Ken Hastie Westerly Centaur Forever Autumn Quick Genius Windlass Installation

Installing an Electric Windlass

My Westerly Centaur ‘Forever Autumn’ came with a chainpipe. The flip up cover was missing. I decided to listen to advice I was given on the Westerly Yahoogroup and fit an electric windlass. I hang around on eBay quite a bit and sure enough I found a not-to-be-turned-down offer of a Quick Genius windlass. It was minus all the controls, cable and circuit breaker but I located these soon enough. The result is an outstanding aid to boat handling and I am very pleased with it. The first time I used it was at the Sunderland Air Show where a much larger and plusher yacht beside me had someone haul away on their manual windlass for what seemed like ages. Me? I just pressed a button! (Click on any image for a larger view)

First task is to fill the old chainpipe hole. I used David’s Isopon P40 (the resin with the fibres mixed in)

After sanding and ready for paint

Mounting holes cut in deck, hole cut for chain entry in deck and then bedded down using white Sikaflex

Footswitches mounted on deck. One up and one down. Note the safety flap to prevent accidental operation

Circuit breaker switch on right, tucked into corner to avoid stray limbs catching it. Cables from windlass to circuit breaker are all 25mm2 flexible welding cable. Cost £35

Note additional fairleads.This is because the windlass has to be situated so chain falls into locker. Old fairlead line to cleat interferes with windlass.

The finished installation.

I bought a Fortress FX11 Anchor (eBay bargain) and it is VERY light and manageable. I have 30 metres of 8mm calibrated chain and 30 metres of multiplait anchor line spliced to it. One useful

note is that the windlass has a winch-handle operated clutch (see clutch drum on right hand side) which can be released manually to preserve battery power when lowering anchor.