windlass remote failure

[sam]

Here is a recap of my experience with my remote for the Quik windlass while in the Bahamas....

Time for another "lesson learned" story>>>>
I went on deck to lower the anchor and found the electric windlass would not work. I went below and found the breaker had tripped. I flipped it on (took a couple of attempts before it stayed) then as I was going on deck my wife  said that the anchor was deploying (on its own!).
Turns out that the handheld remote that  stores in a holder under the deck in the anchor well had shorted out. The down switch was shorted closed. Seems that when it had shorted and began deploying, that the snubber I keep on the chain and the capstan prevented the chain from feeding over the bow and caused the chain to bunch up on the gypsy and bind, causing the overload and tripping the breaker. I shudder to think what could have happened if the snubber had not been on. We would have deposited 175 feet of chain followed by 200 feet of rode over the bow. Of course the bitter end is attached to the boat, so we would have been dragging a 375 foot anchor event waiting to happen. Its very likely that we would not have noticed it with the wind and wave noise during the crossing. When we approached land from the Atlantic it would have been a rude awakening to come to an abrupt stop when we approached the 60 foot shelf! The lesson learned.....keep the breaker OFF until immediately getting ready to use the windlass. Smart folks do this. I am now smarter (through experience). I managed to disassemble the remote and take the shorted micro-switch out of the circuit, leaving a power up capability. I have been feeding the anchor chain over the bow by hand the last few nights until  a replacement is procured.....>>>>

So, check the remote's water tight integrity and I suggest leaving the breaker off until just before use.

Sam

LONGHAWK B43, hull number9

[Mike Brown]

Sam I too just had problems with the windlass only in my case it didn't want to go up. It was intermittent and getting worse. I called Beneteau to find where they located the relay and Wade noted that it was the likely culprit. The windlass relay is the green one mounted on the side of the engine just behind the alternator. I replaced it and it's been fine since. I also replaced the handheld controller as I buggered it up trying to remove it so I could out an a Ohm meter across the Up and Down button wires. BTW the new relay has a tab with a mounting hole in it. The hole is too small to fit over the stud on the engine. I just ty wrapped it to the harness.
Where did you go in the Bahamas? We were in the Abacos for March and April. Had a great trip.
Mike

[sam]

I carry that relay on board as a spare.

Have you ever changed the operation of your windlass so that it will work without the engine being on?

We were probably within a few miles of each other. We crossed over to the Abacos on the first of April and came back on the 20th. Sorry we missed each other! here is a picture of LONGHAWK in full cruising mode with bicycles, dink, and fuel cans everywhere! When we crossed back fro Clearwater to Houston I had an additional 25 gal flexible fuel bladder on deck also.

Sam

[Mike Brown]

No I haven't changed the windlass so it'll run without the engine on. I always figured if need be I'd just turn the key on as I leave them in while at anchor.

No doubt we must have been close to each other. Shame we didn't stumble across each other. I see from your cruise mode pic you travel with the dink on the foredeck. Tried that and quickly installed davits as I felt like I had an elephant on the bow. Unfortunately the dink blocks the stern walkway. Oh and the extra weight makes my baby sit low in the stern. Everything's a compromise. We only carried an extra 5 gals of gas for the dink. No problems stretching the fuel or refilling in the Abacos.
Mike