Windlass not catching line when letting out

onislandtime

Is anyone having the same trouble with the windlass on a 342. The line comes off when I let a certain amount of line out!

Liberty44140

What do you mean comes off? Do you mean the line is not catching? Make sure that your gypsey nut is tight and make sure that the spring on your control arm is pushing down. My spring was not pushing the control arm down and it was very easy to remove 5 allen wrench bolts and remove the arm and spring. Greased up the spring and put back together and now the arm pushes down on the chain and line nicely. 

skennelly

onislandtime - I've had this happen on my 270 once or twice, but only when I saw a bunch of slack form at the windlass.

@Liberty44140 - Thanks for the tip on greasing the spring ect... I'm going to look at that.

tmcelrea

@Liberty44140 - what did you use to grease the spring?

onislandtime

I think thats when it happens when their is slack. I guess you have to keep tension on it all the time huh.

Liberty44140

I just used some sae 30 that I had on hand from changing the generator oil. 

MarkB

Do you have a tension knob on your windlass? If so, try tightening that, but not fully tight, you do need some drag in case the anchor drops while underway.

onislandtime

@MarkB I will check thanks