Which Windlass do you prefer?

[johnmck]

 

Hi.

 

As ever, i am thinking of the comfort of SWMBO, and would like to make her lock work as easy as possible. Now i quite like the look of the Dunton Double (or double+ but don't know the differance).

 

Any reccomendations?

 

 

John Mck

[Tiny]

The wife (our lock worker of many years) uses (by choice) a Rochdale Windlass (which now seems to be called a Northern Windlass). This is a bloody great heavy thing that fair tires me to even carry but then so does her handbag!

 

Me - I have a long throw aluminium for the odd paddle I do as it weighs very little even though it is not the length the wifes is.

 

Using hers she operates paddles in a very steady but slow motion that - if imitated by the unknowing wiorking the other paddle using their normal sized windlasses can cause all manner of back and muscle problems. I find her slowmo impossible for me to do with my windlass as it does my back!

 

Of course not being steel if it goes in the cut I will lose my windlass while the wifes might be too heavy even for a sea searcher magnet to lift.

[DaveC]

Why not get a windlass that YOU can use and let your wife drive the boat??

[johnmck]

Why not get a windlass that YOU can use and let your wife drive the boat??

 

 

Just not the done thing old boy. By the way, she does not like being on the boat in locks so a no brainer.

 

John. (Not a pc person, sorry to upset you.....)

[DaveC]

Didn't upset me John. If I was easily upset I wouldn't post on here!

 

Dave (not so much of the old!)

[canaldrifter]

I carry four windlassi, all different in spec. Tiz the only way to keep helpful, but maybe picky, crew happy.

 

Tone

[Guest]

We have the ally ones made by Walsh, light and effective but separate long throw and short throw.

 

The Dunton double would be my weapon of choice now..

 

http://www.boatshopbraunston.co.uk/dunton_windlass.htm

 

tis a thing of beauty is it not..

Edited January 13, 2011 by MJG

[mrsmelly]

Why not get a windlass that YOU can use and let your wife drive the boat??

 

 

That simply would not be cricket old boy, you will be giving women the vote next !!

Women do locks and gates and bridges etc, blokes drive the boat with cold beer............

[Albion]

 

That simply would not be cricket old boy, you will be giving women the vote next !!

Women do locks and gates and bridges etc, blokes drive the boat with cold beer............

 

Oh dear, stand by for incoming!!!

Roger

[johnmck]

 

That simply would not be cricket old boy, you will be giving women the vote next !!

Women do locks and gates and bridges etc, blokes drive the boat with cold beer............

 

 

A large beer for that man. I like it.

[Guest]

A large beer for that man. I like it.

 

Which if Jan had in her hand would go straight over his head -

 

SHE drives the boat I do the locks....

 

Working locks is mere brute force - real skill invloves driving the boat in and out...

 

(Or so she tells me..)

[classicstove]

The Dunton are very light and will open nearly everything around the system (so no need to carry more than one windlass)

 

The Dunton Double plus has a longer throw so making it easire to move heavy paddles or could be described as a 'ladys' windlass

[Albion]

Which if Jan had in her hand would go straight over his head -

 

SHE drives the boat I do the locks....

 

Working locks is mere brute force - real skill invloves driving the boat in and out...

 

(Or so she tells me..)

 

Is it something like:

'You are the boss in your relationship and you have her permission to say so!'

Roger

[Guest]

Is it something like:

'You are the boss in your relationship and you have her permission to say so!'

Roger

 

You mean there are alternatives...

 

hen pecked me? never...

[johnmck]

Which if Jan had in her hand would go straight over his head -

 

SHE drives the boat I do the locks....

 

Working locks is mere brute force - real skill invloves driving the boat in and out...

 

(Or so she tells me..)

 

 

Thats a shame. Poor training! (coat)

 

But the Dunson is indeed a thing of beauty. But is it practical?

 

John (she will kill me when she reads this!)

