Fitting Winchers

Iain C

Iain C

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OK, need to do this at the weekend. I have heard Bad Things about screwdrivers getting catapulted into the oggin or bulkheads, splitting the winchers, and all kinds of other stuff.

Any tips? Heat them up? KY jelly? Judicious use of The Force? Winchers are new and winches are chrome finish Lewmar 40 2 speeds if that makes any difference.
 
Yep, as above, boiling water for 5 mins, but add some fairy liquid in there too, but just a drop. I used a wide handle of a spoon to lever them on, it's a bit like fitting a tyre. Sadly, I was dissatisfied with their performance as self tailing substitutes, but they have their use as a short term cleat. I ended up buying self tailers. Stu
 
I fitted winchers to my old Barient 26 2-speed genoa winches two years ago.

"Boiling water for 5 minutes"? Sure! Pity that nobody told them that they were supposed to be stretchy and pliable after that treatment!

More realistic, in our case, was fifteen minutes in vigorously boiling water and my son and I pulling as hard as we could to get them over the head of the drum, badly burned fingers being only 'collateral damage'.

They do work...after a fashion. Just make sure that you take as many turns around the drum as it takes to fill ALL of the spool until the topmost turn just fits under the wincher rubber. At that stage a genoa sheet can be held between thumb and forefinger so, yes, they do hold the sheet.

Sailing single-handed I have learned to use them and I do find them a great help. However, if I could afford to have self-tailers, I would replace them before my coffee got cold! There is a company in Australia where they do a conversion to proper S/T but I would have to add the substantial expense of shipping them there and back, plus the insurance. I could do the machining myself but they refuse to sell a kit of parts. Pity.
 
I fitted mine without any difficulty. As they are designed to fit a range of sizes you may have no problem.

I don't think I would want them on my main winches but for the secondary ones they are very good.
 
I have a wincher on my main halyard winch. I found it took a bit of practice to get it to work, but now I use it all the time.

I do however have difficulty persuading the crew to use it. They just don't trust seem to trust it. Good luck with the soap.

:)
 
Another vote for the boiling water and drop of washing up liquid option, worked for me on exactly the same winches. Bit of hard work as they are meant to be a good tight fit and they are that. Not quite a self tailing alternative but still a good plus for me and worth doing.
 
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