Tips on selecting the best Quick windlass for your needs
To choose the right Quick windlass for your needs you must know several parameters of the vessel and the main technical features of the products. To aid understanding of the data in the windlass tables the following section illustrates the meanings of the key expressions used.
Boat length
The quick windlass model to install depends on the length and displacement of the vessel. Typically, windlasses are sized in relation to engine power (wattage) and maximum pulling capacity. As the size of the vessel increases, so does the size of the associated ground tackle so more windlass power is needed.
Pulling power
The higher the maximum pull, the higher the permissible working load of the windlass and hence the heavier the ground tackle that can be handled.
Working Load
During anchor recovery, the windlass will pass through a number of operation phases until the anchor is broken out of the seabed. At each phase, the working load and retrieval speed of the windlass will vary. For any anchor recovery, the windlass will operate longest during the "working load” phase but will experience a significant peak in load during anchor breakout. It is this significant peak load at breakout that puts the most strain on any windlass and why it is important to ensure that each boat has a windlass that maximizes this load factor. It is suggested that the safe working load be well below the windlass’s maximum pulling capacity.
Anchor locker size
This important consideration affects how much anchor rode can be placed in the locker and how much room there is for the windlass motor. The most important anchor locker measurement is its depth, since this ultimately determines how much "fall” is available. Specifically, the fall is the vertical distance between the top of the anchor locker and the top of the rode when the entire rode is completely stored inside. Ideally, in order to allow gravity to properly feed the anchor rode from the windlass into the anchor locker, a minimum of 30 cm (12”) of fall is necessary.
Quick horizontal windlass
Quick horizontal windlass has its drive-shaft aligned on a horizontal plane and is usually completely self-contained in an above deck mounted unit. This windlass offers the best performance with small anchor lockers. On horizontal windlasses, as the anchor rode enters the gypsy, it makes a 90° turn and feeds directly into the anchor locker. Some maintenance operations tends to be easier.
Quick Vertical Wndlasses
Quick Vertical Windlasses are aesthetically pleasing with their low-profile lines while optimizing the available deck area. Vertical windlasses are normally installed above deck, with a vertical rotation axe and the motor/gearbox coupled from below deck.
The solenoids unit
The Quick solenoids unit is able to operate electric motors for boats, such as windlasses, gangways, cranes, warping winches and electrical winches in general. Solenoid units come as standard on all Quick windlasses. For the new Hector series they are integrated inside windlass case.
The circuit breaker
Quick hydraulic magnetic circuit breaker is a specific protection device for DC voltages. These circuit breakers trip in over-current situations, breaking the circuit and protecting the equipment. Available on request.
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