Berthing Stern To

[stevem]

Berthing stern to can be more than a Bit difficult if you are single handed.
This is my first season in the Ionian and usual practice is to drop anchor and reverse back to the quayside. one way is to slacken the chain gypsy and let the chain just run buy it can get a bit out of control.

Looking in the control panel I saw that there are tree small terminals to control the up and down relays. I bought a three postion toggle switch that returns to the central off position when released. I mounted this on the steering pedestal and run 2.5 mm three core cable back to the control panel using piggyback spade terminals I fitted them to the three relay terminals.
It did not work initially. I thought the centre terminal was the common neutral. it is not.
There is an adjacent terminal block where a live (+ve) can be found I took a feed from this and connected to the central terminal and it worked.

IT ISVERY IMPORTANT TO ISOLATE ALL MAINS AND BATTERY SUPPLIES BEFORE YOU BEGIN AND ALSO TO HAVE THE ANCHOR CHAIN SLACK IN CASE YOU HAVE THE WIRES REVERSED.

less than 5 euros for the switch and terminals and the cost of about fifteen metres of cable .

It's taken the pain out of stern to mooring.

[Ziffius]

Was wondering about having remote anchor control at helm of my Bav 39, not on boat at mo so can't see the control panel? Mine has a plug next to windlass with a hand held remote that you plug in to operate, is that the control panel you refer to?

[Lazy Pelican]

I faced a similar problem & bought a Winch Remote Control on EBay for about £20. They're sold for 4WD/ Agricultural winches but work perfectly well on a boat. Comes with 2 hand controllers, which aren't waterproof but have served me well. Wire the relay supplied to your windlass contactor, which on my B39 is behind the control panel. You can then operate the windlass from anywhere on the boat.
Lexmark sell a similar set of kit for about £200!

John

[stevem]

The control panel by the chart table. open the panel where the switches are and you will see the windlass contactor towards the right. to get acess you will need to reach in to the right and undo four wing nuts. make sure all power is off!!!

If you read my first message there is a mod that has to be done. I found that the switch always had a live suppl to it even when the anchor winch switch was off. The answer is to take a feed off the anchor switch on sde not normally live.

It really makes life a lot easier.

[Rampage]

I fitted a wireless remote from EBay about three years ago when the wired controller died.  Wouldn't be without it now.  No more trailing wires, easy to adjust the anchor tension when moored stern to from wherever you happen to be.....  I keep,the remote in an old waterproof bag designed for a mobile phone from the days when they were the size and shape of housebricks - a use for it at last after all these years!

[MarkTheBike]

Hi Rampage

It's been a while since your post but if you get this, can you post make/model details of the wireless unit that you got from Ebay? Possibly superseded now but sounds like just the job for me...

Regards

ATB

Mark

[nornie lees]

I fitted a (Quick) waterproof momentary 3 position toggle switch made for the purpose from Force4 part number 840737 page 110 new catalogue 14. drilled hole in binnacle and fitted. It comes with rather nice plastic back plate showing switch positions etc .

I fitted mine stb side just above throttle/gear so i can adjust chain lay-out and hull speed accordingly whilst still being able to helm. Its an easy job to do once you get the cable from control unit back to binnacle. I used a length 3 core rubber cable, same as your shore mains cable, in fact that is what it was before! i just shortened it .

looks good.

Ray