Drillawinch. Drill driving winches

[DaiB]

Anyone any experience of using a portable drill to drive a winch instead of hand cranking it??
Saw the adapter at the boat show (drillawinch on the Lucas sails stand) and they were using a 18v DeWalt angle drill.
Was wondering if it would work on our headsail roller winch and sheet winches. 39ft boat.

 

[Anonymous]

There was a recent thread on that subject, became quite heated....

This thread for drill winch

 

[mandlmaunder]

Milwalky also do 18 and 24 volt rechargable Crank(90 degree) drills that seem to fit the bill nicely, all you need is the winch adaptor (make 1 from old winch handle spigot (star shaped thing that goes in the winch)and welded on extension to fit into the chuck), and be ready for the torque as the weight comes on the drill.
should be good for 8-10 mainsail hoists.

 

[thalassa]

Well, I hope the make is better than the winch bit I bought from the States early in the year. There was a slight problem fitting it, as the given measurement for the stem was done square on the bit, and round on the Dewalt WD 960 angled drill. But it fitted, after exchanging the drill head for a slightly larger one.
However, the site states it is stainless steel, but if true, it is the softest SS I ever came across. Also it didn't look machined, but moulded. I suspect it isn't steel at all, but an alloy. Anyway, when new, it lifted my 29 m2 mainsail easily. After a dozen uses (3/4 I do by hand, last 3 m with the drill) the flats on the stem wore away, although I had made sure each time it was properly seated.
Since I've been afflicted with recurrent tendinitis, I'm very pleased with the procedure, but this winter I will have one made up -in a proper metal- by a machine shop...

 

[snowleopard]

It's a good idea to be wary of US advertiser's claims. They don't have the Trades Descriptions Act and have a tradition of lying in ads.

 

[Fergus]

I have the Millwaukee drill and winchbit - works really well for the mainsail - saves on effort and gets the sail up far more quickly than a person could

 

[Goldie]

Have a look at the 'Easywinch' made by Calidus Engineering. We've had ours 10 years and it's brilliant (and now back in production). Nothing really to go wrong, no batteries to flatten and a 4:1 mechanical advantage (both directions) avaiable whenever/wherever you need it.