Old Fashioned Maunal Windlass

[Schooner Splendid]

Hi everyone, I'm new here and I hope you can help me out. I have an old boat and I'm looking for sources for some bits and pieces. Right now, I'm looking for an old-fashioned manual windlass -- I mean the real old type often known as a "patent" windlass or a Lunenburg windlass. I know that Lunenburg Foundry and Port Townsend Foundry make beautiful new bronze ones for a hefty price, but I was wondering where I might find an old galvanized one. Where did all the old ones go? I have scoured all the usual used marine sources without luck. Does anyone have any thoughts? Thanks,

Jim

[paladin]

how bigs the bote...and angkor?

y'all ain't agonna git no responses around here until ya post a piktoor of the bote.......

Welcome to the forum..
:D

[George Ray]

I had heard that Lunenburg was no longer casting iron winches. So sad !! We do like ours...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid211/p7c46c35dde9687f54288ae889b6c1605/ed80fcbb.jpg

[Schooner Splendid]

I'll post a photo of my boat as well as of the type of windlass I'm looking for as soon as I can figure out how to post pictures. I tried gluing them to my screen but that didn't seem to work;).

My boat is a 43' Alden schooner of about 17 tons. The old windlasses I've seen mount directly to the back of the Sampson posts and are otherwise similar to the one shown above.

[S/V Laura Ellen]

I will hopefully be able to refurbish mine.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pb06c54bec127eea4dc8d5e5598f4d0f2/ea28968e.jpg

[Schooner Splendid]

Allan, yours is exactly what I'm looking for. Now where can I find another one?

[S/V Laura Ellen]

Allan, yours is exactly what I'm looking for. Now where can I find another one?

Here is what has been posted on the forum.
http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=63319&highlight=windlass

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

This may not be a tremedously helpful comment, as mine is staying attached to my boat,;) but they commonly outlive the boat they were attached to, so a boats graveyard / breaking yard is a good place to look.

NB - they were commonly fitted to fishing vessels. Plenty of old wooden fishing boats get broken up....

Mirelle's was made by Thomas Reid and Sons...

http://www.thomasreidandsons.com/Index.htm

who amazingly are still in business. its 70 years old and its nice to know that, should I ever need spares, they can be obtained....

[The Bigfella]

Mine is sitting in the backyard - and it won't be going back on to Grantala - I used it once and once only it was so slooooow. A slightly different style - a Simpson Lawrence model from 1937. My beard visibly lengthened that one time I used it, so I just added another, smaller anchor for day use and used to pull the 45lb anchor and 37m chain in by hand.

How fast are the ones you guys have posted.

Sitting in the garage - waiting to go on in the next week or two is a new-old-stock Maxwell-Nilsson electric winch. Its at least 25 years old.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Well, no, I would not call it fast. Incredibly robust, yes. Powerful, yes. Extremely durable, yes. Fast, no.

[paladin]

For many many years I used a Simpson Lawrence SL555 "Sea Tiger" on a 44 foot cutter and it worked fine until I had some arguments that resulted in some unauthorized field modifications to my body.....and I used some heavy anchors.

[T.A.R.]

Wicford Marine Consignment had one not too long ago. It might pay to check.

[The Bigfella]

This is the old Simpson Lawrence that I took off Grantala - along with the deck, deck beams, etc:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p772ddea4cf4b8a0a3c0083ef0f6e13c7/e916958a.jpg

[Jim Ledger]

Wicford Marine Consignment had one not too long ago. It might pay to check.


Maybe it's this one.:eek:

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m193/searover1916/P1010075.jpg

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

That's a beauty.

[gaffman]

I have seen that at Marine Consignment of Wickford, which is in Rhode Island at 7725 Post Road, North Kingston. call 401.295-9709 ask for Sam. Can't say if he still has it.

[Schooner Splendid]

Thanks, I spoke to Sam in Wickford and he is going to try to get me a photo of it to see if it'll work.

Jim

[Schooner Splendid]

I went to Wickford and Sam has a beauty, but it is a monster: must have come off a 70-footer. I still need one for 3/8th or 5/16th chain for my 43-footer. I'd appreciate any leads. Thanks

[Jay Greer]

Pete Langly at the Port Townsend foundry can custom build you a windlass of any size.
Jay

[donald branscom]

Old Fashioned ! not in this lifetime pal.

You can still get them.
Just go to Google or West Marine,Simpson Lawrence.
Look in the back pages of National Fisherman Magazine.

[MAGIC's Craig]

You might keep a look out for one of the Moritz windlasses - all bronze except a stout s/s horizontal mainshaft - they mounted to the aft side of the bitts and looked just like the one in the picture posted by S/V LAURA ELLEN. The Moritz foundry was based in LA or Costa Mesa, CA (I think) and was still turning them out in the ealy eighties. We had one for 5/16" chain on our BCC.

Currently using a bronze 2-speed manual on our schooner (40' LOD MAGIC) which was made by ABI and was basically a copy of the earlier bronze versions of the S/L 555. (Rather like GRANTALA's).

Craig Johnsen

[nautiguy]

Alan,
I have the same windlass mounted on my Block Island Cowhorn. I'm wondering if you (or anyone) has seen chain gypsy on one side. If so, any idea where one can be found?

Thanks,
used to be Norm Harris

[Schooner Splendid]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I know that I can have a beautiful windlass made by Ludenburg or Port Townsend, BUT they cost a fortune (north of $4k). That's why I'm looking for an old galvanized one. I'll just keep looking.............If any of you see one first, please give a yell.

Jim