Electric winch vs. drill power attchments

[Mark Mynsberge]

I am trying to find an easy way for my girlfriend to raise the mainsail. Using the winch manually takes a lot of energy and even I have to take a breather on occasion. I am thinking of switching to either an electric winch or possibly one of the systems that uses a 90 degree drill. Does anyone have some advice that might help me in this decision.

Thanks, Mark

 

[Warren Milberg]

See "Winch Buddy" post below

nm

 

[Seattle Scott]

Woman drive boat, man pull rope

is how its done on our boat.

 

[Steve Dion]

About $400-500 for the 28V drill and a bit.

[nm]

 

[Alan]

Something really wrong

If you need a winch to hoist your main (not just to tension the halyard) then something is really wrong with your system. My mast is 55' and the main can be raised by a 12 year old girl. The key is eliminating the huge amount of friction that has developed in the halyard and sheaves. Once this friction is elimanated you will be amazed just how easily it will go up.

 

[Alan]

BALONEY!!!

.

 

[Andy1237]

Pilates

She will bust her buns in a Pilates workout but whine at a little winching? You need to convince her that grinding is very similar to some Pilates workout and she will be all over it!

 

[Vinny]

Right angle drill

A Milwaukee 0721-81 Reconditioned 28V is $299 and the bit is listed in Latts and Att's for I think $44. Also usefull to run someone up the mast as well. It makes the Admiral happy and does come in handy as a drill sometime. Or you could spend $1,200 in Batt Cars or the like and not use the electrical help.

 

[Mark Mynsberge]

If she is happy, I am happy

Obviously a couple of you guys don't let your wives or girlfriend read these replies. I am pretty much sold on the Milwaukee drill idea but I have never talked to anyone who used onE to find out how well it works. It will cost about $ 2000.00 or more for the appropriate winch. With the drill I can always use it working around the house so it serves a multiple purpose while only costing about $ 350.00.

 

[Paul4414]

Milwakee Drill and bit

I use a Milwalkee right angle drill and a drill bit (winchbit.com) and it works great. It sure costs a lot less than the Winch Buddy. I asked the rep how he had the nerve to charge $1400 for the winch buddy and he told me that it was because it came with a Subrella cover. Sure seems like a lot ($800) to pay for a cover.
I also use the drill and bit to raise my anchor. Costs a lot less than a windlass.

 

[Joe Wienecke]

electric winch

Mark I have an electric winch on my 376 I also installed some Ronstan cars this winter and for the most part the main goes up better but the electric winch over heats pretty quick. I think I would go with the drill in fact I am thinking of getting one sounds like it can double as a achor windless.

 

[newly anonymous]

I would never, never, never...

...have purchased an electric winch for my boat had it not been a standard feature. Now, it's hard to imagine not having it. Even though I really plan to use it, it's greatest usefulness is in those unplanned moments when you've got a sheet in one hand and a halyard in the other. At that moment it's priceless, and a power drill won't do at all.

 

[Rick D]

Second Newly and Another Option

... I also have a power winch. Raising the main is one thing. Nice, but you could put in a two part tackle which a lot of cats have and used to be the Hunter solution. If that's all the issue, it's the cheapest and most effective solution. However, the power winch on my 40 is sometimes the difference between single-handing or not and once you get used to it, you can lead everything to it for quick adjustments or grinding. I do it all the time. Plus, you will get out (my guess) 50-70% of purchase on resale.

 

[jwieneck]

Re: I would never, never, never...

Rich your right about that I single handed Friday and was able to put the roller furling line on the power winch and hold the jib sheets then push the button. This furled the sail with out any effort at all. I also use the power winch to adjust the main sheet as I am sailing kinda burping it as needed to adjust the main. So I like the power winch for many things but raising a main as big as the 376 it is really not that great. I admit I may need to put in new hardware to reduce the friction. I also need to get a new halyard that is lighter. For now I pre- pull out the reefing lines to reduce the drag on them as the main goes up this seems to help a lot.

 

[Rick D]

Mast:

I changed out my halyards for a size smaller Spectra, lube the mast track twice a year and leave the reefing lines slack when I drop the main. Between them all, it works just fine. Having said that, I'm going to try some articulating cars on the batten slides. On my Vision 32, I took all the rigging off the slides and redid them with a looser webbing which made a big difference dropping the sail. That experience leads me to believe a lot of the friction is in the twisting caused by the batten cars. On my current boat it obviously isn't a big problem or I would have already done it, but it could use some help.

376's seem to be notorious for a tough job raising the main. A two part tackle should be a solution when you change out the halyard.

 

[jwieneck]

Re: Mast:

Couple of questions
What do you do with the loose reefing lines if I leave them loose they hang down into the cockpit area from the end of the boom?
Can you or do you have a better explaination of the two part tackle or maybe a picture I am not sure what you mean?

 

[Rick D]

Mast: Reefing Lines and Tackle...

OK, what I do with the reefing lines at the boom end is to wrap them on top of the flaked sail and then tie them with a sail tie before covering. Before raising the sail, I just let them hang, but watch to be sure they don't snag on anything. Usually, if I toss the slack on top of the dodger, they wont. At the mast, I just pick up the slack, coil it and hang it on a cleat, alto I could just as easily toss it over the sail.

As far as the two-part tackle for the main sheet halyard, it's really simple. Attach a low-friction lightweight block to the mainsail headboard where you now shackle, and lead the (new longer) halyard through that block and back up the mast to dead-end at the mast crane. It's common on cats; there is one just down from me with the rig, but I won't be at the boat for a week or two to take a photo.

 

[JimK23179]

Re: Milwakee Drill and bit

I put off getting the drill rig until I saw a friend wenching up his dingy using the Milwalkee. I bought it and love it everytime I bring in the furling main on my 38 footer. I looked into putting in an electric winch and the drill solution was one tenth the cost.

 

[jwieneck]

Re: Mast: Reefing Lines and Tackle...

I get it Rick thanks I think this will be something I rig when I go up the mast in the Spring sounds like a easy fix.

As far as the lines that I can do also. I have been raising the main on the mooring lately just to make things easier so this will work. Once I have the main up with main sheet loose I just drop the mooring harness and motor out into the channel this puts me in a sailing position almost all the time with in minute of leaving the mooring.

 

[Ed A]

Lube everything then put a block on the head of the sail and run the halyard back to the masthead.

It will give you mechanical advantage and make it easier but will take a lot longer halyard and be slower to get up.