[TowerTalk] Windlass suggestions needed

[Jerry Muller]

Two words: Sailboat winch. I have two from my old boat. Lewmar 30. Not cheap
but they work great.

73, Jerry K0TV

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Lux" <jimlux at earthlink.net>
To: "Tom Rauch" <w8ji at contesting.com>; <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 4:19 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Windlass suggestions needed


> >
> > 2.) I intend to fabricate a dual rope-guide out of de-burred
> > and polished pipe welded to the mounting plate to prevent
> > the rope from slipping off the capstan.
>
> All the capstans I've seen (on boats and service vehicles) didn't have any
> sort of rope guides around them.  Just the capstan sticking out there.
> Maybe there's a tangle/jam hazard? If you want to rapidly let the rope go
> out, and you flip it off the top of the capstan, you want it to run free,
> and not get hung up?  (I just thought of one exception to the "no
guides"..
> the anchor line/chain  comes up through a hawse pipe or through some
guides.
> And, yes, they jam, when being let out, especially on the chain part (the
> "rode"?), if the links get crossways or twisted.)
>
> Maybe there's something about (inadvertently) having something controlling
> the angle the haul line makes with the capstan (the guide acting as a
pulley
> to redirect the line?))
>
>
> >
> > 3.) It will have a safety type footswitch
>
> Water? Uneven ground? etc. Are you going to be in a rocky area where the
> switch could fall down in between rocks and jam "on".  What about tangling
> with the end of the rope coming off the capstan?
>
>
> >
> > 4.) I sized  the winch so it will lift at about 85ft/min
> > maximum and will stall at just over 500 pounds. My thinking
> > was the stall capacity of the winch needs to be the weakest
> > link so I can't break anything, including the rope.
> >
> > 5.) I plan on welding a large clevis to the mounting plate
> > so the rope can be held in place if needed, without ever
> > removing it from the capstan.
>
> Clevis or cleat?
>
> What about one of those nice cleats like they use on sail boats?  You can
> just lay the rope into the cleat, and it grabs (sort of the marine
> equivalent of a Jumar ascender).  They hold well, and you can just jerk up
> on the rope to uncleat it.
>
>
> >
> > This way any workers won't under the tower, the rope won't
> > slip off, and it won't be a shock hazard (12 volt).
>
> I think the "rope not slipping off" is the responsibility of the operator.
> Otherwise, why not just use a winch?
>
> >
> > Anyone ever do this? Anyone see a problem?
>
> You might take a look at some of the sailing magazines.  They'll have
> pictures of how the rigging works, particularly for things like the jib
> sheets, where you have to run them in and out fairly quickly, cleat them,
> etc. you'll have to look through all those beauty shots of the wretchedly
> expensive (either time, money, or both) boats and look in the corners or
> backgrounds of the photos.  Marine supply catalogs might also be a useful
> resource.
>
> There are sailors on this list who might have a whole raft of sites to
point
> you at to see how someone else has solved the problem.
>
> >
> > 73 Tom
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
> Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with
any
> questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
> _______________________________________________
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