To settle an argument (discussion)

[tim_ber]

A few of us at the club have been talking. Some think most boats have self tailing winches and some think that most boats do not have self tailers.
A look around the club shows about 50:50.

But not a big sample, so I would be most grateful if you could quickly vote: yes = got ST No= non-self tailers.

Only interested if you have winches before I'm told the poll needs more options
Should be an anon poll in case that makes a difference to anyone.
Cheers

 

[Croak]

no

 

[PhillM]

No they are old Gib and tbh they don't winch that well. More used as a guide for the sheets.

 

[tim_ber]

Thanks guys.

 

[alteredoutlook]

what if you have both?
Surely you should be asking the question relating to PRIMARY winches?

 

[prv]

what if you have both?

+1

Our boat came with self-tailing jib sheet winches, a self-tailing mainsheet winch, and two non-self-tailing general-purpose winches on the coachroof.

I don't like winches on the mainsheet (except perhaps on very large boats) so fitted a tackle instead, giving me one spare self-tailer. I was luckily able to buy a matching one from the for-sale forum here. So I put these on the coachroof and moved the original non-tailers to the mast as dedicated spinnaker and jib halyard winches. Removing those lines from the coachroof allowed me to run two new third-reef pendants aft (the lines run in moulded channels under the windscreen, so there is a strict limit to the number) and also made more sense from a working point of view anyway. The cruising chute goes up and down in a sock so with the winch on the mast it can be hoisted and lowered easily by one person on the foredeck. The roller jib halyard is only adjusted occasionally, as a tweaking thing, so there's no need for it to be instantly available in the cockpit. And maybe belaying it on the mast means a little less stretch and strain than running all the load across the deck.

So I still have both self-tailing and non-self-tailing winches on board.

Pete

 

[Norman_E]

I guess there was a point in time when self tailing winches became standard on new yachts, with most later ones having self tailers, and earlier boats only having them as replacements or upgrades. Sometime in the early 1990's?

 

[sailorman]

I have 6 ST & 4 non ST ( but 2 of those with the rubber ring thing on them )

 

[Seajet]

3 winches, none of them ST; in fact I very rarely use the primaries, though do use the foresail halliard winch every time.

 

[NormanS]

It probably depends on the size of boat, more than anything else. Not much call for ST winches on a Mirror dinghy.

 

[Sneaky Pete]

Could not do without them. Great innovation.

 

[Reptile Smile]

Never had functioning winches on any of my last three boats. Current boat (bought in last 3 weeks) does have non self-tailers

 

[philip_stevens]

2 x No

 

[EuanMcKenzie]

depends on age of boat too

mine still has original Lewmars from 1972 i think

so not self tailing for that reason....

This could end up an old boat vs new boat poll!

 

[VicMallows]

Can't even imagine sailing single-handed without S/T primaries .... but sure I would soon work out how if I needed to. (Yes, in 1984 they were still very much regarded as a luxury and were usually on the 'extras' list for new boats).

 

[Ludd]

depends on age of boat too

mine still has original Lewmars from 1972 i think

so not self tailing for that reason....

This could end up an old boat vs new boat poll!

Mine 1973 ,but "Winchers" added at some time to the genny sheet winches.
Also have a captive wire winch for the foresail furling drum---very neat and handy. Two at the mast, main and cruising chute / staysail, non-self tailing.

 

[Boathook]

Lewmar ST on the genoa winches only.

 

[Athene V30]

Upgraded the sheet winches on the Cutlass to self tailers - wouldn't want to single hand without them. Vancouver 274 I have just bought has ST winches for yankee but staysail is not - but then again think I can pull that one in!

 

[concentrik]

7 x ST

 

[john_morris_uk]

what if you have both?
Surely you should be asking the question relating to PRIMARY winches?

I agree. Our primary, mainsheet and roller reefing winches are ST. The halyard winches are not.