Windlass Safety: How to Operate Your Anchor Windlass Without Getting Hurt

Learn the "How" to anchoring with NauticEd's Anchoring Course - https://www.nauticed.org/sailing-courses/view/anchoring-a-sailboat?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=EOUjv4QS5Lc Check out IMTRA the windlass experts - https://www.imtra.com A windlass recovering 50 feet of chain per minute will not stop for your hand or your foot. Understanding windlass safety before you operate is not optional — it is the difference between a routine anchor retrieval and a serious injury or a runaway anchor deployment. This NauticEd covers every critical safety practice for windlass operation, including how to prevent accidental anchor deployment, how to manage a chain jam safely, and why your circuit breaker must be off when the windlass is not in use. What this video covers: - Why hands and feet must stay completely clear of all ground tackle any time the windlass is operating - What a safety lanyard is, how it is installed, and why snapping it to a chain link when the anchor is in the bow roller prevents accidental deployment underway - How a loose clutch combined with no safety lanyard can allow the anchor to deploy at speed, scratch the hull, or foul the propeller - Why the circuit breaker must be turned off whenever the windlass is not being actively operated and why foot switches remain live until the breaker is off - How to safely clear a chain jam, hawkle, or pigtail in the rope without putting yourself at risk - The correct step by step procedure for clearing a jam: breaker off, safety lanyard on, release clutch, free the jam, tighten clutch, remove lanyard, breaker back on A windlass that jams can be cleared safely in minutes if you follow the right procedure. Skipping any step puts you, your crew, and your ground tackle at risk. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Keep Hands and Feet Clear at All Times 00:16 - What a Safety Lanyard Is and How It Works 01:03 - Why the Circuit Breaker Must Be Off When Not in Use 01:13 - What a Chain Jam Looks Like and Why It Happens 01:35 - Step by Step Procedure for Clearing a Jammed Windlass #sailinggear #sailing #boating #boatinggear