I am looking into installing an electric winch for hauling the mainsail. Anyone have experience or advice to share?
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It was standard on our 430
and now I can't imagine raising the main with out one. Its kinda like your first car with A/C. Didn't know you needed it till you had it. My first mate (prounced wife)is a little thing at 100#, and it allows her to raise the main or me when I need to work on the mast ect. Dick Mckee S/V constellation
and now I can't imagine raising the main with out one. Its kinda like your first car with A/C. Didn't know you needed it till you had it. My first mate (prounced wife)is a little thing at 100#, and it allows her to raise the main or me when I need to work on the mast ect. Dick Mckee S/V constellation
Best $ ever spent
When we bought our used 376 from Sailing Specialty in Mystic CT (a very large Hunter dealer), part of the deal was for them to install an electric winch. They did a great job, the work below was a piece of art. Take a sail across the sound and have them do the job. Russell S/V Allie Kat
When we bought our used 376 from Sailing Specialty in Mystic CT (a very large Hunter dealer), part of the deal was for them to install an electric winch. They did a great job, the work below was a piece of art. Take a sail across the sound and have them do the job. Russell S/V Allie Kat
Buy it
Bill, I have a 40.5 and I installed a Lewmar OP-2 electric before the boat ever got wet. I consider it a necessity because the effort required to hoist the 50# main is just too great. I installed it myself. One friend helped me and we completed the job in one day. The biggest challenge was to find a route to pass the power cables so that they were hidden. I used 4 guage cable and ran the cable directly to my main battery power distribution bus bars that I had installed in the starboard cockpit locker. You want to wire directly to the battery and not into the power distribution panel at the nav station. This winch will pull 50-100 amps under load and the wiring from the battery to the nav distribution panel is too small for this draw. The Lewmar OP-2 is equivalent to the Lewmar 44 winch and it is a single speed unit. The single speed is the same as the lower of a two speed winch. It is entirely adequate. I chose this model because of it's low profile and ability to fit into the existing below-deck space where the existing main halyard winch was mounted. All of the other winches on the market use a right-angle drive gearbox that requires a special panel in the aft cabin to hide the unit. I was told that this panel is available from the Hunter factory. It may be about $200, I'm not sure. Unfortunately, the OP-2 model winch is no longer made and only the larger right-angle drive units are being made. On the plus side, the right-angle drives are quieter (I'm told), but are also $1000 more expensive than the one I bought. I think you are looking at a $3700 price for the currently manufactured model by either Lewmar or Harken. Bottom line: Buy it. I jokingly refer to my winch as "push-button sailing", but I am the envy of all my sailing friends. Sailing is supposed to be fun, not hard. Rich
Bill, I have a 40.5 and I installed a Lewmar OP-2 electric before the boat ever got wet. I consider it a necessity because the effort required to hoist the 50# main is just too great. I installed it myself. One friend helped me and we completed the job in one day. The biggest challenge was to find a route to pass the power cables so that they were hidden. I used 4 guage cable and ran the cable directly to my main battery power distribution bus bars that I had installed in the starboard cockpit locker. You want to wire directly to the battery and not into the power distribution panel at the nav station. This winch will pull 50-100 amps under load and the wiring from the battery to the nav distribution panel is too small for this draw. The Lewmar OP-2 is equivalent to the Lewmar 44 winch and it is a single speed unit. The single speed is the same as the lower of a two speed winch. It is entirely adequate. I chose this model because of it's low profile and ability to fit into the existing below-deck space where the existing main halyard winch was mounted. All of the other winches on the market use a right-angle drive gearbox that requires a special panel in the aft cabin to hide the unit. I was told that this panel is available from the Hunter factory. It may be about $200, I'm not sure. Unfortunately, the OP-2 model winch is no longer made and only the larger right-angle drive units are being made. On the plus side, the right-angle drives are quieter (I'm told), but are also $1000 more expensive than the one I bought. I think you are looking at a $3700 price for the currently manufactured model by either Lewmar or Harken. Bottom line: Buy it. I jokingly refer to my winch as "push-button sailing", but I am the envy of all my sailing friends. Sailing is supposed to be fun, not hard. Rich
Made the difference in our decision to buy...
