Maxwell 2200 Windlass (VW, VWC, VWCLP & HWC) — Owner's Manual

Position & Mounting Area

• Often installed in pairs (one clockwise, one anticlockwise) as an emergency backup. Choose the position with the hawse pipe and spurling pipe; the deckplate's narrower end points at the incoming chain.
• Straight run from the bow roller with no more than 2° deviation from horizontal; roller groove to suit the chain, centre line tangential to the chainwheel. Side pocket anchors: chain roller above the hawse pipe.
• A chain stopper is essential, aligned with the chain and at the right height, clear of the anchor shank; a tensioner to hold the anchor in its pocket is recommended. If the hawse pipe is angled outboard, angle the stopper by half that angle (vertical if under 4°).
• Minimum 800mm (32") between the end of the spurling pipe and the chain piled in the locker; chain must gravity feed unaided. If possible the locker bulkhead runs between chainpipe outlet and gearbox. The gearbox can be indexed through several angles – keep the incoming chain clear of gearbox, motor and power lines.
• Footswitches at least 700mm (28") from the windlass, below-deck part dry; motor starter (solenoid valves on hydraulic units) dry and close to the windlass, never in the chain locker.
• Deck reinforcement must take loads beyond the breaking strength of the chain; mounting area perfectly flat and rigid (structural fillers if needed). Deck cutout drawing 3328 (2200 2500 VWC-VWCLP) is marked “do not use as a template, for reference only” – check every marked-out dimension before drilling and cutting.

Installing

1. Strip the topworks: plastic cap, retaining screw and washer, clutch nut, drum (VW and VWC), upper cone and disc spring, stripper, chainwheel, disc spring, lower cone, key, retention clips, emergency crank collar, wave spring; then the deckplate screws and deckplate. Check every part against the parts list.
2. Use anti-seize generously on threads, keys, keyways, main shaft and inside the spacer tube; coat the shaft with Shell Nautilus NLG12 Marine Grease, Castrol Boating Grease, Valvoline Val Plex EP or equivalent.
3. Bed the deckplate (chainpipe and pawl already fitted) and fit studs, washers and nuts: tighten evenly to 35-40 Nm (25-30 ft lb).
4. Offer up the drive from below without damaging the deck bearing; bolt deckplate and spacer tube together with the 3/8" hex head screws and spring washers to 35-40 Nm (25-30 ft lb).
5. Chain counter: sensor goes in the Ø15mm hole in the deckplate (plastic plug); drill below for the cable.
6. Slide on the emergency crank collar, spring and washer; fit the two retention clips (grease holds them); key in the lower keyway.
7. Lower clutch cone seated on the retention clips, conical face greased with lithium marine grease; disc spring with its smaller diameter towards the cone; chainwheel; second disc spring with its bigger diameter towards the chainwheel; greased upper cone; drum (VW, VWC); clutch nut; retaining washer and screw; cap.
8. Boat builders: treat with CRC 3097 Long Life and wrap in plastic film for delivery.

Anchor

• Keep clear of the windlass; never operate from a remote station without a clear view; never run under power with the handle in the clutch nut or crank collar. Do not reverse before the windlass stops. Isolate the power when not in use.
• Lowering under power: engage the friction clutch firmly clockwise (any position), remove the handle, release the pawl, chain stopper and tensioner (jog up to free the stopper pawl), then use pendant, helm switch or footswitch. The windlass runs only while the control is held.
• Retrieving: clutch engaged, pawl released, stopper/tensioner off; motor over the anchor to reduce tension; jog in the last meter (3-4') carefully; re-engage stopper and tensioner; isolator off.
• Manual lowering (quick drop, “quiet ship”, power loss): tighten the clutch, release stopper/tensioner, then slowly ease the clutch nut anticlockwise and regulate the speed – never let the chain free fall unrestricted.
• Emergency crank: stopper or pawl engaged, release the clutch, put the spigot end of the lever into the emergency crank collar and engage a chainwheel dog at the furthest forward position, pull back, engage the pawl, repeat. Very slow – emergencies only.

Warping Drum (VW, VWC)

1. Engage the chain stopper and/or pawl and fully disengage the clutch.
2. Control warping with the footswitch for one-person operation.
3. Several turns on the drum in the direction of rotation, pull the tail for grip while operating the footswitch; no more turns than needed and let the line slip under sudden loads.
4. Stay clear of lines and capstan and avoid riding turns (they can only be cleared by paying out).

Schedule

Lubricants & Spares

• Grease: lithium complex base, NLG1 consistency No. 2 (Castrol LMX, Duckhams Keenol, Fina Ceran WR 2, Shell Retinex LX, Mobil Mobilgrease HP). Never mix greases.
• Gearbox oil: ISO 3448 VG 320 (Castrol Alpha MAX 320, Shell Tivela oil SC320, Mobil Mobilgear 632, BP Mach GR XP 320). Gearbox drawing: items 2 and 23 tightened to 40 to 60 in-lb; fill with 800mls of VG320 oil; Cyberbond Anaerobic adhesive 7518 on the gearcase joint.
• Anti-corrosive: CRC 3013 Soft Seal, Boeshield T9, Lanocote; anti-seize: International Paints Res-Q-Steel.
• Carry on board: 3227 plastic cap, two 5953 disc springs, two 2311 retention clips, two 3207 topworks keys, 3150 gearbox key, 7068 washer, 2310 spring, two SP2764 circlips, SP2787 motor O-ring.
• Tools: metric hexagon keys, 13, 17, 19mm and 9/16" spanners, flat screwdriver 10mm blade, circlip pliers.