Beneteau

[JonoSlatter]

Hi and Merry Christmas......

I have a beneteau First 26 which I bought in the late summer.
One thing I found on her was that the sheet winches seem to be too small to cope with the genoa. They're workable but require an almost dangerous amount of effort to really close haul. I think they are size 16 / 1 speed.

Anyone know how or if it's possible to replace these with larger 2 speed winches?

Thanks for any help.

Jono

 

[davidwf]

Had same problem with my Dufour. Winches are easy to change, but expensive. First check the hole spacing / diameter of your exsisting winch against the larger one you want to fit, use the manufactures catalogue. Its unlikely that the holes will match up but the important thing to check is that the base will fit on the mount where the olds ones are and the old unused holes will not get in the way.

Its then a simple job (Assuming you can get to the underside of the winches to unbolt the old, fill in the holes that you are no longer going to use, drill new holes and mount the new winch. I suspect Beneteau have a plate moulded into the mount so you will first drill GRP and then hit either a stainless steel plate or aluminium. Don't know whose winches Benateau use but they all dismantle easily enough.

Don't pay list for the winches theres enough margin in them to negotiate a good discount. The boat show is a good place to get them.

 

[LadyInBed]

The other way of looking at it is that the Genoa is too large for the winches and therefore, maybe, for the boat!!

 

[jimi]

Hi, on my beneteau 331 I specified winches 1 size up from standard as the factory fiited ones seemed a bit on the small side and even now its bluidy hard work grinding them in!

 

[robnixon]

Hi Jono,

I also have a Beneteau First 260 which I purhcased this year. I have not really experienced any issues with the winches. I will check the size of my winches when I vist the boat later today.

Where is your sailing area?

Regards

Robert

 

[Miker]

My Beneteau 260 Spirit has the standard sized winches, whatever they are, and which seem fine to me. Perhaps, your boat is a 26 and not a 260, in which case ignore my reply. Good sailing in the New Year anyway.

 

[charles_reed]

I'd suggest stripping, cleaning and lubricating them before embarking on their replacement.
As you don't mention your foresail area one cannot hazard an opinion as to whether your current winches are man enough for the job - but if they're Lewmar 16s they should be good for about 250 ft2.
You could also look at the length of winch handle you've got - a 10" handle will halve the effort required with an 8" one.
If you do decide to replace them go for self-tailing winches and look at the Antal range.

 

[Guest]

save yourself the money. either sheet up just after you go through the wind when the sail is not pulling, or luff up a bit then sheet in. thats what sailors used to do before winches were standard.

 

[JonoSlatter]

Thanks for all your help.

i really do think that especially when sailing single handed self tailing winches would make life a lot easier - and encourage you to trim the sails more.

Replacing them is not a job I think I could do - so I'd be interested to hear from anyone who knows a good rigger in the Poole area.

Thanks again for all your help.

Jono