Lewmar sent us a pair of its new vertical windlass designs, the V2 Gypsy and the V3 Gypsy. This additional contact area provides a better grip on the anchor rode, which usually means superior pulling power. Though vertical windlasses need plenty of space below them, they have one major performance advantage over horizontal models: the rode contact area on the gypsy is approximately 180° on a vertical vs. In our testing, only one of the units was fitted with a capstan, but all the others have this as an option.īefore you select a vertical windlass, you must be sure the forepeak on your boat has enough space to accommodate not only sufficient anchor rode for your vessel, but also a portion of the windlass unit and the bulky electrical cables that power it. Capstan-equipped units are a bit higher profile and normally retain the combination rope/chain wheel assembly. (Three sell for less than $2,000 and four for more.) And each has the ability to handle both chain and line.ĭrive mechanisms-including motors, reduction gears, and electrical connections-on vertical windlasses, are all contained belowdecks, while the gypsy and clutch assemblies are housed on deck in low-profile bases. Collectively, they’re suitable for a range of boats from 25′ to 60′ LOA and are priced from $1,300 to $3,400. We tested seven powerful vertically oriented windlasses. If you’re looking to lift a hefty anchor set deep in a muddy bottom and then carry hundreds of pounds of chain, anchor, and mud to the surface, these are the tools you want. Some of these stronger siblings are able to put more than a ton of force on the anchor rode. In the continuation of PS’s anchor windlass testing, we evaluated a group of verticals models, which are a step up from the smaller, less powerful units we tested in our Aug. When boats get bigger, anchors get bigger, and the job of pulling them off the bottom gets enormous. Big windlasses, like the verticals we tested for this article, do a job many sailors could likely not do on their own. Small windlasses handle a wet, backbreaking, sometimes dangerous job that few of us like.