12 inch or 14 inch winch handle

[wotayottie]

does anyone know a source? in my dotage, I am finding it ever harder work to winccccccccccch in the genoa, and I'm far too careful to lash out on electric winches. have you seen how much those things cost?

so as a cheap solution, I want a longer winch handle.

 

[Tranona]

No doubt somebody will correct me, but I have never seen handles that long. Standard sizes are 8 or 10 inches, although you can get double handed ones for extra oomph.

 

[davidwf]

I actually find a longer handle to be harder work than a shorter one. Sounds daft but as the handle is rotated to the farthest point from your body it can be hard to get it to pass that point as you cannot get your body weight over it.

I favour the lewmar type where you can use two hands.

 

[dovekie]

You may be able to lengthen the handle yourself?

 

[DavidMcMullan]

I bought longer handles once, and found there wasn't the clearance to use them without skinning my knuckles!

 

[Anonymous]

There was a long thread that discussed using an electric tool with a winch adaptor some months ago discussing pros and cons. In searching for it I came across this very recent thread:-

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1901353/an/0/page/1

 

[Allan]

I find that I use the handle less and less these days. If I need to pull the Genoa in I bear away a little to get some speed and the head up to take the strain off the sheet. If you get the timing right, you don't need a handle at all. On the three boats I've sailed recently the main will still pull when the genoa sheet is quite loose. I have even thought of sourcing a short handle to speed up turning the winch.
Allan

 

[bikedaft]

sorry to resurrect such an old thread - but did you ever make or find a longer winch handle?

trying MOB practice yesterday using spinnaker halyard - my 35kg son cannot lift his 80kg (FB!) dad out the water using the 10" winch handle. yes we need to try mainsheet etc but i doubt he would manage to move the main boom about especially in waves.

so not for sheets but for MOB, was wondering about eg doubling handle length. or extending it with a piece of flat bar with two holes. something easy to fit over, or keep spare, and easy to find(!) there is plenty of space about the spinnaker winch on the mast for a long handle ie half the effort. also for winching me up the mast...

 

[TQA]

I was looking hard for one and finally bodged one up by cutting up two handles.

Thinking hard about getting two of these 4 speed winches as primaries.

http://pontoswinches.co.uk/pontos-winches/grinder-4-speed-winch/

 

[William_H]

sorry to resurrect such an old thread - but did you ever make or find a longer winch handle?

trying MOB practice yesterday using spinnaker halyard - my 35kg son cannot lift his 80kg (FB!) dad out the water using the 10" winch handle. yes we need to try mainsheet etc but i doubt he would manage to move the main boom about especially in waves.

so not for sheets but for MOB, was wondering about eg doubling handle length. or extending it with a piece of flat bar with two holes. something easy to fit over, or keep spare, and easy to find(!) there is plenty of space about the spinnaker winch on the mast for a long handle ie half the effort. also for winching me up the mast...

MOB out of the water can be a real problem on biggish boat. Some years back we tried several methods on a 40 fter. Not easy. While the halyard is strong enough the friction in the system makes it a difficult job. I think ultimately the best method was to use a stern ladder. However use something like the topping lift or a tackle from part way up the back stay to help and support the MOB up the ladder.
Yes the hoist from a spin halyard led out over the side by spin pole is perhaps the best way to do a dead lift but very difficult. A 4 purchase tackle from the end of the halyard might have less friction so better chance of lifting MOB.
We did try the sail (jib) over the side the foot attached to the gunwhale. This kind of rolls the mob over as it comes up giving a 2 purchase (with the MOB as the sheave). It worked OK until the foot of the sail stretched and he fell out of the sail back into the water. A smaller footed jib would be the answer. I made up something similar in old sail cloth for hauling a MOB back into our yacht club 6m support boat RIB. The "foot is about 1 metre long and is hauled aboard by 2 people one on each corner of the foot while the "head" is attached. Works really well. But never used in anger so far.
Anyway well done for testing recovery methods. Hopefully never to be needed. olewill