# Lewmar Lofrans Maxwell -Oh My -What Windlass to Buy



## CheckedOutRob (Nov 3, 2012)

Need help determining which windlass to buy. Is there a winch I need to avoid? Is there a winch that is a great deal and good quality? Not much info on the net on windlass reviews. Anyone see a review of current offerings? Seems there is a lot of very new product.

My 30 year old windlass (Simpson Lawrence) did not survive the removal process. Boat -36,000 lb. (unloaded) 81 Norseman 447 (45 ft.). Will be on several year extended sail. Specs needed are vertical windlass with capstan for rope. 

Market seems plastered with many offerings from each vendor esp. Lewmar with many models overlapping. 

I’ve done my homework. Chain is shot too so replacing with 300 feet 3/8 G4. Likely will hook to 88 lb. Spade with my current 66 lb. Bruce as backup. That means all-out weight of my gear will be appx. 550 lbs. I believe I should get a working load of appx. 800-1,000 lbs and max pull of near 2,000 lbs. or so.

I am a solo sailor. It would be very nice to have ‘power down’ option but I can deal without. Whatever windlass I end up with I will invent or buy a remote. People point and laugh “look at that guy running on his deck”….

My current choices are Lofrans, Maxwell, Lewmar, Quick.

I am just baffled by the current market of windlasses. Would love to hear the “current collective wisdom” of what is good and bad. There has to be a standout that is not a fortune. Help much appreciated!


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

here here

Id love to get a manual one down here...or make one

im all ears!


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## CheckedOutRob (Nov 3, 2012)

I have no idea ...... 

(Maybe not but the abuse was uncalled for ..... edit by tdw.)


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## Gladrags1 (Apr 9, 2003)

I have the Maxwell vertical windlass on my deck that operates with 2 foot buttons for up and down travel. We love the windlass which has given us great service for many years. Mandolin weighs in at 18,500# so we are 1/2 your weight but that doesn't matter as long as you buy one that is properly sized for your boat and needs. I would make a good case for the windlass having a power down setting as you are otherwise chancing injury in rough conditions with gear running out fast and furious. Power down keeps things under control and your hands off the chain. 

I can't report on what to avoid or other products but having a review of a product that works well over at least a 10 year period can be valuable. 

Good luck in your search. 

Tod


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## Gladrags1 (Apr 9, 2003)

CheckedOutRob said:


> I have no idea what your useless post means. That is bizarre.


Then perhaps you should ask questions rather than make offensive statements. Just saying.


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

and one more to the ignore list...good heavens people...my response was in response to your very vague question...adding that I too Im in the market for wisdom on windlasses manual or electric...a lot has changed over the years and I havent had a big enough boat to need one till now.

if that didnt come across in my post then I apologize for that...but I have NO idea why anyone can get that offensive from such a small post...

merry christmas people merry christmas!


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

The issue is most modern windlasses last so long that good data doesn't start coming out for years after they are manufactured, unless there is a major fault in them, which just doesn't happen on the major brands. 

I like the lewmar's and have had a lot of luck with them, but I have also never had a windlass fail so take it for what it's worth. 

Sizing isn't done based on the boat, but the anchor and chain. As a rule of thumb you want a windlass that is rated to dead lift the total weight of anchor+chain times 3.


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

CheckedOutRob said:


> Need help determining which windlass to buy. Is there a winch I need to avoid? Is there a winch that is a great deal and good quality? Not much info on the net on windlass reviews. Anyone see a review of current offerings? Seems there is a lot of very new product.
> 
> My 30 year old windlass (Simpson Lawrence) did not survive the removal process. Boat -36,000 lb. (unloaded) 81 Norseman 447 (45 ft.). Will be on several year extended sail. Specs needed are vertical windlass with capstan for rope.
> 
> ...


We have been using the Maxwell VC1500 since early 2006 and have been very pleased with the gear overall. Ours is wired for power up and down and we have fitted both a hand held wired controller and a "Quick" wireless controller that we use most of the time and is particularly useful when one is handling the boat alone as one can launch and retrieve from the helm. (I/We did not use foot switches simply because they are prone to failure, and usually at the most inconvenient times.)

