Winch, ST or 2 Speed

[RJD]

I am faced with a decision which somebody out there may be able to assist with! The ageing 2 speed Lewmar 40's on my Konsort are wearing out and need replacing. I have on appro a pair of Gibb ST40 single speed as possible replacements. The self tailing aspect is very tempting, whilst I was able to cope with the winchers SWMBO struggles..
Will the low gearing single speed make life more difficult?...we only cruise and I cannot justify £800 plus for new ST40's.
All comments gratefully received, thanks
Tony P

 

[Oldhand]

If you don't want to join the brigade who reach to windward rather than beat, because they either can't be bothered to grind the genoa hard in or are just too underwinched to do so, stick with 2 speed. Single speed winches will be higher geared than low gear with a 2 speed which means less power can be applied to rotating the drum. If you can't stretch to 2 speed and ST then surely SWMBO can tail while you grind or vice-versa, depending on who is on the helm?

Winches control the "engine" of a sailing boat so I'm a bit surprised you can't justify £800 plus for new ST40's and I can't see why "only cruising" rather than racing affects the thought process unless you motor everywhere. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[RJD]

Thanks for your comments, the winch is 'low geared'
I generally find that having tacked the boat, I am on the helm and SWMBO is working the winch, trying to tail the winch as well as helming can be awkward. Once settled on the new course, I usually make the final genoa adjustment.
TonyP

 

[Graham_Wright]

You could look for second hand;- as they say in the trade "They can be found".

 

[pampas]

Lucky to have grinders, I usually eat Spinnach and manage to sail single handed ok.

 

[FullCircle]

For winches look here : - /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

http://www.coastallaunchservicesltd.co.uk/winches1.htm

 

[Strathglass]

Are you correct?

Surely a 40 winch is a 40 winch irrespective of the number of ratios at its lowest ratio. The only difference is that the two speed winch will have a second speed which is lower ratio than 40.

The only pain in having a single speed winch is that it takes a lot more turns to wind it in particurally when racing and in light conditions. The power of both winches will be the same.

I can never understand why a 12" winch handle is not manufactured instead of the normal 10" one which is used to calculate the power ratio. This would have the effect of increasing the power of a winch by 20% ie a 40 winch with a 12" handle would have the same power as a 48 winch using a 10" handle. This of course depends upon the longer handle being clear enough to swing ok and also if the gears in the winch are strong enough to handle the extra power.

Iain

 

[winchservicing]

How old is the Gibb 40? It should be a 2 speed winch!!!!
I have 2 Gibb 28's here and they are 2 speed-can't see why a 40 would be single speed

Be careful-not all manufaturers use the power ratio to name the winch model. A Barient or Barlow 27 is equal to a Lewmar 48!
I don't know what the old Gibb numbering was, but I'll find out!

Good second hand ST winches are hard to get hold of. 90% of the ones I see are well past their sell by date. Everyone wants ST winches, why are they selling them???

Spares are a big issue with second hand ST winches-especially over 10 years old (unless you have the current model). To have new gears made for old winches as one-off's will cost more than you paid for the winch-promise!

Cliff.

 

[alec]

Some years ago I was reminded by an old salt that my tacking technique might be improved somewhat ( nice old fella).

The advice was to go about much more smartly than I was doing. Then, as the boat carried way, head up and sheet the jib in. Then fall off a bit to keep speed up and then pick your course of choice a bit later.

Since then, I hardly have to winch in using a handle.

It does of course depend on the boat you have and what jib size you have. My biggest jib is around 200 sq ft and it still works ok and I am a single hander.

Regards,

Alec

 

[charles_reed]

Try Antal

Designs indistinguishable from Harken (anf there's a tale) and extremely competitive prices with 2 speed and self tailing.

 

[alahol2]

Re: Try Antal

I have a pair of Antal 2 speed winches and very good they are, for the price.
The big problem with them is that they can't be fully serviced without taking them off the deck. Lewmar ocean can be dismantled entirely, cleaned and put back together without even so much as a screwdriver. I just wish that I could afford them.

 

[RJD]

Re: Try Antal

Thanks to one and all fo the comments. One of the Gibb winches proved to be faulty and so they are now out of the running! I guess it will have to be plan B...
Thanks TonyP