Jud, I too have the SL 555 manual windless on my 37' sailboat,and I too have had to transfer from the rope drum to the chain wildcat under heavy load. I use a chain-hook on a nylon snubber to take the strain while transferring the chain to the wilcat.Simply raise the chain over the roller attach the hook ,cleat the snubber and transfer.Take up tension on the windless and release the chain hook.Sorry about your hand sounds terribly painful. Chuck,S/V NiftyNickers