The Lewmar 44 is factory on our 40.5. A friend has a two speed Harken on his, after-market. You can cross-link the jib sheets, etc. I believe you will retain a significant percent of the value, come sale time. And, it may be the largest reason is that you can much more safely single hand a larger craft. Rick D.
The Lewmar 44 is factory on our 40.5. A friend has a two speed Harken on his, after-market. You can cross-link the jib sheets, etc. I believe you will retain a significant percent of the value, come sale time. And, it may be the largest reason is that you can much more safely single hand a larger craft. Rick D.
We love the electric winch on our 450
Ours came with an electric lewmar 48 and I wouldn't want to sail the boat without it. Primarily for the main, which is very heavy, but very useful for the jib also.
Ours came with an electric lewmar 48 and I wouldn't want to sail the boat without it. Primarily for the main, which is very heavy, but very useful for the jib also.
OP 2 details/price link
http://www.pyacht.com/lewmar_ocean_power_winch.htm The Lewmar OP vertical motor winch is back on the market. OP2 is $2700 at Perfromance Yachts at the above address
http://www.pyacht.com/lewmar_ocean_power_winch.htm The Lewmar OP vertical motor winch is back on the market. OP2 is $2700 at Perfromance Yachts at the above address
Lewmar Electric Winch Awarded Seal of Approval
Bill, I highly recommend you go with the Lewmar electric winch. I bought my 1998 h-376 new and added the Lewmar electric winch (horizontal engine mount model...check the catalog for the exact model number; I think it is the 44 cst)in the Spring of 1999. It was done by a professional installer at the yard, and I ordered the fiberglass winch cover from Hunter to cover the motor and wiring in the underside of the aft berth coach roof. The installer did a beautiful job. I got three bids on the winch itself and found the best deal was from Hunter ($2700). The cover which accomodates the aft berth ceiling light on the port side cost around $120. The system looks like it was always part of the boat and it does not rob you of any headroom. There is no need to have the system look like an add on if it is put in properly. An engineer from Hunter visiting my boat thought it was factory installed when he first saw the installation. Performance has been spectacular. I have never had a malfunction, but have the option to raise the sail the old fashioned way if I choose ( however, since getting the e-winch my wife and I have never have opted for the armstrong method of old). Even my 5 mile a day jogging, weight lifting, superbly conditioned 30 year old son-in-law prefers the winch switch to the winch handle. Believe me the e- winch is the only way to go. It is convenient, looks great, is foolproof and adds to overall boat safety. Besides raising the mainsail, going up the mast and hauling things is now a snap. There is only one problem that I have noticed. Owners of other sailing yachts large and small that are near us often lose their concentration and stare at my boat in envious disbelief as the main effortlessly goes to the top of the mast in under 60 seconds. Curt Morris s/v Smooth Operator
Bill, I highly recommend you go with the Lewmar electric winch. I bought my 1998 h-376 new and added the Lewmar electric winch (horizontal engine mount model...check the catalog for the exact model number; I think it is the 44 cst)in the Spring of 1999. It was done by a professional installer at the yard, and I ordered the fiberglass winch cover from Hunter to cover the motor and wiring in the underside of the aft berth coach roof. The installer did a beautiful job. I got three bids on the winch itself and found the best deal was from Hunter ($2700). The cover which accomodates the aft berth ceiling light on the port side cost around $120. The system looks like it was always part of the boat and it does not rob you of any headroom. There is no need to have the system look like an add on if it is put in properly. An engineer from Hunter visiting my boat thought it was factory installed when he first saw the installation. Performance has been spectacular. I have never had a malfunction, but have the option to raise the sail the old fashioned way if I choose ( however, since getting the e-winch my wife and I have never have opted for the armstrong method of old). Even my 5 mile a day jogging, weight lifting, superbly conditioned 30 year old son-in-law prefers the winch switch to the winch handle. Believe me the e- winch is the only way to go. It is convenient, looks great, is foolproof and adds to overall boat safety. Besides raising the mainsail, going up the mast and hauling things is now a snap. There is only one problem that I have noticed. Owners of other sailing yachts large and small that are near us often lose their concentration and stare at my boat in envious disbelief as the main effortlessly goes to the top of the mast in under 60 seconds. Curt Morris s/v Smooth Operator
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