Tidbit: Anchor retrieval when the windlass fails...

This is one of a series of brief, no nonsense posts that we call a Tidbit:

noun; small and [possibly] particularly interesting items of gossip or information...

The purpose is to share succinct posts about lessons learned, or things we use or do that work [or don't...] that are common to most of us boaters. 

The goal is to garner feedback from those of you having first-hand experience with a better approach/ solution/ product...  

We never assume what we are sharing is the ideal or only; it just seems to best suit our needs [and/or habits and/or budget] from our experiences thus far...

Sometimes these Tidbits originate from a topic of discussion on one of the forums we participate in, and this happens to be one: Link to original post [6-Jan-2019]

Since we are asked this question often, it made sense to post a more detailed response.

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Scenario: You are at anchor and it is time to go, but your windlass won't cooperate.
What are your contingency plans?

We have three:

• Retrieve the groundtackle without using the windlass
• Hand-over-hand
• Line to winch
• Use one of the manual modes on the windlass
• Abandon the groundtackle and plan [hope] to retrieve it later

I'll start out mentioning that manual retrieval [hand-over-hand] is not likely [in our case...] unless we are in very shallow water— which is rare to never...  

Why not? Our primary bower is a 99 lb. Spade anchor on 5/16 in. G43 chain @ 1.1 lb/ft; We typically anchor in 40-90 ft., leaning toward the deeper side of that spectrum.] 

The dead lift over the bow roller in ~40 ft of water is in the neighborhood of 150 lbs., and approaching 200 lbs. in 90 ft of water... [Here is our complete ground tackly inventory for reference.] That is way too much for me to haul in [but Donna may wish to give it a go...] and not very safe for even a 'deck ape'; especially in sporty conditions...

What about using the windlass in manual mode? 

Our windlass has two manual [i.e., no electric motor] options [all use standard winch handles] for cranking in the groundtackle: 

• There is a winch handle socket on each end of the axle supporting a chain gypsy
• On top there is a 'kedging' socket that spins the same shaft the motor does, yielding over 10,000 lbs of pull with 30 lbs of force on a 12 in winch handle [30 ft-lbs] ... but the kedging socket is of course the slow option... 

LightHouse 1501 windlass

I have tested our Milwaukee drill assembly on a gypsy axle socket to test this scenario, and it works great. The battery easily lasted completely retrieving 360 ft. of chain from a depth of 70 ft. [We have 2 batteries...]

It retrieves at about the same speed as the windlass motor [~33 ft/min] but without the benefit of any gearing in the windlass- so all torque is supplied by the drill motor... 

Complete Cranker

The drill motor works well in the kedging socket also, but that is geared way down so it is not for quick retrieval, but will free an anchor if needed- or pull with great force [10k+ lbs] in a kedging action...


What if the windlass doesn't work in manual mode?

Driving the windlass using one if it's winch sockets will work if it is an electrical failure, but not for certain mechanical failures. [e.g., a bearing seized, the gears striped, etc; not likely, but possible...]

In that case, we would use a line with a chain hook to the anchor chain [or a rolling hitch] to a winch to retrieve the groundtackle in ~25 foot increments.

What about an emergency ditch and run scenario?

In an emergency situation where we wouldn't have time to retrieve the groundtackle, the plan is to let the rest of the rode out by opening the clutch on the windlass and letting it rapidly gravity deploy. 

The end of the rode is attached to the boat with ~8 ft. of 3/4 in. line. This leaves about 2 ft. of chain on deck from the bow roller. 

Our game plan is to secure several of our large round orange fenders to one end of a 100 ft. length of leaded crab trap line. [Leaded line sinks, so that helps reduce the chances of fouling the prop...]  

The other end of that line would be fair led and secured to that last bit of chain on deck, then that line and the floats would be tossed into the water.  

The purpose of using 100 ft. of leaded line is so the floats don't have to buoy the weight of the chain in deep water...

To finally free the boat, we would lastly cut the line attaching the chain to the boat. [Hence the expression cut and run...]

Please share your recommendations if they are different from what we have planned...