Re: 1986 Bayliner Ciera 2450 Anchor Windlass
Nothing is completely automatic. Winches and windlasses can jam. I have a windlass- my wife is ALWAYS on the bow to clear any jams (they happen) when we retrieve the anchor. That said, you need to do some basic research.
There are 2 types of anchor retrieval devices- winches and windlasses. A winch rolls the anchor rode onto a drum, like the winch on a boat trailer. A winch sits entirely above the deck.
A windlass uses a 'gypsy' (toothed wheel) to grab/pull and lead the rode through a hole in the deck, where it then drops below deck to a storage locker. 2 general types- vertical gypsy (mostly below deck) and horizontal gypsy (mostly above deck). A vertical gypsy windlass is a cleaner install and requires much more prep work. Both types require at least 18" of free fall space below the deck for the rode to drop into. If you use a combination of rope and chain, you need a windlass with the correct gypsy installed, special chain, and the chain needs to be attached directly to the anchor rope with a chain splice- no shackles or thimbles allowed.
Cheaper of the 2 types will be a winch, and you MIGHT be able to find one suitable for your boat, but I'm not sure. As you get up in weight (mid-20' range and above), windlasses are the norm. Why? Because the thickness of your rode (at least 3/8" for your boat) along with rode length starts to require too large a drum. A friend with a 25' Larson has been using a Powerwinch winch for many years, but I don't know what their current models are. His is the biggest boat I've seen with a winch.
Read through this recent thread on the subject:
http://forums.iboats.com/boat-topics-questions-not-engine-topics/electric-anchor-winch-591939.html?
My .02
