info I needed. Thanks.

 

[annie]

Hi All...Currently don't have a windlass. Want to install one. Help. Pictures would be great. Where do I mount everything. Do I have to get rid of my teak bow pulpit? What do I do with the anchor locker? By the way, I did search the forums but didn't find the info I needed. Thanks.

Hey Ricky, I recently added a windlass to my boat. Made up a 6mm aluminium plate the same size as the old locker hatch to mount the windlass on. Added another 6mm plate as a doubler and then sealed and screwed (x40) the plate to the top deck. My winch will pull at 600kgs so it had to be strong.
The main advantage of a windlass is hands free anchoring so make sure your bowsprit / anchor combination will auto deploy. Down here there are quite a few anchor manufacturers that make bowsprits to fit their anchors.
Dont forget that the cable requirements for a decent windlass are quite big ......50-80 amps for example. thats starter type cable x2 x25 feet......gets rather expensive.
Hope this helps.

 

[Big Island Lifer]

I am looking to add a windlass to my boat in the near future. My hope was to utilize my existing teak pulpit and use a through pulpit design by cutting out the middle of the pulpit for the anchor roller and mounting an above deck windlass on top of the anchor locker hatch while reinforcing the hatch from below. I too would like to se if anyone else has done this kind of retro fit. If so please post pics of your work.

Thanks
Darren

 

[andyr]

A drop through anchor deploys more reliably so you are doing a good thing. The original anchor pulpit doesn't extend far enough beyond the bow for the drop slot to be cut into the pulpit. And a danforth anchor horizontal under the pulpit would hit the bow. I installed a longer anchor pulpit. Without it, the anchor would hit as the photo shows. I got mine from Butler Marine. It is stronger than the original and fit perfectly. They have done many for 300 Sundancers. I also replaced 3/16 bolts holding the pulpit with larger diameter ones. I installed a Good windlass. Pleased with it.

 

[Iprof]

Here you are step by step instructions with pictures. If you have any questions ask away.

http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19546&highlight=windlass+install+300

Ken

 

[rickyp52]

Thanks so much. The info provided is awsome. Looks like something I could do without too much difficulty.

Got a few more questions. Is a remote control a good investment? Or is a simple switch at the helm adequate? Do I need a foot switch on the bow? Will it still be necessary to send someone out on the bow when deploying/retrieving the anchor? Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[CAGE RATTLER]

I am looking to add a windlass to my boat in the near future. My hope was to utilize my existing teak pulpit and use a through pulpit design by cutting out the middle of the pulpit for the anchor roller and mounting an above deck windlass on top of the anchor locker hatch while reinforcing the hatch from below. I too would like to se if anyone else has done this kind of retro fit. If so please post pics of your work.

Thanks
Darren

Let me know when you do yours please since we have the same boat.
I Planned to add one this season but not sure i'll have the funds this year. Just bought a new truck that will tow my AJ so some mods i planned on doing this season may have to wait. I had thought about replacing my teak pulpit with a fiberglass one that would cover the hatch area. Our pulpits are so short, I'm afraid they wount hold up well. Ive seen some pretty good priced fiberglass pulpits on ebay for reasonable prices. If theres a tangle in the anchor locker, can always get to it from the cabin.

 

[MonacoMike]

Thanks so much. The info provided is awsome. Looks like something I could do without too much difficulty.

Got a few more questions. Is a remote control a good investment? Or is a simple switch at the helm adequate? Do I need a foot switch on the bow? Will it still be necessary to send someone out on the bow when deploying/retrieving the anchor? Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I have not regretted the effort to install foot switches at the bow they are very useful. I will post a link later to the thread I posted about my install on my 270.

 

[Big Island Lifer]

Let me know when you do yours please since we have the same boat.
I Planned to add one this season but not sure i'll have the funds this year. Just bought a new truck that will tow my AJ so some mods i planned on doing this season may have to wait. I had thought about replacing my teak pulpit with a fiberglass one that would cover the hatch area. Our pulpits are so short, I'm afraid they wount hold up well. Ive seen some pretty good priced fiberglass pulpits on ebay for reasonable prices. If theres a tangle in the anchor locker, can always get to it from the cabin.

I am in the same boat. With my marriage and buying out my boat partner I am also hoping to get this done. I have been trying to think of the most economical way to install a windlass. I was hoping to keep my original pulpit. Not using it will delay my project. I was hoping to find someone who has retrofitted their factory pulpit.

 

[Iprof]

If you get the right anchor you don't need to go to the pulpit. The foot switches at the pulpit would be a great addition to the install. When we anchor out the chain brings up a lot of clay or mud depending on where we are. Being able to put the anchor up or down and see what is happening would be nice. I have never had the chain tangle on my 300 yet, maybe it can happen but so far it hasn't.

