Barton Winchers - this can't be right

[eddystone]

I'm wondering whether others have had as much difficulty as I have in fitting these. As I have Lewmar 40s the medium size are supposed to be the correct fitting. However the Force 4 barcode label is indicates ability to take line 10-12mm whereas the product packaging says 10-14. At the fourth attempt I managed to find a technique to wrestle them over the winches into the correct position; however, they were so stretched that the "slot" for jamming on the line is pinched so narrow that it would take a much thinner line. There is another Sadler 32 next to me with the same Lewmar 40s with Winchers and they don't look like they exhibit the same problem. Do you think getting the next size up would help/work.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

You don't use the slot with the winchers.
You wrap the line round the drum until it reaches the wincher then you start turning the handle. I made the same mistake when I first used one. It's a bit counter intuitive but they do work.

 

[Sniper]

As RM says above, the slot isn't an essential part of the function. The slot is an extra feature which will allow you to secure the tail of the sheet, but they will grip securely without it being used.

I assume you've got both fitted by now, but if not, heating for a couple of minutes in very hot water really helps.

I've had winchers fitted for the last three years and I've been amazed at how effective they are.

 

[Robert Wilson]

You don't use the slot with the winchers.
You wrap the line round the drum until it reaches the wincher then you start turning the handle. I made the same mistake when I first used one. It's a bit counter intuitive but they do work.

+1

And if you've got them on, then you've achieved the miracle! I split a pair trying to put them on with the winches OFF the boat (ie on the garage floor, much heat, Fairy liquid, grunt-puff-swear).
Next time I tried was while actually sailing on a light-wind day. HOT water in a pan, a thin safety line through IN CASE they made a bid for freedom overboard!! Went on SO easily I couldn't believe it.

Mine are Lewmar 30s/medium size Winchers, and the top-slot is slim, with 12mm sheets. I rarely have used it, rather just to keep the tail in place, but not gripped-in.

Good luck

 

[CFarr]

As the others have said above. Don't use them like you do self tailers.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=udk5mY5QJQc

 

[Stork_III]

The easy way to get them on, with Lewmar winches is to remove the top and then fit the top into the winchers from below, then refit the top to the winch, piece of cake.

The slot can be used to tie off after winching in, but a horn cleat near by works better.

 

[Coaster]

When fitting our Barton Winchers, on the auxiliary winches used for halliards etc, I resorted to using a pair of very large screwdrivers as the equivalent of tyre levers. Despite being concerned about damaging the rubber, not to mention the winch drums, the Winchers are so tough that they were entirely unmarked.

 

[eddystone]

So the secondary cleating function is not worth bothering with? BTW, is there any harm in going up a size? Force 4 have sent me a return label - I thought |I would try large, meant for drum diameter 80-90 and line size 12-14, in the hope it would give me a wider slot.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

So the secondary cleating function is not worth bothering with? BTW, is there any harm in going up a size? Force 4 have sent me a return label - I thought |I would try large, meant for drum diameter 80-90 and line size 12-14, in the hope it would give me a wider slot.

Go with whatever is recommended for the size of your drums. If the wincher is not tight on the drum then it doesn't work very well.

 

[Sailingsaves]

Never knew winches worked like that. I do love this forum for learning things.

Does this mean that a person could adhere some kind of gripping material to the underside of the top lip of a winch that is not self tailing, then the same affect could be achieved without spending £60 for a wincher? Would the same gripping material need to be applied to the base of the metal winch drum (even though the Barton Winchers do not seem to need it after watching the video)?

 

[Sniper]

Never knew winches worked like that. I do love this forum for learning things.

Does this mean that a person could adhere some kind of gripping material to the underside of the top lip of a winch that is not self tailing, then the same affect could be achieved without spending £60 for a wincher? Would the same gripping material need to be applied to the base of the metal winch drum (even though the Barton Winchers do not seem to need it after watching the video)?

I guess the answer has to be 'yes' but you would probably have a huge amount of frustration in finding something that would adhere reliably to the underside of the top lip AND did not damage your sheets.

 

[davidej]

I guess the answer has to be 'yes' but you would probably have a huge amount of frustration in finding something that would adhere reliably to the underside of the top lip AND did not damage your sheets.

I don't think there is a pronounced enough lip on an ordinary winch to self-tail however much rubber material you could apply to the underside

 

[Sniper]

I don't think there is a pronounced enough lip on an ordinary winch to self-tail however much rubber material you could apply to the underside

Good point. The winchers do build up the top lip quite substantially.

 

[Cantata]

When fitting our Barton Winchers, on the auxiliary winches used for halliards etc, I resorted to using a pair of very large screwdrivers as the equivalent of tyre levers. Despite being concerned about damaging the rubber, not to mention the winch drums, the Winchers are so tough that they were entirely unmarked.

Seems not generally known that there is this fitting info on the Barton website: http://www.bartonmarine.com/tech-info-winches-fitting-instructions-photo.asp