Anchor Windlass Inop

[Murph1966]

My anchor windlass has just quit working. Worked fine with no problems. Now when I push the button all I hear is a clicking sound in the engine compartment but no movement of the windlass. Any ideas of where to start?

Also, I bought this boat last summer and the anchor line is part chain and part rope. The rope part however slips quit a bit on the windlass. The rope is a bit old, but before I replace it wanted to make sure that this is the right configuration. Should this be all chain or is the rope/chain combination correct?

Thanks!

 

[JoLin]

All rope, all chain or a combination of the 2 depends entirely on the windlass and what type of gipsy the manufacturer installed. More info would help, How old? What make and model? I had a boat with an old Simpson-Lawrence windlass that had a plastic gipsy. The chain chewed it up after awhile. Bought a new gipsy for it and all was well. Condition of the rope is important, too. If it's old and frayed it'll slip.

As for the windlass not working, I sometimes have a problem in the spring if I pulled the rode in too tightly and left it. Too much pressure on the gipsy and it won't turn. Pry the tension arm out and pull some rode out of the locker so there's some slack between the windlass and the anchor. Try it then.