Ken

 

[andyr]

I anchor a lot and often alone. I don't have foot switches and don't miss them. When the anchor is coming up, the engines should be running. If the engines are running, I'm at the helm. Sometimes you bump the throttle a little to take the strain off the windlass. When it breaks free in a wind or current, you want to be at the helm. If you have a mate, then they could use the foot switch although I'm leery of having someone next to a moving line. Once in a great while, when the line is kinked at the windless, I might have appreciated a foot switch but that is it.

You will have to run a pair of battery size cables from the engine room to a circuit breaker and to the bow and wires from the bow to the helm. Running those thick wires behind stuff along the port wall is a bit of a job. I'll give the the routing when you start.

 

[Pack66Dad]

You will have to run a pair of battery size cables from the engine room to a circuit breaker and to the bow and wires from the bow to the helm. Running those thick wires behind stuff along the port wall is a bit of a job. I'll give the the routing when you start.

I would really appreciate any ideas you have on routing the wires and installation in general. I have all the base items (windlass, switch and solenoid). I need to figure out the routing, where to put the solenoid, what type of inline breaker/fuse to use and what gauge wire to use. The windlass manufacturer says I can use 6 AWG wire for up to 24 feet then they recommend 2 AWG wire for 24-50 feet. I don't think its 24' from my batteries to the windlass but it might be close with extra cable used to route. I was wondering if I could just get 4 AWG wire in case its like 25-30' or should I get the 2 AWG wire (at double the cost and size)?

 

[andyr]

Wire: Use Ancor 6 awg marine duplex wire. This is two cables in a flat sheath about 1"x 3/8". Makes it easier to route and provides extra chafing protection. The distance from the battery to the anchor locker is less than 24 ft.

Routing: Sea Ray left holes for you. If you have to drill, you are not routing it the right way. Below the battery switches, level with the battery shelf there is a hole with wires going into the center of the aft cabin above the small bilge pump. Run through there and seal well to prevent CO entry. Route to port through the holes in the storage area under the port aft cabin cushion. Use plastic wire protector going through holes. Then to port and up along the aft side of the bulkhead in the sliding door compartment left of the cabin entry. Then up the bulkhead, outboard and past the bulkhead into the hanging locker behind the panel in the hanging locker. When you remove the panel, you will see a recess. This recess runs behind the ac panel and behind the bulkheads in the dinette cabinets. I slid a few feet of plastic channel behind ing the cabinets between the bulkheads and hull and behind the ac panel all the way into the hanging locker. That makes it easy to slide the wires without removing the ac panel. Provides extra protection too. Plastic channel is about 1/4" x 1" x 1/4" from big box store. It hides the wires as they run along the back of the cabinets. Remove the long panel in the forward berth and run the wires in the recess behind it. Screws are behind the buttons. Continue into the compartment at the head of the berth up over the top of the small bulkhead into the anchor locker. The top of the small bulkhead is a potential leak area. Fill it with Great Stuff spray insulation.

 

[Pack66Dad]

Wire: Use Ancor 6 awg marine duplex wire. This is two cables in a flat sheath about 1"x 3/8". Makes it easier to route and provides extra chafing protection. The distance from the battery to the anchor locker is less than 24 ft.

Routing: Sea Ray left holes for you. If you have to drill, you are not routing it the right way. Below the battery switches, level with the battery shelf there is a hole with wires going into the center of the aft cabin above the small bilge pump. Run through there and seal well to prevent CO entry. Route to port through the holes in the storage area under the port aft cabin cushion. Use plastic wire protector going through holes. Then to port and up along the aft side of the bulkhead in the sliding door compartment left of the cabin entry. Then up the bulkhead, outboard and past the bulkhead into the hanging locker behind the panel in the hanging locker. When you remove the panel, you will see a recess. This recess runs behind the ac panel and behind the bulkheads in the dinette cabinets. I slid a few feet of plastic channel behind ing the cabinets between the bulkheads and hull and behind the ac panel all the way into the hanging locker. That makes it easy to slide the wires without removing the ac panel. Provides extra protection too. Plastic channel is about 1/4" x 1" x 1/4" from big box store. It hides the wires as they run along the back of the cabinets. Remove the long panel in the forward berth and run the wires in the recess behind it. Screws are behind the buttons. Continue into the compartment at the head of the berth up over the top of the small bulkhead into the anchor locker. The top of the small bulkhead is a potential leak area. Fill it with Great Stuff spray insulation.

Thank you so much. I was really starting to worry about doing this. With the information you provided I think its do-able. :thumbsup: