Sailing Q&As
Sailing Today’s experts can answer your queries. If you’d like to ask them for advice, write to: Q&As, Sailing
Today, Swanwick Marina, Lower Swanwick, Southampton SO31 1ZL or email
qandas@sailingtoday.co.uk
Q
Windlass brake a locking wheel with ‘arms’ (see pic),
I’ve recently bought a 1987 normally found on horizontal windlasses,
Q
Log versus SOG
The log impeller on my Hunter
Oceanis 370 that has a Lofrans electric or one that requires a winch handle to Horizon keeps getting fouled every time
windlass. We keep her in S Brittany free it off (vertical model). Sometimes I leave her for a few weeks between
and like to anchor most nights during (particularly if used infrequently) the sailing bouts. I’m getting fed up with
our six-week long summer sojourns locking mechanism – often just a conical cleaning it and getting water sprayed
(we are both teachers). I was told by bronze plug that is designed to wedge into everywhere in the cabin, so the last
the previous owner that you had to use the gypsy – gets stuck and needs a good few times I’ve just used the GPS speed
power to wind the windlass up or down, thump with a mallet or similar to free it reading, which appears to be higher
but we find this far too slow when off. It’s best to do this when you have than the log. Why is this and which is
needing to drop the hook in a hurry a good pull on the anchor (if necessary the more accurate?
or in deep water. I’ve taken to pulling drop it under power, dig it in, then keep Andy Long, email
out a load of chain and dropping it throttling astern to put considerable
over manually in these cases, but I tension in the rode) and is worth doing
read somewhere that I should be able every now and then just to keep it free.
A
Log impellers very often become
fouled – especially in rivers and
to release the ‘brake’. Unfortunately, I DK estuaries – and need cleaning sometimes
don’t have the original instructions, but every weekend to remain accurate. The
do you think there is such a thing on speed measured by the paddlewheel is
mine? And if so, how do I work it?
Q
Say yes to AIS
I have been persuaded to buy an your speed through the water (aka Boat
Doug Tressit, SY Polly, email AIS transponder so that I can see Speed), whereas on a GPS it is actually
and be seen by other vessels, your speed over the ground (SOG), which
but I don’t really understand is affected by the tidal stream and will be
the antenna situation. One higher than boat speed when sailing with
of the chandlers said I could the tidal stream, but lower when going
use my existing VHF aerial. against it.
Is this true? When dead reckoning or plotting an
Steve Desterman, email EP you will need to know the actual
TOP PERFORMER
boat speed through the water, then apply
BUDGET BUY
A
Yes, you can use your the tidal effect incrementally to your
existing VHF antenna. calculation as the stream will rarely be
PREMIUM
PRODUCT
However, you will need to buy directly aligned with your course.
an ‘antenna splitter’, a device DK
BEST BUY
that enables incoming VHF
signals to go to both the AIS
FIRST LOOK
and the VHF, but isolates the
Q
What kind
of compass?
AIS when you transmit on your I’m thinking of buying a fluxgate hand
RECOMMENDED
This Cayman
radio. Antenna splitters cost from bearing compass instead of the more
HIGHLY
Windlass
around £150. It is cheaper to fit a conventional mechanical types.
RECOMMENDED performed well
when we tested it
separate VHF antenna. There is The claims they make for them are
in ST138. Note the
some question about whether such an fantastic. Are they really as good as they
locking wheel with arms. antenna needs to be up the mast. Yes, it’ll say they are?
give you a greater range, but if what you Mike Weston, email
A
Almost all electric windlasses have are interested in is ships within 6M,
a ‘brake’ or ‘clutch’ that can be mounting the antenna on the pushpit will As you probably
loosened off to allow the gypsy (the chain be fine. JT
A
Yes and no.
know, rather than magnets, they
cog) to ‘freewheel’. This is ideal for when use magnetised metal with coils of
you want to release a lot of chain quickly. electrically-charged wire wound around
For instance, when reversing up to a quay them, which measure the magnetic field.
to moor stern to and there is a strong cross The information is then digested by
wind blowing, you will want to do it at a microprocessor and presented in a
speed, but winding the chain out under digital display.
power will slow you down and allow you The big advantage, is that adjusting
to be blown off sideways. It might also for variation is almost automatic. And, of
mean you lay out less chain than you course, most of them also allow you to
would choose to for the conditions. store multiple bearings.
The windlass will usually have either However, you must still allow for local
106 Sailing Today July 09
ST147 Q&
A_RTG.indd 4 15/5/09 11:51:35
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