Maxwell's popular RC Series of vertical windlasses automatically handles rope/chain combination rodes - including the thick rope splice, making a seamless transition from chain to rope as the rode is deployed or retrieved. As vertical windlasses, they take up less room on deck, can be very low profile, and if equipped with a capstan, can handle rope hauling from any direction. The vertical RC range is suitable for boats from 15 feet to apporximately 52 feet in length. This product features the smaller RC6 windlasses.

The RC6 windlass has been designed with the smaller, and trailer boat market in mind. The in-line, vertical planetary gearbox and motor means quick and easy installation by either the boat yard or the DIY aftermarket customer. A large through-deck hawse pipe ensures easy entry and exit of rope and chain.
This windlass is typically suitable for use on light displacement boats up to 28 ft in length, depending on windage.
If your boat's length is over 23 ft, and it has a relatively heavy displacement for its length, you should move up to an RC8 windlass - as you never know when your windlass will be pressed to perform at the limits of its capabilities, such as raising the anchor in storm conditions.

The RC6 windlass features Maxwell's off-set rib, Wave Design chainwheel which offers superior holding power with less wear on the rope. This chainwheel will accommodate 1/4"/6mm/7mm short link marine chain HT or BBB or metric. The chainwheel handles all of them equally well.
By the way, the RC6 works just as well with all-chain rodes for those who prefer the added security and holding power of an all-chain anchor system.

Wave Design chainwheel provides superior holding power and less rope wear
RC6 Wave Design chainwheel will accommodate G4/HT or BBB 1/4" and 6mm/7mm short link marine chain spliced to 1/2" three-strand or 8-plait rope
Available only as a low profile unit (no optional capstan drum)
Easy maintenance accessibility
Emergency chain "free-fall" function with cone clutch controllability
Unlike the similar RC8-6, this RC6 windlass does not have an emergency manual retrieval mechanism
Manufactured from marine grade chromed bronze and stainless steel for outstanding saltwater durability
Dimensions on deck: 7-3/4"L x 5-3/4"W x 3-1/8"H
As with all windlasses, use in conjunction with a chain stopper, snubber or mooring cleat to take the load when lying at anchor
3-year limited warranty
Note that G4, G40, G43, and High Test (HT) chains are equivalent for sizing purposes

What's in the box (U.S. models) windlass and chainwheel, panel mounted up/down helm switch, dual direction solenoid, panel mounted on/off circuit breaker, and emergency "free fall" activation lever.
Recommended options include: chain stopper (or chain snubber); see Accessories, below.
Additional options include: deck mounted footswitches, AutoAnchor windlass control and rode counter combo, wired or wireless handheld remote control, rode counter; see Related Products.

Is one of these windlasses a good choice for your boat? You can use the recommended typical boat lengths provided or, for a more rigorous determination, take the total weight of your ground tackle (anchor + rode - presumably correctly sized for your particular vessel) and multiply by 3. The maximum pull capability of the windlass should be at least as large as the resulting number.


Heavy on the technical side...
The patented Wave Design rope/chain wheel incorporates two unique design concepts that greatly improve the handling and control of the rope/chain spliced rode. The outer ribs of the chainwheel are angled slightly forward ensuring that the rope and the chain are smoothly guided in the wheel during anchor retrieval.

As the rope pulls into the wheel, the opposite facing inner ribs grip the rope in an undulating manner, securing the rope more firmly in a "wave pattern" action (like a rope clutch) that is far superior to the traditional "jam cleat" manner of holding the rope used in all other rope/chain wheels on the market. Not only does this Wave Design hold the rope more securely, it is also kinder on the rope resulting in increased longevity of your anchor rode.
The ingeniously designed Wave Design Chainwheel on every RC Series windlass, is able to accommodate a wide range of chain pitch differences within the specified marine short-link chain size G4, BBB, and Metric.