bartmac wrote:....went down the drumwinch route ...not fitted yet but ready to go.Figured no space for rope and chain so drum the solution
I too am investigating this option. Bartmac you hint that you have bought a drum winch - if so what did you buy? and have you installed it yet?
My investigations to date show that a Stress Free Mini Me extra wide is the closest fit but still too high (slightly) to shut the anchor locker hatch. I have several enquiries out with local manufactures about a wider but smaller diameter drum but my concern is that the wider drum will not collect and distribute the rode and chain properly.
There is also the (obviously Chinese made) Viper PRO 800 but it is way to big to fit in the anchor locker "as is" but at almost $1000 lower in price I wonder if compromises can be made here e.g. creating a power bulge in the current anchor locker lid or more extensive fiberglass work like cutting into the current anchor storage down to the bottom of the flotation chamber as done by KookaSnook . . . $1000 buys a fair bit of fiberglass work. But my preference is for a locally made drum winch unit made to fit the locker "as is" if and only if it will feed the rode and chain correctly onto the drum.
Hello, and thank you for sharing such a nice mod. I am in the process of installing an anchor roller on my 26X. I am reluctant to touch or move the plate were the rolling furler attaches, since this plate runs all the way to the inside hull, were it is bolted. I've seen some people eliminate this plate and instead weld a stainless steel extension to the front of the anchor roller, were it bolts to the outside of the hull. Is your anchor roller bolted to the hull internally? How is your boat performing now that you have elongated the point of attachment of the rolling furler with a chain? I am assuming you'd have to shorten the forestay, and that this would make your boat have a bit more weather helm? Thanks
Have purchased a drum winch because I couldn't think of how to have a winch and still have space for rope & chain in the conventional setup...ie no below deck space without major mods.Not sure of the brand but will post.....its about 12" diameter and 15" wide and obviously still has a gearbox and motor in the side (its oversize for the Mac weight and size)...figured it to fit in my well without the lid...then a bowsprit/anchor rest so the anchor has somewhere to live.Fitting has not been done until I figure out the bowsprit but took delivery of a premade fibreglass one which will nicely fit and also make for a extra forestay/spinnaker/kite mounting.
Just saw the viper pro on Ebay.....same sort of thing but from memory mine is NZ made.....very expensive but found a distributor quitting the product and paid well under a grand