[RLWP]

I hate long throw windlasses. You bash your knuckles on the Stratford locks with them and tire yourself out on the GU locks doing all that bobbing up and down

 

Richard

Edited January 13, 2011 by RLWP

[Albion]

I hate long throw windlasses. You bash your knuckles on the Stratford locks with them and tire yourself out on the GU locks doing all that bobbing up and down

 

Richard

 

Yes, I agree. The standard length Dunton is perfectly adequate for all but the most stubborn lock gear and is easy to carry around, clamber up lock ladders with etc. If you drop it in the water though you'll need a special (and very unique) aluminium magnet. These are much rarer and more difficult to buy than the windlass.

Roger

[carlt]

If you drop it in the water though you'll need a special (and very unique) aluminium magnet. These are much rarer and more difficult to buy than the windlass.

Roger

I had a couple of jubilee clips, around the socket end of mine, but never had to use them.

 

If your boat is destroyed, by fire, btw, you have to pick the molten bits of Dunton off the surviving steel ones.

[Nine of Hearts]

This is the windlass I like to use, as seen here on traditional BCN lock gear.

 

 

Anyone who knows me will see that I've put on a bit of weight, but am equipped with the correct safety gear.

Edited January 13, 2011 by Nine of Hearts

[Proper Job]

 

That simply would not be cricket old boy, you will be giving women the vote next !!

Women do locks and gates and bridges etc, blokes drive the boat with cold beer............

All you need to do now is to make her responsible for re-fueling as well........

 

 

........ it would save you a walk with your mate Jerry

 

[Guest]

I hate long throw windlasses. You bash your knuckles on the Stratford locks with them and tire yourself out on the GU locks doing all that bobbing up and down

 

Richard

 

But I would say the extra leverage offered is a genuine help.

 

By way of an an accidental but crude experiment.

 

I walked up to a lock last time out and a boater (a lady as it happens but that is not the real main point) and she was struggling with her short throw on the paddles.

 

I offered her my long throw Walsh and she mangaged aplomb.

 

– the extra couple of inches seemed to make all the difference (No tittering at the back please Powell!).

 

Yes – there are time when you come close to bruising your knuckles and at Hillmorton (I think it’s the middle one) and no doubt many others you just don’t have the clearance at all for a long throw.

 

That is why now I would defo. go for a double.

[johnmck]

I had a couple of jubilee clips, around the socket end of mine, but never had to use them.

 

If your boat is destroyed, by fire, btw, you have to pick the molten bits of Dunton off the surviving steel ones.

 

 

The inability to survive a major conflagration (?) Had not considered that! Can you fire proof them?

 

John

[canaldrifter]

 

That simply would not be cricket old boy, you will be giving women the vote next !!

Women do locks and gates and bridges etc, blokes drive the boat with cold beer............

 

Except that the new Mrs canaldrifter does have worse disabilities than me.

 

She seems to be a very competent boat steerer, however, she tells me. Yet I must get her out of the thought pattern that she displays on the roads, in that she has to get there first.

 

(is that common with female boat steerers?)

 

I suppose I might just have to struggle around a few locks and wind a few thingies mesself this year.

 

Probably, progress will be slow, but I suppose I might lose a stone or two.

 

Tone

[RLWP]

But I would say the extra leverage offered is a genuine help.

 

<snip>

 

Having had a back problem I've become much more aware of what I'm doing with various tools. If you pay attention when using the windlass, you'll notice that you are working your whole body from the waist to use a long throw windlass, but only your arm for a short throw one.

 

Of course, you do need to have enough strength to work the lock in the first place

 

Richard

[Guest]

Having had a back problem I've become much more aware of what I'm doing with various tools. If you pay attention when using the windlass, you'll notice that you are working your whole body from the waist to use a long throw windlass, but only your arm for a short throw one.

 

Of course, you do need to have enough strength to work the lock in the first place

 

Richard

 

Height dependant though surely? - I'll shall look out for that next time we are out..