Should I replace my manual windlass with a vertical unit for coastal cruising?

[Madison_W]

I’m trying to decide if I should replace the old manual windlass on my 32-foot sailboat with a new vertical unit. My current one is getting really stiff and I’m worried it might fail next season, but I’m not sure if the cost and installation hassle is worth it for the amount of coastal cruising I do.

[SamuelR]

I swapped ours last year on a 32 footer. Went vertical electric windlass, rough price 800 to 1200 dollars depending on options, install took a weekend—new wiring, circuit, and mounting hardware. It’s quieter and the crew can walk it in, but you still want a backup plan if the battery dies or the windlass stalls.

[VictoriaQR]

Before that I tore into the old unit, cleaned the pawls, greased the gears, even replaced the drive train seals. It felt smoother for a while but the stiffness came back and I worried it would seize mid anchoring. My takeaway was that it wasn’t just lubrication, there’s corrosion and wear there.

[Ella.S]

Is it possible the real problem isn’t the windlass itself but the deck hardware or how the rode sits? I once chased a sticking windlass and found the roller wore a groove and the chain wasn’t seating right. Worth checking the anchor roller, chain diameter, rode length before you buy.

[Victoria_M]

If you’re only coastal cruising, I’d probably keep the manual windlass as a spare and see if a rebuild gets you another season. The upfront cost and install hassle might not pay off unless you’re planning longer trips or heavy weather anchors. Might be wiser to manage until the old unit fails.