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Which windlass is best?


LadyG

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5 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

That explains that then :D 

 

Now, how about this fancy one?

 

image.thumb.jpeg.d8bebe9bb30dddb89e73a858f20fa308.jpeg

Chesterfield canal?

Or a well perhaps. 

 

One of these turned up on here a few yars ago I think it was a chesterfield canal person mentioning it. 

It was @cheshire~rose who had it. 

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17 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

Just seen these whilst browsing google images, anybody used one?

 

image.jpeg.389980f4f41ec9d269a0d9936445369a.jpeg

Met a chap "testing" these for his friend on the Staff and Worcester canal with a spring balance trying to measure the force needed to draw a paddle 

1 hour ago, Loddon said:

After many years of boating we have come to rely on three types of windlasses.

For use on the canals its a  Dunton Double

Anglian waterways its a Walsh Alloy one as they have untapered holes and fit the paddles better than a Dunton.

and The ubiquitous Middle Level socketed windlass for the gear that requires it.

We have both long throw and short throw of the Dunton and the Walsh

Different windlass for different paddle gear.

A total of about 8 windlass not including the steel ones in the front locker

 

I nearly got a Dutton for a fiver a week ago on Facebook market place but before I could say yes please hers the money she sold it to someone else

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32 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Chesterfield canal?

Or a well perhaps. 

 

One of these turned up on here a few yars ago I think it was a chesterfield canal person mentioning it. 

It was @cheshire~rose who had it. 

Yes, it is a Chesterfield Canal windlass. It should be stamped CCCo on the shoulder. 

I have one that is very heavily pitted from spending years at the bottom of the cut

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This little one is an odd one. Made of proper bronze which doesn't bend and is exactly the right size for the normal canal paddle spindles it came all they way from the States .

 

IMG_20230328_102525.thumb.jpg.87685646786171221c1d4f64ae9be3c7.jpg

 

It is a pocket windlass. Given that it is the correct size I wonder if an american found it over here and kept it as a souvenir. 

 

I've not seen another one of these. It is little but does actually work perfectly well on paddles that aren't shockingly stiff. 

If it gets any bully boy lock gear the big brother comes and sorts it out. Another hard as nail bronze I think this one is aluminium bronze as it is tough. 

 

(images put through resizer hence odd resolution)

 

IMG_20230328_103358.thumb.jpg.403fad546872b3781f5b51bf9d92c1be.jpg

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2 hours ago, magnetman said:

This little one is an odd one. Made of proper bronze which doesn't bend and is exactly the right size for the normal canal paddle spindles it came all the way from the States .

It is a pocket windlass. Given that it is the correct size I wonder if an american found it over here and kept it as a souvenir. 

 

I've not seen another one of these. It is little but does actually work perfectly well on paddles that aren't shockingly stiff. 

If it gets any bully boy lock gear the big brother comes and sorts it out. Another hard as nail bronze I think this one is aluminium bronze as it is tough. 

 

Interesting, I got this windlass off someone in Canada via eBay.

I would think they had a hire boat and purchased the windlass from Rose Narrow Boats.
Rose did sell these at one time.

$_57c (1).JPG

$_57a.JPG

Edited by Ray T
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1 minute ago, Mike Tee said:

There is a small one on ebay now - (doesn't look as small as the one previously mentioned). Also some Dunton's at what I think are reasonable prices.

That little bronze is exactly the same as mine ! 

 

It isn't mine unless someone just went in my boat and grabbed it but it is the same item. 

 

First time I have seen another one...

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256024965630

Someone must have seen this thread it is too much of a coincidence it was listed a couple of hours ago

 

s-l400.jpg

 

mine is this one 

 

IMG_20230328_101118.thumb.jpg.ad3a25c136b96f72a242ebe9ec1a0d4e.jpg

Same mould. 

 

So who made these? 

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12 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

........Also some Dunton's at what I think are reasonable prices.

Reading the blurb, these are the last of the Dunton's, an nice inheritance of both monetary and sentimental value, I thought. :)

Edited by LadyG
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2 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Reading the blurb, these are the last of the Dunton's, an nice inheritance of value in monetary and sentimental value, I thought. :)

They stopped the Duntons a number of yars ago due to polishing costs ? then production started again. 

 

Are they stopping again?

 

Something like that anyway. Certainly quite a well designed thing but too light for my liking. 

 

 

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4 hours ago, dave moore said:

Lovely!!

Interesting reading Dave!

The true, unabridged story of the Dunton windlass has been told many times and is quite likely floating about on t'internet somewhere.
The Dunton 'S'  ( short throw steel insert ) which only got as far as the design stage would probably never had hit the production line due to the ever increasing costs of manufacturing in this country. We'd probably have been pricing them @ upwards of £70 and that's NOT anything to do with polishing, that was the cheapest part of production and still is.

Hope that helps.

On 26/03/2023 at 17:37, Ray T said:

Some folks are getting greedy, it will only fit the Ham Baker gear.

 

Windlass for Hatton Lock Flight - Aluminium Canal Boat Lock Gate Key Lock Handle | eBay

 

I have one but didn't pay anything like that for it.

That's the Hatton, something of a mystery. Nick never ever mentioned that, possibly produced after the Dunton, the single eyed version appeared and before the double. We'll sadly never know now.

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3 hours ago, magnetman said:

They stopped the Duntons a number of yars ago due to polishing costs ? then production started again. 

 

Are they stopping again?

 

Something like that anyway. Certainly quite a well designed thing but too light for my liking. 

 

 

I see there is a windlass for sale that looks like a Dutton but has Hatton stamped on it 

image.thumb.png.71c71bccade5a03b0438ad0e6ab7ec73.png

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Yes. The poster above mentioned it and seemed to imply that the origin is unknown. I always assumed these were made by the same people as the Dunton doubles .

That one won't go on the granny gear parallel spindles. 

Dunton Double will fit those that was the whole point of it. 

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I have drilled and tapped the handle on most of my Dunton and Walsh windlasses and inserted a 12mm steel bolt in the end of the handle. You do need a pillar drill to get it straight. it's neat and just as effective as a jubilee clip.

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I have a pillar drill, but it's a benchtop model so don't think it has the height to fit a windlass handle under.

I'm assuming you drill into the end of the handle?

I do not have any taps or dies though, so that would be another purchase :D 

Edited by Hudds Lad
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1 hour ago, dave moore said:

It could be an idea to it a small Jubilee clip on the shank. If it goes in then a magnet should recover it. Just a thought.

But not a stainless one

 

24 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

I have a pillar drill, but it's a benchtop model so don't think it has the height to fit a windlass handle under.

I'm assuming you drill into the end of the handle?

I do not have any taps or dies though, so that would be another purchase :D 

Araldite

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3 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

I have just taken delivery of a Dunton Double, i'm entirely blaming you, @LadyG :D 

:) nice thing, I have it with me when I go for a wander up the towpath. So far, not seen another boat locking through.

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