SUJET :

I am looking to add an electric windlass for single handed sailing, and wondered if any one could recommend one that fits into the covered chain locker of the Feeling 326

I added a Lewmar Pro serie 1000 in 2013. We made a wooden and fiberglass plate in the front part of the chain locker in order to have a flush deck support.
The cover was cut before the cover bump.
You can see it on the photo.
best regards

Thank you for your reply. Useful information. I was looking to see if it would fit under the cover, although i see the point that it is a flush fit with the Deck. more food for thought.
Thank you

Hello Marchwood,
Our 1988 326 came with a Lofrans Caiman windlass. It fits under the standard lid. We have one button (up) on the deck close to the locker, and play with the friction of the gipsey nut for dropping the anchor. We use either of the two batteries under the rear cabin berth. We have a 1/4 turn isolator for the (+) fitted to the under side of the panneling on the port side just foreward of the chart table. The windlass is bolted to a grp 'bracket' The attached pic is all I have but can take more if you'r interested . Sorry cant see how to send the pic, will send the text then hopefully the pic.
Kind regards Nick

Hello again,
Here is the pic!

Hi Nick
Thank you. That looks like the idea I had in mind. If you do get round to taking more pictures, that would be great. I was thinking of having third battery under the forward bunk but would be interested in the wiring route from the batteries in the aft cabin and I assume that they have working fine for the job any way. I am not looking to do this right away as I am still working on the windows in the main cabin, but it is on my to do list so that I can sail single handed.
Thank you again
Richard

Hi Richard,
A couple more pics of our windlass installation. We have 50M of 8mm chain plus 50M of rode in there. You will see the chain comes off the gypsy then goes through a hole in the GRP support. As you know the chain locker is fairly shallow. The result is when raising the anchor I have to prevent the chain piling up like a pyramid, by pulling it forwards. So I raise say 5M, stop, pull the chain forward to clear below the gypsy then I press the button again to raise a further 5M or so. Not perfect, but works OK ( if you watch your fingers). Picture in cabin shows the + isolator (1/4 turn). Pic of bow with lid closed to show position of button. The relay and circuitry are in the plastic electrical box high up in the chain locker (pic). The battery cables run under the port side seating - all neatly done (but not by me). Hope this helps. I have a circuit drawing on the boat, will try to photograph it soon, its quite basic a solenoid, deck button, isolator and 100amp fuse (circuit breaket would be better).

Hi Nick.
Apologies for not getting back sooner. That is brilliant and just the idea I am looking for. Thank you
Have a good Season
Richard