G'day Ken,
Firstly - consider the material of the mounting hardware, especially if you have a metal boat. The windlass will be taking a constant dunking in seawater and there are many dis-similar metals involved, plus electricity.
On our last boat I installed a second-hand Maxwell horizontal electric windlass. It worked great and was easy to install. I used welding cables for primary conductors because they were readily available, cheap and flexible - but mostly because we were in the Philippines and was all I could get. I used a simple hand controller switch with a wire long enough to reach the bow.
Our present boat came equiped with an old, broken Maxwell vertical windlass which was no longer in production. Besides a British motor which was impossible to get parts for, the aluminum mounting flange was corroded beyond belief.
I've always tended to be "brand loyal" but decided to purchase an Italian made Lofrans vertical windlass this time because I was able to get a more powerful, larger unit at less cost than the Maxwell I was considering. Plus, the Lofrans was readily available in the Caribbean (no shipping cost), allowed for a more flexible motor installation and offered more accessories (including a wireless remote).
Two great advantages to installing an electric windlass vs a manual windlass: Anchoring will no longer be a back breaking chore - so you'll begin to stop at more places while out cruising and you'll be ready and able to get out of a bad anchorage when the weather turns for the worse.
Lastly - it's always a good idea to size up if you have the space.
"Nothing too strong ever broke."
Cheers,
Kirk
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