New Winch Handles

[philmarks]

I'm looking at buying some new sheet winch handles and wondering whether the locking versions are worth the extra money? I've lost a couple of handles in the past but that was due to clumsiness not lockability. I read somewhere that racing people prefer non locking as they save time, but I've seen quite a few racers using locking versions such as One Touch (I don't race seriously).

And, how important is length ;-) ?

Just wondering what the general opinion of the experts here is?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I think the lock in feature is worth it as well as longer winch handles. I purchased the shorter version of the Lewmar One Touch Power Grip and I regret it as the older, longer, but worn, winch handles were far easier to use for winching. I will be ordering / buying longer ones at SIBS. The one touch system makes the lock in feature very convenient.

 

[pagoda]

I think the lock in feature is worth it as well as longer winch handles. I purchased the shorter version of the Lewmar One Touch Power Grip and I regret it as the older, longer, but worn, winch handles were far easier to use for winching. I will be ordering / buying longer ones at SIBS. The one touch system makes the lock in feature very convenient.

+1 Onetouch are good handles. Easy to disengage. We also have a collection of older Harken handles- with pivoting buttons. They also work , but Onetouch is my preferred pair to have in the cockpit by quite a margin.

 

[[3889]]

One touch are good but I prefer Lewmar Titan as they float and the lock can be disengaged by a detente(?) feature on the lock release. They're also about half the price.

 

[fredrussell]

I absolutely HATE locking winch handles. I now just buy cheap lockless floating ones and am prepared to lose one every now and then.

 

[Quandary]

I have a variety of handles, an 8" Lewmar Titan which can do a full rotation on the halyard winches without catching the sprayhood, a two handed 10" lock in alloy Harken which we use for the sheet winches plus another chromed bronze(heavy) non locking 10" Lewmar which we do not favour so is kept as back up.
Floating handles are fine in theory but in the conditions where you might drop one you are hardly likely to recover it but the lightness is an advantage.
The powerful lock-in Harken can be put into the opposite winch when the lazy sheet is loaded so that it is securely in place when you let go turn round and bounce across the cockpit and stays in place while you drag on the sheet before loading the tailer, probably less of an advantage when you have more crew with two trimmers.
Also important is that they are always stowed to hand and in the same place.

 

[James_Calvert]

We lost one of our two original chromed Lewmar ones a couple of years ago, and after a lot of Internet searching found a replacement. Only it was a locking one, not one touch. I barely used it until this year, and found my long honed technique for removing the handle single-handed just didn't work, my thumb turned out to be nowhere near the locking device.

If I get another for any reason it will be a one touch type.

 

[johnalison]

I've use both locking and non-locking handles and generally prefer locking ones, though I can't remember losing one of either type. The only problem with my current Lewmar ones is that, depending on conditions, one sometimes needs two hands to remove the handle securely.

 

[MM5AHO]

I lost a Gibb original 40 year old handle this summer. Looked on the chart and noticed it was a depth of 2060m. Fortunately I had spares. Watch on length what might catch your hand / fingers when winding. If a winch is clear of everything it's fine, but catching knuckles on dodgers, guard rails, spray hood etc can be painful.

 

[mjcoon]

On a charter yacht the supposedly locking handle came out while I was winching enthusiastically, swung round in my hand and vanished overboard. The (Croatian) charter company did not accept the argument that it was faulty and insisted on a replacement (which was another locking one)...

Mike.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I can only think there must be more lost handle laying on the bottom then fish
40 year I lost one .

 

[eigerwand]

I found one floating in the Solent which makes up for the one I lost off Alderney.

 

[colind3782]

All this talk of winch handles got me thinking of making an emergency handle from a 3/8" drive ratchet and a suitable "socket". Does anyone have the spec of the "socket" so I can search for one?

 

[dunedin]

I absolutely HATE locking winch handles.

Out of interest, why?

We have all ways used locking winch handles. And keep them in the winches most of the time for trimming.
Very easily removed one handed when taking or otherwise necessary. Never lost one (yet).
Hence why I wouldn’t want a winch handle without lock.

PS we got a present of one of the newer style “single handed” removal handles but it seemed to not work well with our Andersen winches. Got jammed in and couldn’t remove without a lot of struggle. Binned and went back to the usual locking button type

 

[laika]

The Lewmar one touches are brilliant. I really don't see a downside. No slower to operate one handed than non-locking ones.

And, how important is length ;-) ?

The only good argument for the shorter ones I can think of is space around the winch. On my boat the longer handled lewmar one-touches brush the spray hood when it's up and I'm using the halyard winches which is annoying. A friend has a boat where the bimini frame is inconveniently close to the primary winches.

 

[philmarks]

Thanks for all the opinions !

 

[philmarks]

I found one floating in the Solent which makes up for the one I lost off Alderney.

 

[Aja]

Length is important on two levels.
1: in that you have enough room to complete a full turn without having to remove the handle from the winch and
2: gearing. As you get older a longer handle makes winching the last 3mm of sheet in the 150% genoa just about possible, but obviously takes longer than a shorter handle
Horses for courses.

Donald

 

[prv]

All this talk of winch handles got me thinking of making an emergency handle from a 3/8" drive ratchet and a suitable "socket".

I take it you only have single-speed winches?

Why not use an actual winch handle for your spare winch handle? Holt do a basic one for £20 or thereabouts. I have four of them, in pockets next to each cockpit winch.

Pete

 

[crewman]

The only time I have lost a winch handle it was because a line got caught round it and flicked it out of the pocket when the line was tightened. Locking handles no use in that situation.