To settle an argument (discussion)

yes I have ST winches, No I don't

  • Yes I have self tailing winches

    Votes: 155 59.8%

  • No, my winches are not selftailers

    Votes: 104 40.2%
  • Total voters
    259
  • Poll closed .
JumbleDuck said:
What are "primary" winches? It seems to have appeared as a term quite recently. Is it just a posh way of saying "jib sheet winches", with a hint of military efficiency?
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There generally the ones that are the biggest and most used. In most cruising boats these days they are primarily jib sheet winches, but bigger boats will have primary winches at the mast too.
 
When I bought my present boat I replaced the old headsail sheet winches for self-tailing ones; as I am mostly single-handed they are a boon and I would hate to go back to non-STs. The two mast winches are original and I never find that a problem, even when lifting the inflatable dinghy between deck and water with the spinnaker halyard. As I have no spinnaker that's all it's used for and the furling genoa is only raised once a year when fitting-out.

For raising the mainsail that last couple of metres I use the headsail winch as the halyard is led back to the cockpit and through an in-line clutch.
 
I can say that of the 40 odd sail boats at our club perhaps 2 have self tailing winches all the rest including my little boat no ST. Perhaps this sample is biassed as there are not a lot of cruisers ie mostly under 40 ft due to low bridges and mast lowering requirements. olewill
 
onesea said:
I do not think I could go single handed without ST halyard winches, I have no wish for ST primaries..
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Really? Have been sailing single-handed on a variety of boats for the last 2 years with no winches whatsoever - just brute force. Not big boats, granted, but it certainly didn't stop me sailing.
 
Robert Wilson said:
Fitted "winchers" to primary sheet winches last season. I find them OK, but not having sailed a boat with proper STs I'm not sure how they compare.

What do others think who have fitted them?
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Not as good as proper ST winches, but they're fine on my 24 footer. When they die, I'll get some more. Can't help thinking they're way over-priced for a lump of rubber, though.
 
Reptile Smile said:
Really? Have been sailing single-handed on a variety of boats for the last 2 years with no winches whatsoever - just brute force. Not big boats, granted, but it certainly didn't stop me sailing.
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Like everything in life I you could get by but it is so much easier with ST, the boat is 35' sail are 30m2 and the boom kind of heavy. It would mean allot of watching fingers when hoisting the last bit of the mainsail.

My last boat was 24' and the winches where basically used as ratchets to make life easier. This boat you cannot get the head sail home in anything more than the lightest breeze without a few turns on the primary, bigger boats bigger forces.
 
Stemar said:
When they die, I'll get some more. Can't help thinking they're way over-priced for a lump of rubber, though.
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On the contrary, the fact that you find them expensive but are still prepared to buy them means they've judged the price just about right :). Cost of production has nothing to do with it, except to determine a minimum price below which there's no point continuing.

Pete
 
Our Sadler came with non-ST Lewmar 40s and cleats inside the cockpit. We fitted winchers that were barely better than nothing. When crossing Ramsgate to Ostend one time it was very choppy off the Belgian banks and Jill fell onto one of the cleats, breaking a rib. We replaced the winches with just about the last Gibbs ever made, bought at bargain price reflecting their obsolescence. They have done us very well since.
 
Boat is 32 footer built in 1973 & still has original non ST's - but I have a pair of nice shiny new ST's waiting to be fitted.

It's just that I hate drilling holes in my boat . . . what if they were in the wrong place? :disgust:
 
Boat is 33 foot from 1977 and has Lewmar 40 not ST which I get on fine with, even single handed. If new ST winches were easier on the wallet though I would probably fit them. Last year I put winchers on and consider them a slight improvement from before
 
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