Manual windlass installation on IP31

I was inspired by the windlass installation on "Puffin" in the IPPHOTOS site and basically copied that with a few modifications. I used the Lofrans Royal, mounted on a solid teak base plate. The plate is glued to the deck with 5200 and backed with a 3/4" ash plate under the deck. The backing plate is thoroughly coated with epoxy and all holes are through epoxy plugs. The windlass sits on a rubber gasket for easy removal. I used the existing hause hole. In addition, I mounted a new anchor roller from the IP store, along with a wear strip to protect the bowsprit. The toughest part was getting the backing plate right, because of the limited access in the anchor well.
Functionally, I'm very pleased. We have a 22lb Delta with 40ft of 5/16 HT chain and 200 ft of Yale 8 brait rode. I had to splice the chain and rode in order for it to pass easily through the hause hole. We've anchored probably 30 times without any problems. There is no "castling" of the chain and there is plenty of room in the anchor well. The only problem is that if you crank it up quickly the chain will buckle at the hause hole fixture. Slowing the chain speed corrects this problem.
I had read pros and cons of manual vs. electric and chosen manual. Very glad I did.
Charlie Higgins
"Gusto" IP31 #217
South Portland, Maine


Lofrans Royal manual windlass


Bowsprit with protective strip


Anchor roller


Backing plate

Nice mods! I like the rub strip you installed for the rode.

BTW, you'll be interested to know that my wife and I are now the owners of Puffin. She was purchased by the previous owners in 2006, moved out to the Pacific Northwest, and she's now in Seattle. She's a great boat and we love her a lot.

Charlie, I am trying to duplicate what you did on your boat to accommodate a windlass because it looks so good and would work on my ip31 also. Would you happen to have the measurements for that piece of teak you added as a base for your windlass? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Charlie,
HELP! I am halfway in the process of doing the same installation of Royal manual windlass as you but am having a devil of a time finding a chain pipe to fit as yours does. What size and brand is yours? I have 5/16" HT chain on an 8-mm gypsy but when I line up the chain pipe flange to butt up against the base of windlass as yours does in your excellent photo, the pipe opening is offset too much to starboard side and chain cannot drop into opening. Your's appears to be a perfectly lined up fit. I'm guessing I am missing something important here and making this harder than it should be but for the life of me cannot find a solution. Totally stymied.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Judith
s/v Zen Zone
IP-31 1987