GoWindlass

[Jo_]

30 minutes ago, Theo said:

The thing that I immediately notice is that it is designed for only on size of spindle.  I need to use my windlass on Hatton and the BCN.

 

N

Yes, true. And I noticed that the Fradley lock spindles are thin so the windlass does need to be pushed 'home'. But my other windlasses (both short and long throw) have one 'ole and so are also one size

[Guest]

I feel like these expensive windlasses are both solutions looking for a problem. My windlass cost me 25 quid, it's a rotating handle type which I thought was flash in itself. I haven't yet found a lock paddle it was unable to raise. 79 quid for a windlass? 150 quid?? They're 'avin' a larf!

 

I'm sure they're well engineered but as I say, solutions looking for a problem.

[Jo_]

3 minutes ago, welly said:

I feel like these expensive windlasses are both solutions looking for a problem. My windlass cost me 25 quid, it's a rotating handle type which I thought was flash in itself. I haven't yet found a lock paddle it was unable to raise. 79 quid for a windlass? 150 quid?? They're 'avin' a larf!

 

I'm sure they're well engineered but as I say, solutions looking for a problem.

Yes, I know. But I do have a problem in that on stiff paddles I can't do 360 degrees and the ratchet 160 or whatever is perfect. Of course it's only right for those it's right for - bit like boats and engines! And mine will have a rotating handle because my engineering buddy is giving it one! ?

[Robbo]

10 minutes ago, welly said:

I feel like these expensive windlasses are both solutions looking for a problem. My windlass cost me 25 quid, it's a rotating handle type which I thought was flash in itself. I haven't yet found a lock paddle it was unable to raise. 79 quid for a windlass? 150 quid?? They're 'avin' a larf!

 

I'm sure they're well engineered but as I say, solutions looking for a problem.

Perhaps you don’t have the problem for what they provide the solution for?   I have a lightweight aluminium windlass, I don’t have a problem with a normal windlass but it’s just nicer to use and for me that was worth the extra.

Edited May 27, 2018 by Robbo

[Grassman]

Thanks for your valuable feedback Jo.

 

We bought one today at Crick (£10 less than normal price) before I saw your thread. My wife loves working the locks but following major heart surgery last year she now struggles with them sometimes. Prior to that we would never have dreamed of buying one of these. I recognise that due to the normal length handle there will no advantage of extra leverage but the fact that she will be able to wind a few inches at a time rather than the struggle of winding it right round will I'm sure be of great benefit.

 

We will be leaving Crick on Tuesday to continue down the GU to London so I will report back. Hopefully she will like it as much as Jo does.

[roggie]

Grassman, so how did your experience back down the GU with the windlass go? We will be heading the other way sometime this/next month.

[Grassman]

8 hours ago, roggie said:

Grassman, so how did your experience back down the GU with the windlass go? We will be heading the other way sometime this/next month.

We are now moored in London (Little Venice) so my wife has used it quite a lot since Crick. She loved it. She used it just as you would with any windlass then if she found one was a struggle to wind it all the way round she merely began to ratchet it up and down which was so easy. Granted it was a little slower raising a paddle but it was so much easier. When it came to lowering a paddle there's a fixed square next to it which she used.

 

I'm not sure if it would fit the hydraulic type paddles further up the GU such as on the Hatton flight, but those aren't usually stiff and we would just use a normal windlass.

 

Having been used to an aluminium one she got used to the extra weight and really it isn't much heavier than a normal steel one anyway. She wouldn't be without it now.

[Laurie Booth]

On 27/05/2018 at 22:48, Grassman said:

Thanks for your valuable feedback Jo.

 

We bought one today at Crick (£10 less than normal price) before I saw your thread. My wife loves working the locks but following major heart surgery last year she now struggles with them sometimes. Prior to that we would never have dreamed of buying one of these. I recognise that due to the normal length handle there will no advantage of extra leverage but the fact that she will be able to wind a few inches at a time rather than the struggle of winding it right round will I'm sure be of great benefit.

 

We will be leaving Crick on Tuesday to continue down the GU to London so I will report back. Hopefully she will like it as much as Jo does.

I've bought one as well.

[MtB]

13 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said:

I've bought one as well.

 

For starting Ena??!!

