Easy winch, 4:1 gear reduction

[Sailingsaves]

http://www.easywinch.com/

Anyone have experience of these? The website seems dead and no prices are on there.

I am strong and don't need one yet, but it looks clever and one day I may be old and weak and it could be useful?

The only big boats I have sailed on have had electric winches, so I don't know.

 

[Sailingsaves]

Does the lack of response mean no one has ever used one?

An email to the company has gone unanswered, so maybe they don't trade and longer.

I was thinking of making one (just for fun for now); it's just 3 cogs, a handle and spigot all attached to a base plate, but no idea if it is worth it now.

Some one must have used one, unless the company never sold any?

 

[Billjratt]

4:1 on top of the winch advantage would have your elbow moving fast for a long time I think.
If you begin to get red in the face when bringing in the last few feet of genny sheet, why not do something simpler like a long winch handle (assuming there's room to swing it). Or even a telescopic version which you can adjust as you get older - or the sail gets tighter...! I bet that's marketable.

 

[William_H]

Yes as said the total effort of bringing in a big jib under near overpowered situations will not be made easier by more purchase. A smaller jib might be a better answer. Or smaller boat. Or electric winch.
However as said a longer winch handle will do the same effect if you have room. good luck olewill

 

[grahama]

I bought a Winchrite a few years ago to help and although quite expensive it does a good job, it's especially useful for furling the in-mast furling main as I can look up at the same time as furling to ensure the sail enters the slot neatly and keep appropriate tension on the outhaul.
When trimming the genoa I luff up a bit to take some of the load off to help the Winchrite.
It's especially useful in our quite small cockpit where the canopy comes back aft of the genoa winch, meaning when manually winching I can only do 180 degrees one way the back the other........slow and hard work.

 

[Goldie]

http://www.easywinch.com/ Anyone have experience of these? The website seems dead and no prices are on there.

Yes I had an early one and a friend of mine with an engineering company was so impressed, that when the previous manufacturer retired, my friend bought the rights and modernised the design - it's the later design that you see on the website. My fiend has also now retired, but if you're serious, I can ask him if he has any left. My recollection - no guarantees - is that they were retailing for about £400.

We have 9 winches and one of these can just ease the strain for the last few inches. until that point, you use the boat's winches normally. It also means that my wife can haul me up the mast relatively easily!