Lewmar V700 Vertical Windlass Kit, 12V

The Lewmar V700 Vertical Windlass Kit (model 6670011108-312) is the vertical-mount windlass in Lewmar's V-series, sized for cruising boats up to 35 feet. Vertical mount means the motor and gearbox hide below deck inside the chain locker while only the chain wheel and deck-flush topworks remain visible above deck, giving the cleanest possible above-deck appearance for boats where helm aesthetics matter. 700 pounds of maximum pull, 175 pounds working load limit, 82 feet per minute line speed, all 316 stainless steel deck unit, IP67 waterproof rating, and the complete kit including windlass body, helm switch, dual-direction contactor / solenoid, and 45-amp circuit breaker. The right windlass for cruising boats in the 25 to 35 foot range that want above-deck cleanliness with proven Lewmar reliability.

What this windlass is for. Cruising sailboats and powerboats in the 25 to 35 foot range with chain lockers deep enough to accept the below-deck motor housing. The 700-pound pull rating handles typical cruising anchor and rode setups for boats in this length range without being undersized. The vertical mount geometry preserves the foredeck appearance that horizontal-mount windlasses can't match. For larger cruising boats over 35 feet or for boats running heavier commercial-grade anchors, step up to the Pro-Series or larger V-series models.

What separates vertical from horizontal mount. Horizontal-mount windlasses sit entirely above deck. The motor and gearbox are in a visible housing on the foredeck. Vertical-mount windlasses (this V700) have the motor and gearbox below deck inside the chain locker, with only the chain wheel and deck-flush topworks above deck. Vertical mount gives a cleaner above-deck appearance and lower visual profile (good if foredeck aesthetics matter). Horizontal mount preserves chain locker space (good if your locker is tight). Both work equally well functionally. pick based on your boat's geometry and aesthetic preference.

The all-316 stainless steel deck unit is the right material choice for any boat that lives in saltwater. 316 grade has the molybdenum content needed for chloride resistance in marine service, which means the deck unit won't pit, stain, or weep rust over years of saltwater exposure. Polished finish on the visible parts gives the foredeck a clean look that complements the rest of the deck hardware on a quality cruising boat. Lower-grade stainless and chrome-plated zinc windlasses look fine when new but flash-rust within a year or two of saltwater use. the V700 doesn't.

Fall Safe gypsy lock is the safety feature that prevents the most common windlass accident: the rode running freely overboard while underway. With the lock engaged (the default state when the windlass isn't actively powered), the gypsy can't rotate, which means the chain can't pay out. To deploy the rode, you actively power the windlass to release the lock and rotate the gypsy. Without Fall Safe, a worn or failed gypsy clutch could let the rode run free at speed and the anchor would deploy itself dangerously. With Fall Safe, accidental deployment is impossible without active power input.

Impact-resistant motor cover protects the below-deck motor housing from damage during chain-locker maintenance, anchor inspection, and the typical bumps that any chain-locker resident takes from anchor swings and rode handling. The cover is the part that you actually see when you crawl into the chain locker, so the impact-resistance also keeps the cover looking good over years of use rather than getting visibly beat up.

IP67 waterproof rating covers the realistic exposure that any windlass faces. IP6 means dust-tight, IP7 means immersion-protected to 1 meter for 30 minutes. The deck unit handles direct rain, breaking waves over the bow, and the anchor washdown spray that comes from rinsing the rode as you retrieve it. The below-deck motor sits inside the chain locker which is a wet environment from rode dripping and occasional chain-locker flooding. the IP67 rating means the motor handles that environment for years without seal failures.

The 45-amp 12V motor draw under load determines battery and circuit sizing. Run the included 45-amp circuit breaker inline to protect the wiring. Use 6 AWG cable for typical short runs (under about 15 feet) from the battery to the windlass, or 4 AWG for longer runs. The included dual-direction contactor / solenoid handles the motor switching: it converts the helm switch's small command current into the high-current motor power needed to actually run the windlass.

Chain and rope compatibility. The included gypsy accepts 6mm or 7mm chain (which is the 1/4 inch standard for boats in this size class). Rope or rope-to-chain combination rodes work via the same gypsy with appropriate rope size (up to 1/2 inch maximum rope size). For all-chain rodes, the V700 handles 1/4-inch chain in standard cruising configurations. For chain-and-rope rodes, the rope-to-chain splice rolls smoothly through the gypsy without snagging.

82 feet per minute line speed under load is the practical retrieval rate. For a typical 100-foot cruising rode in 25 feet of water, full retrieval from set anchor to anchor on the bow takes a little over a minute. Fast enough that anchoring up doesn't take all morning, slow enough to maintain control as the anchor breaks free.

Easy installation. The vertical mount install consists of cutting the deck-flush opening for the deck unit, lowering the motor housing into the chain locker, securing the deck unit from above with stainless hardware, and routing the wiring from the motor to the helm switch via the contactor / solenoid. Most cruisers can do the install themselves with reasonable mechanical and electrical skill in a long day. Detailed install instructions are in the manual.

What's in the box. The V700 windlass body (with deck unit and below-deck motor housing), the helm switch (toggle or rocker style), the dual-direction contactor / solenoid (the relay that actually switches the motor based on helm switch input), the 45-amp circuit breaker, and the install / operation manual. Foot switches and wireless remote are sold separately for owners who want bow-mounted controls or remote operation.

What this windlass isn't. It is not a horizontal-mount windlass (look at the Lewmar Pro-Series 1000H or similar for horizontal-mount needs). It is not the larger V900, V1000, or V2 windlass models for boats over 35 feet. It is not a manual-only windlass. it has electric retrieval as the primary mode with manual recovery available as backup.

5-Year Limited Lewmar warranty. Same-day shipping before 3 PM ET on in-stock units.