Our opinion on Italwinch boat windlasses

Deck equipment, Windlasses, Electric windlasses, Manual windlasses, Mooring

The manual or electric windlass is an essential mooring equipment for a sailboat or a motor boat. What is an electric windlass? It is a very practical material which greatly facilitates the descent and the ascent of the anchor. If you plan to achieve installing a windlass on a boat, it will be necessary to take into consideration several essential points such as the technical characteristics of the product. When purchasing your manual or electric windlass, you will need to establish a list of criteria, starting with your budget. For a cheap windlass, turn to used equipment on Amazon, Ebay ou Ticketmaster . To know how to choose your electric windlass et what is the best windlass for your boat, ask yourself a few questions: what type of windlass to choose? Vertical or horizontal windlass ? What is the correct size for the sprocket? How much power is needed for a windlass? You will have to choose between an electric windlass of 500w, 700w, 1000w, 1200w, 1500w or more. To find out how much a windlass costs, do an online windlass price comparison. For the brand, you have the choice among several brands: Lewmar windlass, Lofrans electric windlass, Quick windlass, Plastimo windlass, etc. But in this review we will give you our Italwinch windlasses review.

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The Italwinch windlass brand

Italwinch, Italian made brand, is a new mooring line founded in 2009, by MZ Electronic. The latter, being a supplier of winches, has created, with the collaboration of ORVEA, a range of efficient and innovative winches.

Italwinch now offers a range of quality products to equip boats measuring up to 90 meters. It offers a selection of windlasses and capstans as well as various accessories for different types of watercraft, including motor boats, speedboats and sailboats. For example, Smart, their entry-level product is a 500W windlass perfect for boats from 6 to 7 meters.

See the Smart Windlass

Italwinch has a wide range of very complete products ranging from winches to accessories for windlasses:

electric windlasses, with or without headstock;

manual windlasses;
6mm or 8mm windlass chain;
davit for electric windlass;

remote control for the windlass, wired or not ;
spare parts of the windlass;
windlass motor;

relay for an electric windlass;
complete electric windlass kit;
hydraulic windlass;

vertical electric windlass or even horizontal axis windlass.

The advantages of Italwinch windlasses

We present you in this Italwinch windlasses review, the big pluses of this Italian brand which is establishing itself on the European market.

First of all, Italwinch presents a range of windlasses that adapts to the needs of each sailor and their boat. It is a great brand whose products are competitive in terms of quality and price.

This brand can satisfy all demands, even the most demanding. Indeed, in certain cases, Italwinch offers you the possibility of choosing the color of your winch. It has an innovative treatment allowing you to personalize your equipment. So your windlass can be copper, gold or black. And with the PVD treatment, the 316 stainless steel windlass is even more resistant to shocks, and above all better protected from salt water.

Italwinch does not use any plastic parts in the manufacture of the products.

It uses 316 stainless steel or anodized aluminum.

One of the strengths of Italwinch windlasses is the ease of mounting a windlass on the deck. Models usually come with a remote control, built-in chain counter sensor, relay, and circuit breaker.

Its products are guaranteed against manufacturing defects. You thus benefit from a warranty period of up to 2 years from the date of your purchase.

In addition, Italwinch windlasses last over time and require little maintenance.

The disadvantages of Italwinch windlasses

Italwinch windlasses have a high level of quality and have very few drawbacks. However, it is important to understand how does a windlass work and inquire about the use of a windlass in order to avoid false manipulations. Use of a suitable battery and wiring is required.

Also, to avoid damaging the windlass gears, never leave the chain on the sprocket during the wetting operation. We recommend the use of a hook connected to an anchor damper, itself connected to a mooring line with splice. The mooring is then stretched over one or more cleats until the chain tension on the gypsy is removed.

See hooks for anchor chain ø 6 to 8 mm or ø 10 to 12mm

Otherwise, windlass maintenance must be respected for a long-lasting use of the windlass: cleaning with a suitable grease, replacement of wear parts, change of carbon brushes, oil change windlass oil every two years…

We personally have nothing unpleasant to say about Italwinch windlasses. The absence of negative reviews on the web confirms our opinion and is a sign of the efficiency and performance of Italwinch windlasses.

Our opinion on Italwinch windlasses

To conclude our opinion on Italwinch windlasses, we can say that it is a brand of very good quality whose products are designed to last and meet all the requirements of mooring. We have selected the best Italwinch windlasses below. All you have to do is choose the most suitable windlass model for your boat.

NB:

Always favor an electric windlass unless your boat is not equipped with an electric system.
Prefer a vertical windlass unless in the anchor locker, the height between the top of the chain and the underside of the deck is less than 40cm.
Always check that the windlass gypsy is the same diameter as the links of your anchor chain!

Choose a voltage suitable for the electrical installation on your boat (12 or 24 volts).
The doll is used to reassemble the cable. But be aware that the models without headstock are equipped with a mixed gypsy which accepts mooring lines composed of chain and cable.
Finally, choose the windlass power adapted to the length of your boat:

Boat length	Recommended windlass power
6 meters	500 watts
between 6 and 8 meters	700 watts
8 to 10 meter	1000 watts
from 10 to 15 meters	1500 watts
Beyond 15 meters	1700 watts

Windlass power according to the length of the boat

The best Italwinch electric vertical shaft windlasses

Italwinch Smart	500 W	Ø6mm	12V	with
Italwinch Smart V	500 W	Ø6mm	12V	without
Italwinch Obi500	700 W	Ø6mm	12V	without
Italwinch Smart	700 W	Ø6mm	12V	with
Italwinch Smart	700 W	Ø8mm	12V	with
Italwinch Obi500	700 W	Ø8mm	12V	without
Italwinch Smart V	800 W	Ø8mm	12V	without
Italwinch Obi1000	1000 W	Ø8mm	12V	without
Italwinch Smart Plus	1000 W	Ø8mm	12V	with
Italwinch Smart Plus	1000 W	Ø8mm	24V	with
Italwinch Smart Plus	1500 W	Ø10mm	12V	without
Italwinch Obi1400	1500 W	Ø8mm	24V	without
Italwinch Obi1400	1500 W	Ø10mm	24V	without
Italwinch Smart Plus	1500 W	Ø10mm	24V	with
Italwinch Smart Plus	1700 W	Ø10mm	24V	without

The best Italwinch electric vertical shaft windlasses

The best Italwinch electric horizontal axis windlasses

Italwinch Devon	1000 W	Ø8mm	12V	with
Italwinch Devon	1000 W	Ø10mm	24V	with
Italwinch Devon	1500 W	Ø10mm	12V	with
Italwinch Devon	1500 W	Ø8mm	24V	with
Italwinch Devon	1500 W	Ø10mm	24V	with