Lifting Mud Weights

[dredger]

Often Broads hire boats have electric winces to make lifting the mud weight easier. Often these are hidden below the fore deck. I assume that the winch stops automatically when it reaches the top and is capable of free fall to deploy the weight. Any one know what the winches are that lurk below deck. I need to age proof my boating life.

[Vaughan]

I would recommend the VETUS hand anchor winch which can be used with a chain but also has a capstan drum for winching rope. No wiring, no extra batteries and just a handle to swing back and forth.

So you can drop the weight free in the normal way and then if you can't get it up again * you can just take two turns on the capstan drum and wind it up. This way you don't need a chain locker, kinks in the chain or mud in the bilges.

Just make sure it is strongly bolted to the deck.

* Not sure if I am allowed to say that but it might be an appropriate sentiment!    

[Regulo]

As far as I know, they don't free fall. 

[annv]

Hi My winch will only free fall if i go up front and undo the clutch never done this as i have a 90Kg weight on chain, i just press down button at the helm until the sound changes when weight hits bottom, I have a painted mark on the chain when weight retracted as i dont have a auto stop. I had a Vetus winch on my previous boat which required me to walk up to bows to use it no good for letting go when stern on mooring unless third party present to operate it I like to let go before I touch the bank to keep me from touching/knocking the bank at night. You will need a container under the bows to hold the chain, winches wont work with rope unless you are there to hold the rope pressure on the drum. I would be reluctant to use a mud weight without a winch, best thing since sliced bread!!. they keep the doctor at bay. John

[dredger]

Has anybody tried one of those pontoon anchor winches as often seen on a well known auction site? Some of those free fall.

Dave

[CeePee1952]

4 hours ago, Vaughan said:

if you can't get it up again *

* Not sure if I am allowed to say that but it might be an appropriate sentiment!    

Oo-er Mr Mannering! 

[Broads01]

The hireboats I've had with electric mudweights haven't been capable of free fall as far as I know. I've not found this to be an issue though and I think an electric mudweight is a great benefit.

[dom]

2 hours ago, Broads01 said:

 I think an electric mudweight is a great benefit.

The only concern I have is that one of the engineers from Barnes has commented to a family member on several occasions that it's their number one cause of callouts these days when motors fail or similar. I've often wondered how easy it'd be to self rescue if one fails on you on a privately owned boat. I don't particularly fancy the idea of hauling a decent sized mudweight up on a chain by hand.

 

 

[Smoggy]

You can haul a mudweight close and tie off then use the engine to get it out of the mud, once free they have less weight while in the water, you can leave them just below the surface and motor off if need be and recover in a more convenient location,  it also washes the crud off.

[NeilB]

1 hour ago, dom said:

The only concern I have is that one of the engineers from Barnes has commented to a family member on several occasions that it's their number one cause of callouts these days when motors fail or similar. I've often wondered how easy it'd be to self rescue if one fails on you on a privately owned boat. I don't particularly fancy the idea of hauling a decent sized mudweight up on a chain by hand.

Mine was supplied with a hand crank to use if the motor fails although I've not actually tried it yet, have to find it first as I've put it in a "safe" place!!

[dom]

Just as long as the "safe" place isn't in an anchor locker which you can't open with the mudweight down

[Broads01]

I've always been provided with a hand crank also.

[Gracie]

16 hours ago, CeePee1952 said:

Oo-er Mr Mannering! 

Who is Mr Mannering? I put a laugh thingy to your post Chris but haven't a clue 

If you don't have an electric winch please remember to let go of the rope when you swing your mud weight out  x

[CeePee1952]

11 minutes ago, Gracie said:

Who is Mr Mannering? I put a laugh thingy to your post Chris but haven't a clue 

Gracie, It's one of the many catch phrases from Dads Army, that was a great BBC comedy series back in the 70's. Capt Mainwaring (pronounced "Mannering") was one of the characters and whenever he said something a bit quirky/double entendre, another character (Lcpl Jones) would come out with "oo-er Mr Mannering and other catch phrases like "Don't Panic!" 

Chris

[CeePee1952]

19 minutes ago, Gracie said:

If you don't have an electric winch please remember to let go of the rope when you swing your mud weight out  x

Also, remember to place the mudweight gently back in it's rightful place - don't put it down on the deck suddenly - you'll end up with a copious amount of Norfolk Broads finest mud all over you if you haven't washed it all off beforehand! Been there, done that as the saying goes 

Chris

[Smoggy]

32 minutes ago, Gracie said:

remember to let go of the rope when you swing your mud weight out 

And tie the other end off to a cleat first! Seen a few chucked in never to be seen again as the rope follows it in.

[grendel]

1 hour ago, CeePee1952 said:

Also, remember to place the mudweight gently back in it's rightful place - don't put it down on the deck suddenly - you'll end up with a copious amount of Norfolk Broads finest mud all over you if you haven't washed it all off beforehand! Been there, done that as the saying goes 

Chris

I can remember last year seeing a hirer lifting the mud weight with a big gob of mud on the bottom, I yelled across - you might want to clean that before you put it on deck, splot, too late.
I too have been there - done that

[dredger]

Further to my previous questions, anyone tried "South Pacific" winches? They appear to make a freefall variant.

[Bikertov]

18 hours ago, CeePee1952 said:

Oo-er Mr Mannering! 

 

2 hours ago, Gracie said:

Who is Mr Mannering? I put a laugh thingy to your post Chris but haven't a clue 

So young, so sweet, so innocent ... 

[marshman]

Always wash your mudweight by dangling it just under the water - the guy on the trip boat from Fairhaven has twice rushed over and told me I cannot moor and all I have been doing is dangling to remove mud!

[Smoggy]

17 minutes ago, Bikertov said:

 

So young, so sweet, so innocent ... 

Can we get a second opinion on the last bit?

[dredger]

Wasn't it "OO-ER Matron"?

[MauriceMynah]

Yes dredger, I believe you're right. Not Dad's Army, but carry on whatever.

Ps, my winch is a Lewmar, with no freefall.

[annv]

Hi I have painted a mark on the chain that allows me to stop the weight just below the surface so as to clean the mud weight as i leave the mooring then retract it fully to next mark all from the helm. I think that the hire boat winch failures are caused by a to small/cheaper winch, it then throws the overload switch, which just needs resetting. Not sure where the hire craft have there control buttons at the bow or switch at helm. And if they have a stop switch on winch to cut in when fully retracted, mine dosn't hence painted marks. John

[dredger]

While trying to uncover the secret of the winch I came across the term "flaking a rope". Having closely examined the end of a certain chocolate bar (somebody has to do it) I wondered if the term is linked with the name of this well known confectionary product.