[David Mack]

11 hours ago, Grassman said:

 

I'm not sure if it would fit the hydraulic type paddles further up the GU such as on the Hatton flight, 

 

The paddles on the Hatton flight are not hydraulic (except to the extent that all paddles could be regarded as hydraulic devices in that their function is to control the flow of water).

Edited June 19, 2018 by David Mack

[Grassman]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

 

The paddles on the Hatton flight are not hydraulic (except to the extent that all paddles could be regarded as hydraulic devices in that their function is to control the flow of water).

Okay be picky then ?. What I meant was that they are different to most lock gear. I assumed they were hydraulic inside those 'drums' because the gear is enclosed and they don't go 'rat tat tat' like the others ?.

[Jo_]

I am delighted with my GoWindlass. Will use it in preference to any other now since it makes my life with rough tough paddles easier! As Grassman says, using the ratchet so you don't have to go all the way round makes raising a paddle a slighly slower operation. But I'm not bothered - after all, as W.H.Davies wrote about 100 years ago: "A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare". 

[Grassman]

10 minutes ago, Jo_ said:

I am delighted with my GoWindlass. Will use it in preference to any other now since it makes my life with rough tough paddles easier! As Grassman says, using the ratchet so you don't have to go all the way round makes raising a paddle a slighly slower operation. But I'm not bothered - after all, as W.H.Davies wrote about 100 years ago: "A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare". 

But what she really likes about it is that if the paddle gear isn't stiff she can wind it all the way round just as you can with a normal windless. So it isn't always a slower process but only in some instances.

[roggie]

Thanks for the positive feedback, on the back of these I ordered one last night. Their website is slightly disappointing with very few testimonials, almost as thought no one has much positive to say. Guess they are more into design and production than marketing.

[Laurie Booth]

10 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

For starting Ena??!!

?

[MtB]

Just now, Laurie.Booth said:

?

 

Oh dear did I get the name wrong? Your Rolls Royce!

[Laurie Booth]

2 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Oh dear did I get the name wrong? Your Rolls Royce!

Yep, never get a girls name wrong

 

[MtB]

12 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said:

Yep, never get a girls name wrong

 

 

Oh bugger.

 

Very wise advice...!

[roggie]

The GoWindlass was a success (said my wife). It was used on all the locks on the Grand Union south between Watford and Heyford Fields marina (Salar is in for blacking). Surprisingly it is only a couple of ounces heavier than the standard sleeved windlass - video of it in action on a Tweet I sent at

 

[Grassman]

 

My wife wouldn't be without hers now. We've been cruising for two months now and it's made such a difference for her.

[Jo_]

8 minutes ago, Grassman said:

 

My wife wouldn't be without hers now. We've been cruising for two months now and it's made such a difference for her.

Ditto. Love mine and delighted to hear it's not just me that thinks this windlass is a superb addition to boaty life ??

Edited July 19, 2018 by Jo_
Auto spell check ?

[haggis]

1 hour ago, Jo_ said:

Ditto. Love mine and delighted to hear it's not just me that thinks this windlass is a superb addition to boaty life ??

I am finding this thread interesting as anything which makes my boating life easier is good. I currently use a long throw aluminium windlass (with jubilee clips so it can be retrieved if it goes swimming) and I find it really good and very light. On the odd occasions when I have to use a "normal" windlass (as the lock beam is too near the paddle) I find it very heavy and often just resort to putting my alu one on and off and doing three quarter turns with it. A Gowindlass would help with that! I wonder how the weight compares between the long throw alu and the Gowindlass. 

Does anyone know? 

 

haggis

[MtB]

36 minutes ago, haggis said:

A Gowindlass would help with that! I wonder how the weight compares between the long throw alu and the Gowindlass. 

 

The GoWindlass is a lot heavier. Someone mentions earlier in the thread it weights a little bit more than the ordinary steel windlass you mention finding too heavy. 

[haggis]

8 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

The GoWindlass is a lot heavier. Someone mentions earlier in the thread it weights a little bit more than the ordinary steel windlass you mention finding too heavy. 

Thanks, Mike. Not for me then :-)

 

haggis

[Jo_]

I'll weigh mine and tell you! And you can compare it to the weight of your long throw! ?