The one weakness of these windlasses is the casing of the drive motor made by Cima of Italy. The casing is of painted common steel and needs be treated with corrosion block routinely and checked for the appearance of any rust. Sanding and coating the drive motor with several coats of Pettit RustLok will largely eliminate any difficulties. Fortunately, removing the drive is a matter of removing two bolts and the electric cables and can be done quite easily.

FWIW...


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## seabreeze_97 (Apr 30, 2006)

christian.hess said:


> here here
> 
> Id love to get a manual one down here...or make one
> 
> im all ears!


T-o-u-c-h-y. Sheeesh.
I have no dog in this hunt. Gotta say Hess, to some, your reply might be seen as a tongue-in-cheek poke at Rob about wanting a power down option. Then, maybe Rob read it before the first coffee of the day, fired back. Whatever. Face-to-face, it wouldn't have happened. Even then, sometimes what one is thinking, and what makes it out the mouth isn't the same. A lot gets lost in the translation from actual reality to virtual reality and back, so I dunno, maybe we can just power down the light sabers and let it go? Not blaming anyone here. I mean, I'd totally agree with a terse reply if he'd said something like, "YOUR BOAT SUCKS!" However, even there, it's often more a matter of (uninformed) opinion or personal bias. Again, whatever. My luck, the both of you will dogpile on me for even chiming in. Cheers.


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

im touchy? dude I said IM ALL EARS...in what language does that not show interest in the subject?

he said my post was useless and bizarre...

wtf man

sorry but yes a lot gets lost in translation what I dont understand is why an insult for just posting...and yes it was offensive...

who cares anyways how you could guess I was intentionally tyrying to talk about going to manual from this is beyond me but man

merry christmas once again

maybe Im not getting it...I just dont see why somebody would completely knock a comment for not getting the jist...or whatever...

sorry for the hijack in any case

peace


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## Seaduction (Oct 24, 2011)

christian.hess said:


> im touchy? dude I said IM ALL EARS...in what language does that not show interest in the subject?
> 
> he said my post was useless and bizarre...
> 
> ...


Some folks are just plain rude!


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Seaduction said:


> Some folks are just plain rude!


Seems that way doesn't it ?

Then again, he said tongue firmly in cheek, maybe Christian should have been roaring approval (hear hear) rather than calling the family dog. 

Now Mr Rob ....

a - cheer up Mr Grumpy Guts .... I'll have you know I'm the resident Grinch in these here parts. Everyone else has to be obnoxiously cheerful, wear silly hats and sing songs dedicated to small dairy products. Me I just get drunk.

b - Previous boat we had a Muir .... excellent piece of kit and with wonderful back up when I needed to rebuild the thing. Current boat Lofrans, no complaints at all.


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## Seaduction (Oct 24, 2011)

tdw said:


> Seems that way doesn't it ?
> 
> Then again, he said tongue firmly in cheek, maybe Christian should have been roaring approval (hear hear) rather than calling the family dog.
> 
> ...


I stand firmly by my comments and apparently others do as well, lest the rude comment would still be visible. Who has more fun than humans?


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## sck5 (Aug 20, 2007)

Lofrans. Trouble free for 4 years now. would buy the same one again


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## Michael K (Feb 27, 2006)

Back to the original topic....

I have a small Lofrans windlass on my 30' catamaran and I like it immensely. Originally it was designed to power up only; releasing the warp was accomplished simply by loosening the outer ring on the capstan a quarter turn with a winch handle. But adding a remote control that powers up and down was rather easy to do. While I sourced the remote control seperately, I suspect you'll find them readily available through whatever vendor you select. If you decide on a Lofrans I recommend IMTRA of New Bedford MA. They were a pleasure to deal with.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

Add me to the list of very satisfied owners of a Lofrans Kobra...

a few more suggestions:

Go with a hard-wired remote instead of foot switches, they are guaranteed to fail eventually...

I'd avoid a white powder-coated windlass, go with an aluminum or stainless finish, instead...

Protect your windlass with a cover, as watertight as you can make it... Perhaps the single kindest thing you can do for your gear, it will pay big dividends over the long haul...


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