The criteria used to select the type of electric windlass was based on the desire to have the windlass mounted inside the forward locker which is where the existing Simpson Lawrence Sea Tiger 555 was mounted, to have a simplified installation, to have trouble free service and to keep the total project costs down. 

Windlass locker viewed from topside.

The selection of a horizontal Lofrans' Tigres electric windlass was made and when installed met the initial design criteria.

This windlass was picked up used however it was still in the box and had never been installed. (ie It was offered at a price one could not turn down.) The Sea Tiger which was installed during the commissioning of the vessel had been mounted forward, inside the windlass locker. The manual unit performed very well however it was not remotely controllable. It is desirable to have the versatility of being able to anchor without leaving the cockpit.

The original plan was to simply replace the mechanical windlass with the electrical windlass at the same elevation. This plan however did not work out. It seems that due to the smaller diameter gypsy on the electrical windlass the chain has to enter and leave the gypsy at about 90 degrees or less.  It is a function of how many chain links are engaged at any moment. The larger the gypsy the more engaged links. Based on the gypsy size of the Lofrens and the 5/8ths chain size a  chain wrap of about 90 degrees required.

As you see in this image provided by Lofren's, the entry versus exit angle of the chain for an ideal instillation is less than 90 degrees.

If one would mount the new windlass internal to the Fantasia windlass locker directly on the locker sole, the angle will rise to about 120 degrees which would  have been a problem source during operation.

As it was not desirable to have windlass mounted on the deck, the solution to this problem was to elevate the windlass to the highest point internal to the windlass locker. Carpe Diem has about a tenth of an inch of clearance from the highest point on the windlass which is the upper windlass cleat and the windlass hatch door.

Elevating the windlass was accomplished by mounting it on a 300 series stainless steel box built out of 1/8 inch thick material. Needless to say this box is solid and exceeds the material strength needed for a proper windlass installation. The footprint of the windlass matched the box perfectly. This box was found at a local surplus store and was purchased for only $20.  To fabricate this box from raw 300 series stainless stock would have been more than  $350.

A stainless chain pipe was welded into the box which accepts the chain from the windlass and directs it into the chain locker below.

The windlass had four stainless threaded mounting studs that had to be removed and replaced with longer stainless all thread. They had to be replaced since the box elevated the windlass by about 8 inches and it was a requirement to bolt the windlass directly to the windlass locker sole.

	This image shows the orientation of the windlass as it is mounted in the locker. The final chain angle is about 100 degrees.
This image shows a cross sectional view of the materials needed to mount the windlass internal to the  windlass locker.
	Click on image above to enlarge
	This image shows the windlass mounted.
	The chain wraps around the gypsy at 100 degrees

	Foot switch controls are mounted to the port and starboard of the windlass hatch cover.
Click on image above to enlarge
	HAND HELD CONTROLLER Outlet located in windless locker allowing dockside control.

The overall installation including the design, material selection / acquisition and installation took about three weeks.

The performance of the system met the initial design criteria.

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