Situation: Anchoring system on my Tayana 37 MK II does not function satisfactorily.

Mission: to get a Bruce anchor to self-launch and recover without hanging up on the bobstay, without damaging the bowsprit or over stressing the forestay using a single center mounted electric windlass.

Execution:

a)    move the windlass to the very back of the bowsprit just 3/4 inch or so forward of the bits;

b)    remove all Tayana factory supplied platform rollers;

c)    install a large piece of white oak between the first & second bowsprit floors under the platform. The insert measures about 26 1/2 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches thick and is exactly wide enough to barely slide between the floor frames and pulpit stainless bracket. The width of the oak is exactly the depth from the top of the pulpit stainless work to the top surface of the bowsprit so the oak bears down on the bowsprit. The oak is fastened in place re-using the bolt holes mounting the pulpit frame to the floors. The original bolts were removed and long lag cap screws were installed. The oak was protected with Cetol. The outboard edges of the oak insert angle backwards in towards the butt of the bowsprit (see pics);

d)    two stainless brackets were designed to hang under the oak insert and follow the line to the back of the bowsprit and bear, but not bolt to, the flat side of the bowsprit. The brackets are through bolted to the oak but only set to the bowsprit with 4200;

e)    two pivoting cheeks hang from each bracket to provide extra depth and to take shock loading as either the anchor comes up or the boat pulls on the chain before a bridle can be set. The cheeks aid in the way the anchor recovers into the correct "upright" position. The rollers in the hanging bracket are off the shelf 3-inch trailer rollers (cheap cheap cheap);

f)    a warping fairlead was created at the correct height for the windlass gypsy and capstan head to lead rode and chain squarely towards the windlass. Its rollers are off the shelf 3-inch trailer rollers and are pinned with easily removable 3/8 stainless bolts. It is expected that he warping fairlead will be strong enough to accept the inner forestay and sail;

g)    a new hawse pipe was fitted under the chain gypsy and accepts 320 ft of 5/16 link. The pipe cap is a machined down standard 2-inch pipe cap; and

h)    this system has now been tested for two seasons and has worked flawlessly. Strain on the bowsprit tip is greatly reduced. The two Bruce anchors that are pictured are a 44lb on the chain side and a 66lb on the rope side. Their differing sizes mean they don't clang together although the hanging brackets are symmetrical.

Administration: The brackets, warping fairlead and hawse pipe were mocked up with 1/8-inch plywood and PVC pipe and then taken to a local welder.

Cheers
JD
DayDream
T37 #375
Victoria BC