Electric winches? My crew and I aren’t getting any younger.

[AlastairLC]

My stalwart crew (age 75 like me) has just been diagnosed with hypertension and told not to indulge in any strenuous activity.
As a result, I'm thinking about converting my four winches and two furlers to electric ones. It would be expensive but maybe necessary now.
Has anyone had experience with having them installed and how they have performed.
Thank you in advance for any advice.

 

[Rick D]

My stalwart crew (age 75 like me) has just been diagnosed with hypertension and told not to indulge in any strenuous activity.
As a result, I'm thinking about converting my four winches and two furlers to electric ones. It would be expensive but maybe necessary now.
Has anyone had experience with having them installed and how they have performed.
Thank you in advance for any advice.

Whew, sounds very expensive. How about something like this? A friend had one on his old boat and it worked well for him: https://www.sailrite.com/WinchRite-...bsyQ8FUKr4Yf_N3RoGYSpgrLzeZO2zSAaAtkzEALw_wcB

 

[dlochner]

We have an eWincher, it is a wonderful device and much less expensive than electric winches. It has made a big difference on the boat. We don't use it when tacking, however raising sails, hoisting he dinghy on deck, hoisting the dinghy motor are a breeze now. Before I had to do all the winching, now my wife can easily handle the heavy lifting. Ergonomically the eWincher is easier to use than the Winchrite or the winch attachment for a Milwaukee Right Angle drill.

EWINCHER | Electric Winch & Winch Handle for Sailing Boats

Smart Electric Sailing: we design electric winches and electric winch handles packed with advanced technology for sailing boats.

www.ewincher.com

 

[Rich Stidger]

When we bought our sailboat, I asked and was told that the hardest task was to raise the mainsail. So from the get-go I installed an electric winch for the main halyard. It has proved to be an excellent upgrade. I put in a Lewmar OP2 winch, now discontinued. It was an easy install and less expensive than the larger right-angle drive winches but not as powerful. But it does everything I need except hauling me up the mast- it needs some help with me.
Electric winches are running about 4K+-, so replacing all of your winches and furlers would be pretty expensive. I think I would try the suggestion above before spending the money. And unless you are capable, the installation labor and wiring will be significant.

 

[Kings Gambit]

I’ve been thinking of up-grading one of my 6 winches to electric, mostly to furl the headsail. Technique can assist w/trimming. Roller battens help greatly raising the mainsail. Might fair-lead the halyard to the one electric winch. Maybe begin that way. Big charter boat I’ve sailed (Hanse 495) had one large electric winch to which several sheets, halyards were led, even the vang.

 

[Tally Ho]

One challenge will be finding room for the motor under the deck…I know on the O’Day 322, there really no room under the cabin-top winches For an electric motor.

I saw this new winch from Seldon on a YouTube video…

Selden E40i Self Contained Electric Winch

The Seldén E40i Electric Winch with internal drive eliminates the main objection to other electric winches on the market. All other electric winches have motors that protrude below the winch and take up cabin headroom. The E40i electric motor is to

www.defender.com

it is a large winch, but the motor is built into the body, so no room needed below the deck.

but they are pricey…about $3k per winch

I went another way and bought a Milwaukee M28 right angle drill, and replaced the chuck with a winch bit. It can be used on all of my winches, raises the main quickly, and cost about $300. The only downside is that the drill itself is heavy.

Greg

 

[duality]

wait til march, west marine has a 2 for 1 sale for lewmar winches.
mike

 

[AlastairLC]

the hardest task was to raise the mainsail

Thanks Rich. I would have thought the hardest task would be to furl the Genoa in strong winds.

 

[AlastairLC]

I know on the O’Day 322, there really no room under the cabin-top

Thanks Greg. There’s room under the two cockpit winches - one is over a storage locker, the other over the afterberth which I use for storage.
That self-contained winch sounds good for the two over the main cabin.

 

[dlochner]

Thanks Rich. I would have thought the hardest task would be to furl the Genoa in strong winds.

Reduce the stress on the sail by blanketing with the main sail. Use of a winch on a furling system is a bit risky. If the furler hangs up for some reason the power from the winch can damage the foil and the headstay.

The eWincher gives immediate feedback on how much torque is being applied, not sure of the other options do and it costs half the price of one electric winch.

 

[kappykaplan]

Reduce the stress on the sail by blanketing with the main sail.

