Robert the Hungarian mechanic spent a couple of hours aboard installing a down button on our anchor windlass.
For two years Jack had to allow gravity to drop the chain. Lots of people do, but you have little control over how much and how fast the chain goes out. It’s best to lay the chain out as the boat drifts back in the wind, but sometimes the chain would drop too fast and end up in a pile on the bottom, not good for holding. With a down button, the chain will be paid out slowly and under control. Even better, if the chain gets jammed in the hawsepipe Jack will just use the other button to clear the jam. That’s the theory, anyway. We’ll test it out next time we venture off our mooring ball and anchor out.
