Tired of bashing my knuckles on the dodger frame - shorter winch handle?

J

JimHansen77

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May 27, 2025
26
Hunter 356 Monterey
2002 Hunter 356. The clearance between the end of an 8" winch handle for the jib and the SS dodger frame is approximately half a finger thickness. How have others dealt with this? Can one purchase a 7" handle? I certainly can't find them on the interwebs.

Thanks!
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,557
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
There are none I am aware of. Not helpful I know. Given the reduction in torque you would experience with a reduced handle length, it may not be a wise choice regardless. There are always electric winch options albeit not cheap or simply move the frame arm and re-mount it a bit further forward.
 
Richard19068

Richard19068

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Jun 11, 2004
1,828
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
JimHansen77 said:
2002 Hunter 356. The clearance between the end of an 8" winch handle for the jib and the SS dodger frame is approximately half a finger thickness. How have others dealt with this? Can one purchase a 7" handle? I certainly can't find them on the interwebs.

Thanks!
Click to expand
Not what you want to hear but: Just don't make full revolutions?
 
BigEasy

BigEasy

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Jun 21, 2004
3,014
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Richard19068 said:
Not what you want to hear but: Just don't make full revolutions?
Click to expand
That’s what I was thinking, if you time/plan your tacks, you should be able to haul in the working sheet almost completely by hand, with two wraps on the winch. Then add an additional one or two wraps & with minimal ratcheting the winch until trimmed.
 
Davidasailor26

Davidasailor26

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May 17, 2004
5,810
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
BigEasy said:
That’s what I was thinking, if you time/plan your tacks, you should be able to haul in the working sheet almost completely by hand, with two wraps on the winch. Then add an additional one or two wraps & with minimal ratcheting the winch until trimmed.
Click to expand
I agree I usually don’t need much cranking after a tack, but I think it would still be an issue when trimming up from a reach or reacting to a shift. In those cases I sometimes need to crank quite a few rotations, and on windy days I can’t make those last few cranks in the 1:1 direction. For those situations I wouldn’t want to be limited to ratcheting. Of course on those days having 13% less torque from a handle an inch shorter wouldn’t be great either.

If the clearance is already too small to crank normally maybe the dodger frame could be wrapped in sunbrella or leather? That wouldn’t help the winch functionality but at least it’d be an aesthetically pleasing way of making it hurt less when you do run your hands into the support.
 
B

Boiler

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Feb 15, 2022
36
Hunter 49 Houston Texas
There is an adaptor on the market that allows the use of a rachet to operate your winch. Length of rachet handle is irrelevant as you can use the rachet action to reset. I have one to use on the in mast furling.

I found the one that can be used with an electric drill but not the one for the rachet.
 
BigEasy

BigEasy

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Jun 21, 2004
3,014
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Have a friend who used a Milwaukee battery powered right angle drill with a special end adaptor to fit the winch socket. That drill was a beast with unbelievable torque; no problems raising the mainsail or trimming. It was somewhat cumbersome to have in the cockpit & expensive. Yet, less expensive than remaking a Bimini/dodger.
 
Joe

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,246
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
My dodger frame gets in the way of my cabin top, halyard winches. No biggie... that's why winches are also ratchets. Get in the habit of that and you'll save yourself a shoulder surgery later in life. You could always get out the sawsall and drill press to modify and old winch handle yourself.
 
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