Windlass Anchor Line

W

William Miller

Member
Mar 16, 2007
327
Darnestown, Maryland
Boat Info
290 AJ
Engines
Twin Mercruiser 300 hp Bravo III
The anchor line provided with my AJ290 jambs up when going down the hole to the locker.

The line is a 3 strand twisted line (not braded) does this have something to do with it?

Why have a dash mounted winlass control if I have to go up front every time I haul the anchor.

Operator error or is there something I can do to fix the problem?
Thanks for any help out there!
 
Windlasses do ok at pulling, but are horrible at pushing the anchor line. The line must have some fall inside the anchor locker in order for the windlass to take it up since it cannot push it out of the way. All 290AJ's have a reasonable shallow anchor locker. If you anchor in deep water, the line piles up right under the hawes pipe or hole in the deck and the windlass stalls. You have a couple of options........first, after you anchor next time, that determines your usual amount of line remaining in the locker, so use your hands and just push any remaining to the rear of the locker and away from the hole under the windlass. Then when you retrieve the line the next time, go to the anchor locker and observe the line as a helper retrieves it. If you have let out enough for it to stack up enough to impede the line as it comes in, them push the line to the rear of the locker and see if that helps.

Your boat is about a year old and I doubt you have a mechanical problem with the windlass, but it is possible. The finger must have the proper spring tension and its mounting stud cannot be bent, If the finger will not hold the line against the spool or if the stud is holding it at any angle other than perpendicular to the spsool, then you need to check those parts.

Most anchor lines are 3 strand nylon twist and some windlasses are quite picky about how well they handle what types of line. Do not change line types without talking to someone at the windlass manufacturer about line type for your equipment.

Finally, the way Sea Ray loads the anchor line in the locker can cause it to twist. Repeated use can also lay a twist in the line as it is taken up. If the line wants to kink as it comes in or goes out, then the fix is to remove the line from the anchor and secure the anchor to one of your forward cleats and let all the line out as you sslowly back the boat up in a straight line. Be sure you do this in open water away from crowds and traffic. As you back up, the line will corkscrew in the water and untwist itself. When it stops rotating, then take it all back up and re-attach the anchor.

Hope that gets you closer to a solution.
 
Thanks, it seems like it could be one or both of the issues you mentioned. The kink (loose twist) usually occurs in the same place which is a few feet from the beginning of the chain which means the line in the locker is near the top.

I guess its sort of like a long telephone cord that gets kinked.

I wonder if the anchor spins in one direction as its comming up thru the water.

I'll try your tips next time I'm out.
Glad I shouldn't have to buy new line too.
Thanks!
 
Kinky Lines

Franks has you on the right fix and I'm sure his advise is the Rx.

One thing that might help in de kinking the line is on a calm day go into deep water and come to a dead stop. Pay out the anchor line completely. Let it hang stright down from the bow and let it hang for a few minutes. Then bring it in with the windless say 25-30 feet at a time while observing how the rope flakes in the locker. Shove the first 30 feet back deep in to the back and sides of the locker. Bring in the next 30 feet and so on.

The line should be kink free, the locker will be properly stowed and you'll know how your equipment works, if you have any bad sections of line and when your gear will need manual intervention on take up.
 
If you decide to replace the rode, let me know. I can gove you a contact at IMTRA the manufacturer of the OEM Sea Ray rodes. They sell to Sea Ray owners at cost. The OEM 340 rode (200ft. plus 20 ft of chain) was $165 plus 25 shiping for me.
 
Frank and Chad... thanks for the advice. I am having the same issues as William with my windlass, mainly due to the rode twisting. I will try these remedies.
 
Tim,

Go to Still Pond and anchor with a "lunch hook". Put your "real" anchor in your dink and take the dink for a ride while paying out all the anchor line. Disconnect the chain (keeping it and the anchor in the dink) and slowly reel back in the anchor line. This should remove the kinks and take the line back to its original twist pattern. Once the line is back on Festivus, reattach the anchor chain and continue to rewind into the anchor locker. Viola.......
 
A swivel at the point where the rode attaches to the anchor eliminates a lot of the kinking issues. We've not done a thing to our anchor rode in three years and it gets alot of use. So far it has been problem free.
 
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