Author Topic: Retro fitting Windllass Bav 37 Cruiser complete novice needs help  (Read 7387 times)

Roissy

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  • Boat Model: Bavaria 37
  • Boat Year: 2005
Apologies again for asking but I really need some help and advice from you guys.

Most will know that Bavaria in their wisdom cut the support shelf down to 10cms if windlass not ordered when new, nor did they seal or glass the front edge of the shelf leaving the ply exposed to rot away.

Options are a steel plate or re-glassed shelf. Anyone with experience of this and contacts for work would be greatly appreciated. Any pictures would also be a great help.

Boat is in Port Solent.

Choice of windlass appears to be Horizontal only given the available space.

Quick Genious SP 2000 800w and Lewmar Pro Series 1000 700w seem to be the popular options which will fit easily under the locker lid although it looks as though the angle of chain will be nowhere near the recommended 90 degrees or less to prevent slipping.

Ideas and suggestions greatly received

Lofrans Cayman has lots of support on the forum but is 230mm high and will not fit under the locker lid. Has anyone fitted this model and overcome the problem?

Thanks again for any help or suggestions

Regards

David

Symphony

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Can't help with recommendations for bonding in a new shelf, although it is not difficult for an experienced shipwright. The Cayman is a far superior windlass to the others, provided you take steps to mount it so that the bottom does not corrode, and remove all the fastenings then coat with Duralec before replacing.

As you say the Cayman is too deep to fit with the shelf at the standard level, but it may be possible to fit a shelf lower down - the constraint being whether there is enough drop for the chain.

if you are limited to the Lewmar then get the 1000W version as the 700 is too weedy, and even the 1000 (I have one on my 33) does not seem as powerful as the Cayman which I had on my old 37 (2001). Good deals currently for the Cayman as well, under £900 from Marinescene.

Lazy Pelican

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I've recently replaced my Lewmar 1000 winch, with a Lofrans Cayman, on our B39 2006. No need to modify the anchor locker. I did measure very carefully before I went ahead & there's about 1.5cm clearance to the lid.
Lewmar windlass is just not strong enough if you anchor regularly.

Impavidus

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David. Hi.
If the moulding has been cut away there may be the possibility of retro fitting a windlass to the forward bulkhead (given that it may need additional reinforcement). As the 32's and 34's of the same era.
Many of these boats came standard without a windlass and were retro fitted in the UK by Clippers predecessors, to the customers orders.

This is a much simpler solution and can be done by a "novice" given some help and information. 

You will need to make room for a dedicated battery under the forward berth. Also the changeover switch, relay, power cables and charge cables back to a splitter diode or charge switch.
Again a relatively simple job you could do. 

You could power the windless from the domestic batteries, many people do but, this does have a disadvantage. If you pull the anchor in the morning or after a prolonged period at anchor when your batteries are low you can put an excessive load on an already low battery bank, even with the engine running.

Although the windless (should) never take the full load of the vessel at anchor (this should be taken by a snubbing line and chain hook fitted with rubber line snubber's), the mounting point must be sufficient to take the loads likely to be imposed when lifting the anchor + a safety factor of say 50-75%.

Additional strength could be gained by glassing in Marine ply in two sections to the existing bulkhead and hull and then fitting an aluminium plate on the inside of the inner bulkhead. You can hide this behind a picture TV or even a mirror if your  :o

I have used this method on two 32's and a 34 one of which was my own boat. It was successful and worked well. Never cracked, creaked or gave cause for concern.

Hope this is of help.

Best regards.
Ant 

   

 
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willfinch36

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In the same boat as the OP.

Any pictures would be appreciated!

Ricd

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Hi

Beginning of last year I retrofitted a windlass to my 2000 B34.  Basically there was nothing other than the anchor locker under the locker lid, just the locker.  Had a small SS (6mm) platform made which bridged the opening at aft end of the locker opening and was bolted up through the deck moulding below the lid - there was a flat triabgular section of deck moulding either side of the anchor locker  under the lid.  The windlass template holes were pre-drilled (I think punched out) by the engineering shop that made the platform.  The platform immediately under the lid together with the under cavity depth of the lid was perfect to receive a Lofrans X1 series  low profile windlass and for the lid to close covering the lot  It fitted perfectly, presented a chain angle to bow roller of less than 5 degs as specified by Lofrans and looks really neat (one piece of SS bolted underside/through deck with max chain drop to locker and optimum chain bow roller angle).  Am down on boat all next week so will take some pics and post them.  Wired windlass to domestic battery back and all has worked perfectly.  Obviously once deployed I snub the chain to the deck cleats so that the windlass is never left holding the boat load and is only under load when retrieving the chain/anchor.

cheers

Ricd

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Hi
Attached is photo of retrofitted SS platform.

Roissy

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Thanks for all your suggestions and comments. Have found a guy in Southsea who is doing a great job moulding in a new shelf with bonded hardwood platform to raise the windlass to ensure the correct angle and as Ant suggested a stainless plate beneath the new shelf angled to the bulkhead  for additional support.

Regards

David

Craig

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I like the idea of the raised platform for the windlass to sit on. It should lessen the amount of water that the Windlass sits in.

I recently replaced my Quick windlass on my 2010 Bav 38 as the aluminium casing corroded around where the chain stripper is screwed in. Water will pool in front of the windlass if standard factory installed. This applies on my model Bavaria and possibly to other Bavaria models as well.

The photo is not quite clear but it appears that the shelf the windlass will sit on is supported at the aft end only. The shelf on my model is joined at the sides as well. Not sure if this is an issue for you.

Craig
"Shirley Valentine"
Gold Coast
Australia

Krill

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Thanks for all your suggestions and comments. Have found a guy in Southsea who is doing a great job moulding in a new shelf with bonded hardwood platform to raise the windlass to ensure the correct angle and as Ant suggested a stainless plate beneath the new shelf angled to the bulkhead  for additional support.

Regards

David

can you please give me the guys details I am looking for a windlass installed on a 30

thanks

Roissy

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Hi Craig, yes there will be supports forwards when completed. Will post photos when finished.

Kenneth it is JWS Marine Sevices in Southsea at the Premier Marina site. Call John Shaw 02392 755155 he is completing a Med spec fit for me and doing a great job

Regards

David

s/e Èternitè

Krill

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thanks very much!!

ill give him a call later