electric winches and their woes

[simonfraser]

not wishing to hijack the other winch thread, electrical winches seem trouble to me

my boat is light enough to do most by hand and that way i can feel if something is not running as it should

same with winching by hand, you get some feel for how much power should do the job

any tales, sorry, of damage as a result of over-winching ?

 

[trapezeartist]

The feel of how much force you're applying is helpful in so many situations. Winches and screwdrivers are just two examples.

 

[ip485]

I could winch manually, and probably should, but the Commodore would find it a real struggle as the loads can be pretty large.

With self tailing it is really very easy and problem free - yes it is easy to under estimate the power at your disposal, but like anything, you soon get the hang of it.

 

[johnalison]

A friend of mine has severe polyarthritis and wouldn't be able to go on sailing without his electric winches. He even did the RTIR this year, but they're not my cup of tea, though my wife quite likes the idea when she hauls me up the mast each spring.

 

[xyachtdave]

My mate has had electric winches on both his boats due to the size of the gear.

I must say I'm not a fan of them at all.

Super sailors like us on YBW obviously know where not to stick our fingers or to remember to look at the headsail while grinding it in, rather than just pressing the button and chatting to the crew.

If you've got young children on board or are in the habit of taking novices out I'd suggest they're an accident waiting to happen.
I've seen first hand on a couple of occasions when tied up in a marina and someone has sat on the switch (Harken - those covers don't work...) and the winch has grabbed their clothing and pulled it in in seconds.

His new boat has a big red button to isolate the winches on both steering pedestals, he had to ask for this as an 'extra'.

I can appreciate the benefits to people that know what they're doing and sail larger boats but the danger to inexperienced people and visitors if left switched on not to be under estimated.

 

[Graham_Wright]

though my wife quite likes the idea when she hauls me up the mast each spring.

DON'T.

 

[charles_reed]

DON'T.

I think he means his wife likes the idea of a self-tailing electric winch every time she uses the manual one to get him up the mast. Probably unaware of the number of fatal or serious accidents that have occurred with this method. Perhaps if he assisted by scaling rather than sitting flaccid, she'd have less of a challenge.

 

[KellysEye]

>electric winches and their woes

I saw a mega yacht in Antigua that had had it's forestay torn off because they couldn't stop the electric winch.

 

[NormanS]

I think he means his wife likes the idea of a self-tailing electric winch every time she uses the manual one to get him up the mast. Probably unaware of the number of fatal or serious accidents that have occurred with this method. Perhaps if he assisted by scaling rather than sitting flaccid, she'd have less of a challenge.

I'm sure that the same argument could be used about equipping motor cars with engines.

 

[Graham_Wright]

I'm sure that the same argument could be used about equipping motor cars with engines.

Pedal cars are quite safe

 

[johnalison]

I think he means his wife likes the idea of a self-tailing electric winch every time she uses the manual one to get him up the mast. Probably unaware of the number of fatal or serious accidents that have occurred with this method. Perhaps if he assisted by scaling rather than sitting flaccid, she'd have less of a challenge.

Yes, you're correct. In fact, she can get me up unassisted, though we often get help from neighbours. There is not much I can do to help since I have a back problem but I haul myself up as much as possible and only weigh around ten stone. The trick is to take it slowly. There is no possibility of my acquiring electric winches in the near future, and certainly not of using them to scale the mast.

I quite like the idea of sitting flaccidly, perhaps with a beer being hoist up to me in a bucket.

 

[Birdseye]

I think he means his wife likes the idea of a self-tailing electric winch every time she uses the manual one to get him up the mast. Probably unaware of the number of fatal or serious accidents that have occurred with this method. Perhaps if he assisted by scaling rather than sitting flaccid, she'd have less of a challenge.

Better still, send her up the mast. Usually, but not always these days, she is lighter.

PersonallyI dont se why electric winches should be any more dangerous than electric windlasses.

 

[Gymnopedie]

Do not use the self-tailer if you value your mast/rigging. The power applied is enormous and apparently with no over-load cut out.

In conversation last week we discussed the possibility of a remote control to enable a single hander to climb the mast. The thought of dropping the remote control handset whilst hugging the truck doesn't bear thinking about!

 

[Norman_E]

I think he means his wife likes the idea of a self-tailing electric winch every time she uses the manual one to get him up the mast. Probably unaware of the number of fatal or serious accidents that have occurred with this method. Perhaps if he assisted by scaling rather than sitting flaccid, she'd have less of a challenge.

This topic has been aired before. Going up with an electric winch is quite safe provided the operator tails the line manually, and does not use the self tailer.
I have one coachroof mounted electric winch, which is very useful, but I never use the self tailer.

 

[Searush]

Electric winches? Whatever next? I never knew there were such things.

Not for the likes of me mind, I know my place. I hardly ever bother with the manual ones.

 

[Playtime]

I have the perfect compromise - use a Winchrite electric (battery) winch handle. This has all the advantages of power assistance with none of the disadvantages cited above. In particular you can feel the power (torque) being applied to the winch as you have to balance it by holding the Winchrite stationary. Also, the Winchrite is portable so can act as 2, 4 or even 6 power winches at a fraction of the cost.

Battery life is a concern but I have only once flattened the battery, on a long (10 hours) passage in windy conditions by constantly grinding in sheets on high speed until the motor stalled. Needless to say I now change to slow speed (high torque) before stalling the motor and have not had a problem since. I have also installed a 12V socket in the cockpit and keep the Winchrite on charge when not in use.

For a geriatric like me with a dodgy back and shoulder it is a cost effective solution for easy sailing in later life.

I have no connection with Winchrite other than as a very satisfied customer.

 

[Noahsdad]

I have a single electric winch on the coach roof fitted by the elderly previous owner he used to furl the in boom mainsail. Having reverted to the original slab reef boom I still find the winch very useful for nipping up the mast or hoisting the main when single handed.
I find that so long as you can hear the winch it becomes pretty apparent if there is something wrong/jammed with the change in tone.
I also have a Lewmar trip switch used for windlasses just within reach at the top of the companionway should it run away and also to isolate the button switches when my 3 and 5 year olds are on board and into everything.
In boom main from Elvstrom and boom up for sale if anyone interested...

 

[simonfraser]

Do not use the self-tailer if you value your mast/rigging. The power applied is enormous and apparently with no over-load cut out.

In conversation last week we discussed the possibility of a remote control to enable a single hander to climb the mast. The thought of dropping the remote control handset whilst hugging the truck doesn't bear thinking about!

or just slowly winching yourself out of remote control range

 

[rudolph_hart]

This topic has been aired before. Going up with an electric winch is quite safe provided the operator tails the line manually, and does not use the self tailer.
I have one coachroof mounted electric winch, which is very useful, but I never use the self tailer.

+1. My wife winches me up our mast at least once a season, but knows NEVER to use the self tail. When using the electric winches for halyards, reefs or sheets.

I don't use the self tail either because I only put minimal number of turns on, so I can allow the line to slip when I stop tailing.

 

[dgadee]

Just put someone up the mast the other day with my electric winch (which I love ...) and used it in self tailing mode. Why was I wrong? I kept an eye on him, and stopped before the top of the mast and asked him how much further he wanted to go. Was all simple, hassle free and saved him his usual clamber up the halyard.