Combination winch and winch handles for University project

[Slungmuss]

I am a current design student thinking about my final year design project and I am considering creating a combination winch and winch handle to eliminate the 2 components and just have 1. I think that not only will this mean that you will not loose your winch handles but it will eliminate the hassle of possibly getting your winch handle stuck. The mechanism that I create will think about the space saving element and may possibly include some telescopic mechanisms.
I would love to know peoples thoughts on this as I know that it is a very specialised subject and I could not do a survey on the average person. If you are very interested in giving your point of view dont hesistate to contact me via private message I would appreciate any kind of feedback.

 

[duncanmack]

I am a current design student thinking about my final year design project and I am considering creating a combination winch and winch handle to eliminate the 2 components and just have 1. I think that not only will this mean that you will not loose your winch handles but it will eliminate the hassle of possibly getting your winch handle stuck. The mechanism that I create will think about the space saving element and may possibly include some telescopic mechanisms.
I would love to know peoples thoughts on this as I know that it is a very specialised subject and I could not do a survey on the average person. If you are very interested in giving your point of view dont hesistate to contact me via private message I would appreciate any kind of feedback.

You mean something like this?

 

[awol]

Assuming you are thinking of sheet winches then the ability to get rope turns on and off the drum quickly is essential. Any protuberance (aye, I've used winches like the ones above) is likely to catch ropes 'cos that's what ropes do! The big boat answer is a separate coffee grinder pedestal connected below deck to the drum.
In umpteen years sailing I have never lost a winch handle from a winch (one was dropped overboard accidentally while not in use) neither have I had a winch handle stuck in a winch.

 

[Norman_E]

As said above, if you have the handle in you cannot get the rope turns on or off the drum fast enough. The best bit of kit I ever bought is the Lewmar "OneTouch" winch handle which fits and removes faster and with less effort than the conventional ones.

 

[richardabeattie]

I've got bottom action winches like the ones in the photo above on my Sabre 27 and have never had any problem with getting ropes on or off them. The only thing to make sure of is that you can park the handles so they don't dig into your back when you're sitting in the cockpit.

 

[Daydream believer]

Cannot help thinking that this demonstrates the poor quality of degree courses these days

 

[DanTribe]

Cannot help thinking that this demonstrates the poor quality of degree courses these days

That was a bit unnecessary?
The OP is asking for some thoughts on a possible improvement to winches, not a condemnation of the education system.
Or have all inventions now been made and no further technological progress is possible?
Of course, in my day, we had proper Viking bottom action winches which could pull the skin off a rice pudding, on a good day.

 

[planteater]

Cannot help thinking that this demonstrates the poor quality of degree courses these days

What was your final year project?

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Cannot help thinking that this demonstrates the poor quality of degree courses these days

Harsh.

It is entirely possible that there is a much smarter way of winching, and without asking questions like this, it'll never have a chance!

As has been said above, fast application and removal of the rope is a key factor.

 

[Daydream believer]

What was your final year project?

Went to work

 

[2copplane]

I for one think it a good idea, and something I've pondered myself. It would have to telescope and fold flat with no sticky up bits, and well,engineered to take the strain.

 

[roblpm]

Went to work

Well I now run a business employing 8 people and the common denominator amongst nearly all the people that i employ is that they are happy to work, ie sit at their desks from 9 until 5.

What is very rare is someone who uses their initiative to make a new process and improve the way we do something.

Work per se is overrated. There are 2 billion Chinese and Indians who are happy to "work".

If we are to maintain our living standards we need people to invent, innovate and think!!

 

[John the kiwi]

I remember the problem of trying to find a design project. Not easy.
You are trying to think of a project and have arrived at winch/handle design. Problem is that this is a technology that many millions of commercial dollars have been thrown at and probably many millions of man hours of thinking. Realistically your chances of adding some original thought in this field are small. This may not be a problem for you, - depends on the marking schedule.
BUT here on the forum you have a huge resource!
Why not ask the forum for real Yachting / boating problems that need a real solution? There is a good chance that the forum will not only provide a real problem that needs a solution, but will give you 100 (mostly unworkable) solutions.
(Important point: exclude anchors and anchoring from you scope. Why? well its a long, long story.)
Good luck.

 

[lw395]

I think winches could be improved.
1) They are expensive.
2) A lot of boats economise on them, so there is a market for more powerful upgrades
3) Most of the current designs use olde worlde materials, is there scope for a decent, powerful cheap plastic winch?
4) Regarding the OP's starting point, it could be possible to fold the handle into the top of the winch?
I think the plus point of 'normal' winches is that one handle fits all. That's good on a 70's one tonner where the pitman has about a dozen winches to play with.
Maybe less so on a modern boat with less winches and more clutches?

A final year project should be about analysing a product and different solutions, it should not matter if the outcome proves the existing products are the best solution. IMHO.
It's a design process.

Another thought is that winding a rope around a drum is not the only way of gripping and pulling it....

 

[vyv_cox]

Winch handles left sticking into the cockpit can be a serious risk. My wife broke a rib when she fell onto a cleat alongside the winch. I support the folding away idea but a handle protruding permanently would not be an improvement.

 

[Concerto]

The ratio of handle length to drum size is the determining factor as to how powerful the winch can be in a direct action. Adding gears has increased the power that can be exerted to turn the drum. My first thought would be a top handle that can be left in the winch, but not restrict putting or taking the turns off the drum. It must also be collapsable to be permanently fixed. This brings the problem of a sliding handle, but this will be restricted by the diameter of the top of the drum, so sliding out should make it long enough to be used effectively. It would need a good positive locking mechanism that is easy to undo and a folding handle. The combination of this will add extra height to the winch, which may not be too good.

The cost of making such a complex component will probably stop any potential manufacture as most sailors will choose what is currently available as it is cheaper.

The other option of a handle beneath the drum is really a non-starter. Winches used to be made like this but were found to be less efficient as the handle had a limited arc of swing compared to a complete rotation of the top action handle used today.

Might I suggest a different design project that could certainly result in a better product. Marine gas cookers. I feel sure this could have better pan holding fixing, improved gimbles, better oven insulation, easy instalation, improved corrosion resistant materials, etc. Plenty of scope to get your teeth into.

 

[[70521]]

Cannot help thinking that this demonstrates the poor quality of degree courses these days

Working out the subject for a final year project/dissertation is perhaps the hardest part of a degree!

Good luck to the OP. I hope he can work out something that does not crack nuts or biff boobs in a F8.

BTW my final project was on the use of remote sensing, the transmission of data to central computers, the implementation of IEEE 11073 and its interaction with Bluetooth.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Coo.... mine was on digital filtering when that was a new idea.... anyone remember Weiner Kinchine theory?

I know for sure, that I wouldn't know where to start now with applied mathematics!

 

[lw395]

it need not be a given that the handle rotates around the same axis as the winch drum.
Or that it rotates at all.
It could ratchet side to side or something?

 

[prv]

Marine gas cookers. I feel sure this could have better pan holding fixing, improved gimbles, better oven insulation, easy instalation, improved corrosion resistant materials, etc. Plenty of scope to get your teeth into.

- a design that doesn't direct hob spills straight into the grill matrix
- built-in ignition (OK, this is a solved problem, but most cookers still don't include it)
- an oven door that opens without tipping the cooker forwards
- how about a self-turning-off gas valve (not actually part of the cooker) which shuts off when no gas has flowed for several minutes?

Yep, plenty of scope for improvement in boat cookers.

Pete