Windlass - wife came thisclose to losing fingers..

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KeithD

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exMember
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Jul 17, 2007
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27517
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So after spending a lovely morning on the hook in Garbage cove yesterday, we had to pull anchor and head in for a friend's pool party. So, since we are trying to teach our 9-year old son the ropes of boating, my wife headed up front to show him how the windlass operates and we pull up the anchor.
Normally I'm at the helm, and my wife operates the windlass, sitting to the left side of it and using her left hand on the foot pedals. Yesterday she sat on the right side of the windlass, and was guiding my son on how the controls work. As the part of the rode where it changes from line to chain came through, it started slipping. This happens occasionally. So there's the "thumb" thing on the left side of the windlass; if you press it against the rode, it will help the chain pass through and into the anchor locker.
So my wife reaches ACROSS the windlass to push the lever in, and either slips, the boat rocks, or whatever, and her index and middle finger get pulled into the windlass.
She immediately screams - loud - and my son lets up on the switch. I can see she is caught in the windlass, screaming, and I look down at the helm switch for the windlass. I completely blank on which way is up or down - and rather than guessing (because a wrong guess will be disastrous) - I race up front. As I'm coming up, my wife tells my son to hit the DOWN button, which he does, releasing her fingers from the windlass.
I get up there and she is cradling her hand in the other, there is no blood, so I have her show me - the fingers are angry and red and black - but they are attached, not bleeding.
Happy end to the story; she has some very, very sore fingers today. My son did an excellent job under pressure. And we all learned only one person operates the windlass at a time. I think she was a second away from losing fingers.
So I just wanted to post this to remind everyone to be careful, and not let your attention span drop for a moment when we're operating certain equipment on the boat...
Thanks,
Keith
 
It's amazing how quickly one can do something stupid. Worst I've done with a windlass is break my little toe by tripping over it.

The one thing I applaud you and your wife on is a VERY important principle in not making things worse. STOP....THINK....then act. Human nature is to react. Most times the reaction, however well intentioned, is wrong. You showed enough thinking to stop long enough to make sure you did not make matters worse. Your son did an amazing job of actually hitting the right button too. Sounds simple. It's not.

I've been in worse situations and a thinking head is what saved things. Of course, it is often the non thinking that gets you into the situation in the first place, but hey, we take them as they come.
 
Glad it all worked out.
Reminds me of the time my younger brother stuck his fingers in a can.
Unfortunately it was a can where it was opened with a can opener and the lid was still on with a small pieces.
We used to do this in the old days, open it like 95% and fold the lid back, pour out contents and then push lid down.
It was determined to be safer since the lid wasn't flopping loose.
Well he put his fingers in and when you pull them out, the lid would dig in and slice his fingers!
Mom quickly got the can opener and removed the last piece of can holding the lid.
What I can't figure out is what she did next, but somehow she got his fingers out.
I think the lid sprang up when she did that last part and she pulled it out on the angle.
Either way, your story made me think of that!

Windlasses are dangerous. My screws up alot and requires me to fuss with it, which is scary because I am not at the helm.
Admiral doesn't like to go near windlass or the helm!
 
Keith,
I'm glad your wife is ok. My windlass does the same thing and my solution is to drop the line and haul it in again. I noticed it usually happens when there isn't much tension on the line. As a boating family you all learned something and also acted well under pressure. My kids, now adults have been taught how to handle the boat and I trust them, my wife can go foward but insists that any other direction is for someone else to do.
Rob
 
Go all chain and avoid the problems. Glad your wife is OK I have a cousin that lost a finger while docking. Bad things happen fast how you react and being prepared to react can save you live.
 
Guys, most windlass have an internall "tension" device. My Maxwell has one, 20 bucks. They wear out, recommend insepcting every year.
 
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