Lofrans Windlasses

[Alyssa Jean]

Does anyone out there have any experience with the Lofrans Windlass? Am looking to install a windlass on the 22 cruiser. Have looked at the Aries and Simpson Lawrance. The Lofrans Dorato 500 looks pretty good. I have been told that since S/L was bought Lewmar the quality has suffered a bit???

 

[DaveS]

David,
The most recent PowerBoat Reports magazine which I received in the mail yesterday has a section devoted to Windlass Testing. The Lofrans Dorado and Lofrans Marlin are part of test/comparison as well as Lewmar/Simpson-Lawrence and others. I'll be happy to share my copy of the magazine with you. (When will you be heading near Exit 208 on I-5?).

 

[TyBoo]

David -

A gentleman CBer emailed me some info the other day in a PDF file about windlasses. I will forward it on to you in just a minute.

The thing is - I better reply to the gentleman's email and thank him for taking the time, first. He probably thinks I'm a dork by now!

No knowledge on which to base an opinion about the brand you're looking at, but I am fixing to install my second S/L Horizon 600 real soon. The one we had on the TyBoo22 was completely trouble free for the two seasons we used it. During the sturgeon seasons, it got plenty of use, too.

You're right about Lewmar acquiring Simpson Lawrence, but I believe that S/L still operates as an independent branch and they use the same components and engineering as before.

 

[Alyssa Jean]

Thanks for the article Mike. Based on that and the other input from owners on the site I am 99% sure I will go with the Horizon 600. The report also recommends it with one suggestion. Evidentally the 600 has in the past come with a plastic control arm which can show some wear rather fast. The 600 in the future will be manufactured with a S/S control arm. So I will want to make sure that I get one of the new ones. I have an email into the company asking if that has happened yet.