I just replaced a 20 year old Ideal windlass having a free fall and an "in" switch with an Ideal having "in", "out" and free fall. The free fall worked very well but it always seemed to be deploying the chain too slow or too fast and I had to keep my hands close to the chain wheel more often than made me comfortable. I personally like the "out" switch better than free fall since I can lean over the bow and watch the chain while it is being deployed. It does take another solenoid and extra wiring as well as another hole in the boat if you use a foot switch. It also takes concentration to make sure your foot is on the right switch. Regards, Wayne Prichard MV Segue Knoxville, TN 37922 USA