Winches Total Replacement

[Sprite]

I was thinking of replacing my winches with Harken self tailing winches any other recommendations



Capt John

[ebb]

Yah! Dats pretty gute!
The Danish Andersens have a great reputation for absolutely precision engineering even in the smaller sizes. The winches are lighter than traditional as the drum is s.s rather than bronze. I hear they got simple guts and are easy to maintain. I haven't seen a single crabby complaint on the net. The ribbed design of the drum is kind to the line.

I haven't used any, I haven't bought them yet, maybe there's incentives at the upcoming boat shows. I'm looking at the Standard 16s for the halyards, 28s for the sheets, which is way oversize according to Andersen's own charts. Course it would simplify if all the winches were the same size. They have maintenance kits to go with the models.

I wouldn't know if I need self tailing or not. Would it be useful for the primaries in the cockpit? Sailnet supposedly has marginally better prices than anybody else. www.andersenwinches.com

Saw some bottom handle winches once (Gibbs?) Isn't that what we spose to have for the sheets? .....say what....?

[commanderpete]

I have Harken self-tailers, which came with my boat.

They work great. The problem with the Harkens is that you need to completely remove the winch from its stand in order to fully service the lower gears. I understand other brands of winches don't have that problem.

I also think the stainless steel winches like the Andersens would look better on the boat compared to the black anodized ones like Harken.

[Sprite]

I m thinking of getting andersons. I have to get new winch pads as well and their servicible.

Captain John;)

[Bill]

We have chrome bronze Lewmar 16 ST's. Very nice.

Check with Defender Industries for their trade in program. We saved something like 30% off regular discount prices (and they really don't want your old winches!).

[mrgnstrn]

We chose Lewmar 12ST's for Ariel Spirit.
They are a slight bit cheaper than the 16's and seem to have as much power as we needed.

[Scott Galloway]

If any of you guys who are installing self-tailers are giving away or offering your ancient original bronze jib sheet winches for sale, I would not mind picking up a pair. I am very happy with mine for sheet winches, but I could use a couple more for the cabin top halyard winches. I guess I just like bronze stuff.

[c_amos]

Keith,


The Lewmar Ocean 14's on Ariel Spirit are an absolutely wonderful modification! :D They work great, and I did not cleat off a jib sheet once during the trip.

I have purchased a pair of Lewmar Ocean 16's that will be replacing the South Coast winches aboard 'Faith'.

[Bill]

Latest Practical Sailor (June '06) has a test/review of 2-speed self tailing winches. Their top pick is the ss Andersen. Although the winches covered are larger than we would likely use, the information is instructive. (Next time the one's on Maika'i are serviced, I need to confirm they were installed correctly - with the "output gear" perpendicular and adjacent to the point where the line first enters the drum.)

If the PS discussion of self tailing mechanisms had been available earlier, my selection of a winch might have been different.

[SkipperJer]

I'd make a reasonable offer on someone's old original winches just to get the handles. I've missed out on two handle auctions on E-Bay. I'm ok for now but almost lost the big handle overboard earlier in the season. I need back-ups.

[Cup O Tea]

Hi Gang - Work continues on Cup O Tea. New rudder (quarter sawn Honduran Mahogany to original spec with original hardware). New main. New genoa. Furler. Traveller. New Lewmar Treadmaster over two coats of Pefection on the deck. Restored hull. Refinished brightwork. Now...winches.

In my infinite handiness, I cannot get the beautiful original old bronze winches (for sale?) off the stands. The nuts are frozen onto the screws beneath and I haven't been able to get past prying out the little discs on the top of the winches themselves. Anyone out there know how to do this?

P.S. NONE of this would have been possible without the excellent advice and information on this amazing website!

[commanderpete]

I'm trying to remember.....isn't there a big screw in the middle of the winch? You use the end of the winch handle as a screwdriver and then the drum lifts off.

I'm assuming you have the fiberglass winch stands like this

http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/attachment.php?attachmentid=1671&stc=1&d=1097863875

Not much room underneath to swing a wrench. I've used a shorthandled offset wrench. Some type of extension socket wrench might work. Some PB Blaster and cursing is also required.

Must have pics!

[Cup O Tea]

There's a flat circular disc with two little cutouts at 0 and 180 degrees where you can put a flathead screwdriver in and pry the disc out. Inside the winches are the ratchet thingys with a spring between them and below that there is a screw head but you can't get to it without taking the spring out - which I have been afraid to do so far. Is that the screw you're talking about, Pete?

I do have the fiberglass winch stands like yours - Underneath are machine screws with nuts on them but they are REALLY frozen on there - despite WD-40 etc. I haven't tried a socket - and only minor cursing so far.

Seems like there ought to be a way in from the top for repairs and lubrication etc - no? I don't want to ruin them in case someone else here can use them - and they really are beautiful.

[commanderpete]

Sorry, I'm drawing a blank.

When I had those winches I only serviced them once, a looooong time ago. They're so reliable.

I remember it being a simple affair.

[Bill]

Searching you would find this thread on winch rebuilding. Several photos --

http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/showthread.php?t=652

[commanderpete]

Seems to me that Pearson used two different brands of winches during the production run.

Mine didn't look like Greg's from the top.

I think they were chromed bronze too. Don't have a good pic

http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/attachment.php?attachmentid=34&stc=1&d=1012192987