Winchrite electric winch handle (safety kit?)

[npf1]

I bought a Winchrite a few weeks back and have now used it in anger so thought a little feedback might be useful for some on here.

Even though the furler turns easily and the furling line has a nice smooth lead through ball race blocks, our big genoa (approx 750 sq ft/140%) is a bear to furl by one person. There’s no way my wife could quickly and easily furl the sail in a MoB or other singlehanded situation. Hence, after wasting my time trying a right angle drill with a winch bit, I decided bite the bullet and stump up for a Winchrite. It certainly seems to be a well built and waterproof bit of kit that does what it says on the tin. It’s easily coped with furling the genoa and hoisting the mizzen for a week without recharging. I’ve not yet used it for anything else and don’t intend to use it for sheeting but I reckon it would also be useful for hoisting someone up a mast.

All in all, I’m very pleased that I’ve found a solution to our problem. Yep, it’s not cheap but if viewed as safety kit, perhaps not that expensive either. Seems to me to be a case of “buy once, buy right”.

BTW: Watkins Yachting, the UK distributor, were very communicative by email and helpful. Mine turned up with something missing, which Watkins Yachting then overnighted to me.

If anyone in the Hamble area wants to see it in action, just give me a shout.

Anyone want a winch bit to fit a right angle drill (“The Cranker”)?

Nigel

 

[FullCircle]

Wow, not cheap at £500 though!

Sounds like what we need.
Did you look at the Winch Buddy?

 

[npf1]

Yep, did look at the winch buddy but seems to be much more cumbersome than the winchrite and wouldn't be waterproof. And more expensive by the time it's shipped to the UK, VAT etc.

See PM re the cranker which I'll get in the post to you.

 

[ditchcrawler]

I tried the cranker in a biggish drill but it was not up to the job,so I bought a Winchrite a couple of months ago.I am really pleased with it .It hoists my main no trouble at all and furls the genny easily.I have a dodgy back and it will give me many more years of sailing(he says fingers crossed)

 

[snooks]

I’ve not yet used it for anything else and don’t intend to use it for sheeting but I reckon it would also be useful for hoisting someone up a mast.

IIRC Winchrite specifically exclude it being used for winching people up the mast or out of the water etc.

Probably just covering themselves, but still something to bear in mind that they don't want it to be used in that way.

 

[Fergus]

I use a milwaukee 32v cordless right angle drill with a winchbit - perfect!

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I use a milwaukee 32v cordless right angle drill with a winchbit - perfect!

Hi Fergus
where from? How much?
ta
S

 

[Fergus]

$360 from amazon

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

$360 from amazon

?
http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-072...LW24/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316768223&sr=8-1

 

[Fergus]

That's the one!

 

[npf1]

OK, I'm biased as already got the Winchrite thing, but do consider that the $360 on Amazon would end up being approx being around £400 by the time you've added postage, a winch bit, VAT, been gouged on the FX rate by the credit card company and had an admin charge added for the import. Maybe even more by the time you've added a UK adapter for the charger.

I'd bet that Winchrite thing can be had for £450 with a boat show offer or a bit of haggling. So you're ultimately talking a £50 or so difference for something that is made to do the job and does it well, versus something that, although it would do the job, is not purpose built or waterproof or nonslip and that has a more cumbersome form factor.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

hi npf1
yes with an American wife I have found ways to circumnavigate some purchases in the U.S. but overall probably not worth the hassle (risk).
The waterproof element of the winchriite must in itself be an added bonus as I often sail in conditions when many others choose not to.... just to get there and to partly enjoy the experience. To be able to do so without swmbo relying on me to do all the winching may be a good enough reason to stick it under a 'safety item'.
I've not looked yet but can it be charged from 12V?

answering my own question...yes
http://www.force4.co.uk/9428/Force-...oogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid9428

 

[Pagetslady]

