Winch size

[pcatterall]

Still striving to work my boat from the comfort of the wheelhouse!!
I want to fit a winch on the wheelhouse roof so that I can at least hoist the mainsail from there when single handed.
32' ketch 450sq'. The winches at the foot of the mast are 16s and seem quite adaquate.
In haste I have bought a pair (though I only need one) of Miesner 28s.
Are these too big for the job ? (is there such a thing?)
Should I use one and put the other back on Ebay or do people prefer a pair?
Regards Peter

 

[steve_cronin]

The extra lead and turning blocks you're going to need will take at least 50% of the added advantage of the larger size due to the increased friction.

You probably WOULD get away with just one but I remember only having one halyard winch on my last boat and often regretting this. We have two on the current boat and use them both regularly even though we have in-mast reefing.

Port one does mainsail outhaul, kicking strap and mainsheet; stbd. does reefing line and topping lift as well as halyard winch at the start of the season and extra halyard/dinghy lift and MoB recovery throughout.

Steve cronin

 

[pcatterall]

Thanks Steve, good point(s). Will mount one and save the other!!

 

[William_H]

I agree with Syeve except you should perhaps mount both winches. I have a fairly small trailer sailer but have 4 halyard winches. They take care of reefing lines outhaul, cunningham, vang etc. Clutches are very expensive and ropes are much easier to handle if left on a winch with a simple horn cleat after the winch. good luck olewill

 

[steve_cronin]

NO. I said ....

...mount them BOTH. A spare is not much use rolling around inside a locker when you need to rig an emergency forestay or shroud.

You have a Colvic so the cabin top moulding should be pretty strong. Nevertheless, still use as large an 18mm ply pad as you can fit in and use SS penny washers under the heads of the nuts.

Steve Cronin

 

[roly_voya]

Re: NO. I said ....

Definately agree, use both and run halyards to on and reefing tackle to the other. They a definatly not to big, I have 32's and somtime very glad of the exrta. Did initially have problems with friction but tracked it down to the halyards being a touch to big for the blocks. Now changed to wire and the sytem is transformed, will deff stick to wire or thin section Spectra/dyname in future

 

[pcatterall]

Re: NO. I said ....

Thanks guys. Need to consider this again. At this time I just wanted to be able to raise and lower the main on my own from my wheel house 'hatch' . At this position I can only mount/handle one winch. Yes I could mount the other so that crew ( or me leaping from one hatch to the other could use for other lines).
My Colvic is a 'wooden top' that is 3/4" ply on 3x2" 'beams'. I guess that this will be strong enough but had thought not to use a base, just bolt straight through with big washers under.
I was interested to see 3 grooves under the winch base, are they there for a purpose? do I seal them to prevent water ingress or allow water to run through them so they drain the internals?
Thanks for the usual good advice.
Peter

 

[steve_cronin]

Re: NO. I said ....

[ QUOTE ]
I was interested to see 3 grooves under the winch base, are they there for a purpose? do I seal them to prevent water ingress or allow water to run through them so they drain the internals?
Thanks for the usual good advice.
Peter

[/ QUOTE ]

They are to allow drainage. Only seal the mounting holes (with Sikaflex) block the drain channels and you could get corrosion. Incidentally, had you thought of opening up some "Hawse Holes" in the front of the wheelhouse and mounting the new winches internally? You would get straighter leads this way.

Steve Cronin

 

[pcatterall]

Re: NO. I said ....

Thanks Steve, I could only imagine that the grooves were for drainage, I will keep them clear.
Yes I had thought of holes in the front of the wheelhouse, although in my case the angle for the leads would not improve. It was mounting the winches which was the headache, no room on the 'dashboard' and even if I took them right accross the wheelhouse still no good mounting points.
thanks peter

 

[NickiCrutchfield]

Sounds to me like you should do it from the mast. Have you got single line reefing? If not there is very little point in being able to haul up and lower the main when you still have to go to the mast to reef.