Hunter 34 primary winches

[Randy Church]

I sail a 1984 Hunter 34. Primary winches are Maxwell 24 st with base diameter of 6". I was given a pair of Lewmar 46 st with a base diameter of 7". In order to make them work I would have to remove large cleat on top of coaming and move winch location toward the cabin as the coaming widens as you move forward. Is there anything I need to consider when repositioning the winch location? Thank you, Randy

 

[Tally Ho]

Will the sheet still clear the edge of the cabin in the new location? When I upgraded the primaries on my O’Day 322, the larger diameter of the winch (and didn’t have to move mine forward at all), the jib sheet rubs on the edge of the cabin top. After awhile, I noticed the line is actually wearing away the fiberglass where it rubs. So I had to put a SS wear plate in that spot.

Also, do you have access to the bottom of the winch in the new location? One of mine was readily accessible in the lazzarette, but the other side was only accessible through an access hole cut in the fiberglass liner. Since I wasn‘t moving the winch, it was just a pain in the arse to reach the bolts…but I didn’t have to cut any new access holes.

Greg

 

[kloudie1]

My previous owner added the Lewmar 43's and left the original Maxwells .. Everything works .. as you can see, the Lewmars are forward and outboard of the coaming centerline.

 

[kloudie1]

Part B My boat has access ports under the winches for access to the nuts underneath. I doon't know if the original owner put those there or they were original.. I suspect he put in the ones under the Lewmars, but I don't know about the Max original mounting. The mounting bolts may have been threaded into an encased aluminum plate in the top of the coaming. Dunno..

 

[Capt Robbie]

kloudie is correct about the embedded aluminum plate. If you move the new ones to far forward then make sure you have a sufficient size backing plate or you could end up ripping them out of your deck. Tremendous amount of force on them.