 

[jssailem]

My stalwart crew (age 75 like me) has just been diagnosed with hypertension and told not to indulge in any strenuous activity.
As a result, I'm thinking about converting my four winches and two furlers to electric ones.

While I understand the focus is on "keeping the same boat" but altering the systems.. I can't help but query, will electric winches be enough to reduce the "strenuous activity"?

Just riding on a sail boat heeled at 15º pounding through the waves with the helm and crew holding on to a rail or line to steady themselves can be considered by a doctor in the clinic as strenuous activity.

Perhaps it is time to shrink the boat to a size that can better serve your sailing addition (I mean that in a positive way. I know the need). A boat with smaller sails would could be easier to sail. Less weight to the sails so easier to haul to the dock or raise on the mast. One of the best features is they sail in light winds so can give the experience in more manageable (less strenuous conditions).

I recently viewed this video of a Townsend Tern. I find the design and detail to function very interesting. It might be a candidate for a new more forgiving boat that mature sailors (like us) can enjoy.

Townsend Tern - The Ingenious Cat-Ketch Coastal Cruiser - OffCenterHarbor.com

The Townsend Tern is a handy little ketch you can trailer to your favorite waters and go off-grid for many weeks at a time.

www.offcenterharbor.com

 

[Kings Gambit]

Reduce the stress on the sail by blanketing with the main sail. Use of a winch on a furling system is a bit risky. If the furler hangs up for some reason the power from the winch can damage the foil and the headstay.

The eWincher gives immediate feedback on how much torque is being applied, not sure of the other options do and it costs half the price of one electric winch.

Good point, but one can use the winch like a capstan where a couple of wraps, hand-held, can be quickly slacked with increasing tension to protect the furler. It’s not always convenient to bear away to furl especially if only shortening sail while close reaching, etc.

 

[Tally Ho]

Thanks Greg. There’s room under the two cockpit winches - one is over a storage locker, the other over the afterberth which I use for storage.
That self-contained winch sounds good for the two over the main cabin.

Yes, there is plenty of room on the cockpit coming. You will need to open up the liner on the roof of the aft berth to access it though. Plenty of room on the lazzarette side. Be aware that the cockpit winches sit in little indentations in the coaming, so make sure the drum fits in that indentation. I put some big old Barlow 27’s on the coaming, and the drums would not quite sit in the indents. I had to cheat them a bit out board to get them to fit.

Greg

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Thanks Rich. I would have thought the hardest task would be to furl the Genoa in strong winds.

My last boat had a 2:1 genoa sheet setup. I‘m thinking of converting this one. Something to consider.

 

[ShawnL]

There are also some new winches where the motor is inside the winch body, requiring less room underneath. Sailing Cadoha and Sail Life (Athena) on youtube installed them, and they seem decent (though I've never used or priced them).

 

[Tally Ho]

There are also some new winches where the motor is inside the winch body, requiring less room underneath. Sailing Cadoha and Sail Life (Athena) on youtube installed them, and they seem decent (though I've never used or priced them).

Yup…that is the Seldon winch I referred to above.

Greg

 

[shemandr]

75 and just now diagnosed with hypertension! That's pretty good! I was diagnosed by age 25.
I agree with John's post # 12. Maybe time for a different boat. All sailing can be work but with regard to tacking a boat with a non-overlapping jib Is a LOT less work. You might look at an Aileron 28 which is about the least physically demanding boat that I know of. In my former fleet there were several owners and crew in their mid seventies going strong.
Once I was on Beta Blockers my heart rate wouldn't rise that much with effort. I would just get tired.

 

[AlastairLC]

I think two coaming and two cabintop electric winches would be good. I should be able to save some money not getting two electric furlers. The single Genoa furling line could be handled on one of the cockpit electric winches. The continuous Code 0 furling line is more problematic. I guess it could be handled by one of the cabin top winches or a dedicated coaming one, where the part needing to be pulled is wrapped to furl then the other part is wrapped to unfurl. (?)

 

[dlochner]

I think two coaming and two cabintop electric winches would be good. I should be able to save some money not getting two electric furlers. The single Genoa furling line could be handled on one of the cockpit electric winches. The continuous Code 0 furling line is more problematic. I guess it could be handled by one of the cabin top winches or a dedicated coaming one, where the part needing to be pulled is wrapped to furl then the other part is wrapped to unfurl. (?)

Installing four electric winches will set you back somewhere north of $10K. An eWincher will set you back about $2K and allow you to use it on any winch on the boat. Ask your heirs which they would like to inherit.