I bought a Winchrite a few months ago, unfortunatly it has already failed the drive broke but Ian Watkins has already posted a new one to me, apparently there has been a problem with the drive so they have redesigned the drive and are replacing mine with the later model. If I was buying a new boat and the option of an electric winch was available I would go for it but £2,500 seems a lot for the electric option on a winch that is surely already part of the equipment I would have thought £1,000 would add a motor. I intended to use my Winchrite for winding genoa sheets but felt it was two slow, but I guess when I can no longer winch them in the winchrite would help. One advantage to the Winchrite is self powered so does not drain the batteries when on long sailing passages.
Mike
Ps it comes with a mains charger and also a 12 v dc charger

 

[Teetime]

Winchrite Problems?

I bought a Winchrite a few months ago, unfortunatly it has already failed the drive broke but Ian Watkins has already posted a new one to me, apparently there has been a problem with the drive so they have redesigned the drive and are replacing mine with the later model. If I was buying a new boat and the option of an electric winch was available I would go for it but £2,500 seems a lot for the electric option on a winch that is surely already part of the equipment I would have thought £1,000 would add a motor. I intended to use my Winchrite for winding genoa sheets but felt it was two slow, but I guess when I can no longer winch them in the winchrite would help. One advantage to the Winchrite is self powered so does not drain the batteries when on long sailing passages.
Mike
Ps it comes with a mains charger and also a 12 v dc charger

This post frightens me. My Winchrite has done a fair bit of work and I was sorry to learn that there may be problems ahead.

 

[srah1953]

.... If I was buying a new boat and the option of an electric winch was available I would go for it but £2,500 seems a lot for the electric option on a winch that is surely already part of the equipment ....]

On the Jeanneau I recently bought, a pair of Harken rewind electric sheet winches cost around €10,000. I didn'tgo for this option but it does put the price of the winchrite in a better light.

 

[Shrektwo]

Winchrite

This post frightens me. My Winchrite has done a fair bit of work and I was sorry to learn that there may be problems ahead.

If in the unlikely event that you have problems with your Winchrite, we will replace it for you. A small number of a particular batch had problems with the gearbox but not all, so if it has not failed by now with hard use it is unlikely to be a future problem
Ian Watkins - Watkins Yachting
Official UK WInchrite Importer

 

[gregship]

winchrite

Can anybodytell me if the winchrite would work on a two speed winch,ie does it have a back and forward capability and having read past post on the winchrite can anybody give me more upto date feedback

 

[bairdag]

Winchrite

Can anybodytell me if the winchrite would work on a two speed winch,ie does it have a back and forward capability and having read past post on the winchrite can anybody give me more upto date feedback

It does not have a reverse but a low gear. I have used it for a month now for raising a 70kg main and it does the job with ease. £500 is a fraction of one electric winch conversion. The battery does at least 2 lifts of 16m with a 2:1 purchase.

We had no problem once it was in low ratio.

 

[reeac]

My wife campaigned for several years for an electric anchor winch. I resisted saying that I could manage perfectly well with the present manual one. The argument was clinched when I had a heart attack in February and we agreed that we'd carry on sailing but with an electric anchor winch. After exploring options for our Sadler 29 we went for a Winchrite - about half the cost of getting a new winch bought and installed and no cutting holes in the deck nor tricky cable runs. Haven't used it yet due to delayed launching but we're in the water now and I'm looking forward to trying it out.

 

[Vegable]

It does not have a reverse but a low gear. I have used it for a month now for raising a 70kg main and it does the job with ease. £500 is a fraction of one electric winch conversion. The battery does at least 2 lifts of 16m with a 2:1 purchase.

We had no problem once it was in low ratio.

Sorry to contradict you, but I have 2 speed winches and the Winchrite works them fine. There's a switch at the head of the device which reverses the direction. We use ours on all the sheets and haliards for the last 14 months without a problem and charge it up each evenning using the 12v socket onboard. It does take a while to charge up though - say about an hour. We have a 38' yacht so there's a fair torque on the handle at times when sheeting in.

Mike.