Winch Handles

[Fin]

They range from £15 to £55 for products that all do the same job and all sink with a boring regularity. Anyone got any recommendations that don't weigh more than the winch and don't give you calouses (Not for me, for SWMBO. Obviously

Fin

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[ccscott49]

Barton I think, do floating plastic winch handles and very good they are aswell!

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[snowleopard]

but have you ever tried turning back to pick up the one you dropped overboard? and could you find it?!

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[ccscott49]

No I havent, because I`ve never dropped one over the side. But I get your point, but they are cheap aswell and light.

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[William_H]

I suggest you buy the cheapest winch handle that is long enough to do the job. Plastic floating handles are good because they can be dropped on the cockpit floor without fear of damage to gel coat but they do leave you in a quandry if you drop one overboard as to whether to turn around and try to recover. You need a net of some sort to pick it up as a boat hook will not do it a metal handle sinks to the bottom so you don't need to think about it once its gone.. I prefer the type without the lock as being quicker to release and get back to safety on the cockpit floor.
Regards will

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[john_morris_uk]

How about a rule that the winch handle doesn't leave your hand unless its back in its pocket. My personal preference is that I don't like winch handles left in winches - they can get flicked over the side from there.

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[charles_reed]

My experience of the Aussie ones (now in barton range) is the opposite - coming out of the Belon on my way back to N Wales and winching away to get the solent up and the damned thing disintegrated and dislocated my left thumb.

As I was solo getting back was a painful and difficult business.

So I'd recommend them to no one but enemies.

(Your not turning androphobic are you?) ;-)

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[janie]

Ours also disintegrated on about the fourth outing. New Year's resolution: only use Holt or Lewmar, because all the cheaper alternatives we've tried have quickly disintegrated. Holt or Lewmar just go overboard!

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[charles_reed]

The best are

Harken, but very expensive.
Lewmar good, barton the cheapest but almost always with supply problems from Tiawan.

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