Keel winch replacement: Worm Drive

[HeelBoy]

Has anyone replaced their winch with a worm drive type? They're cheap and the don't back-drive. No messing around with the ratchet and hasp, they hold where you stop.
I have a couple that I use to hoist things in my garage, 8yrs running and in good shape, noth8ng budges.
Really wondering why no manufacturer has used them.

1 Ton Capacity Hand Winch

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[Leeward Rail]

Looking at the photo, they won't work on a C22 because of how the crank is configured. I would suspect that in many cases the mounting location prevents it, unless the boat was designed for it.

As to why they haven't been used by the manufacturer... Two options I can think of off the top of my head are: they weren't available decades ago in the heyday of trailerable boat manufacturing, or deemed expensive.

 

[rgranger]

Try it! Let us know how it works.

 

[HeelBoy]

Looking at the photo, they won't work on a C22 because of how the crank is configured. I would suspect that in many cases the mounting location prevents it, unless the boat was designed for it.

I'm a bit spoiled in being able to fab/weld as needed, and that's integral to my plan. From an engineering perspective, the cable is round, so the keel and cable won't care of the winch is rotated 90deg.

The big thing I'm hoping to achieve is running a simple shaft back under the cockpit through a 90deg gear, to the rear rail. A remotely lifted keel with no battery drain!

 

[Leeward Rail]

From an engineering perspective, the cable is round, so the keel and cable won't care of the winch is rotated 90deg.

Given enough room...

A remotely lifted keel with no battery drain!

The Mega 30 has powered winch for the keel.
Our C22 was small enough you could just reach in the hatch and crank the winch.

Might be a fun project simply from a making stuff prospective.

 

[HeelBoy]

Might be a fun project simply from a making stuff prospective.

This is of of my most powerful addictions. lol

 

[LloydB]

Why yes I did but only after replacing the original ratchet drive with a new ratchet drive and finding out why a worm drive is better. Or maybe I should say I found out a ratchet drive was much worse than a worm drive if not used carefully. The new worm drive came with a nylon strap that wouldn't hook up to my 700 pound iron swing keel. So being the frugal sailor I attach the old steel cable to the new worm drive and cheaply sailed along for about a year. Patting myself on the back I might add, until I had to figure out how to get a 700 pound keel cranked back up without a cable hooked up to it. As it turned out I had gone to West Marine and happened to find a piece of 5/32 dyneema about 40 feet long on sale at less than half price although to be honest the farther I get away from a purchase the more I seem to save. The piece of cord this still holding up after over five years fresh water.
I think the original manufacturer used the ratchet driver because they were easy to get and replaceable also everybody that had a boat knew how to use it and understood Model T at the time of original design. Another reason is the ratchet style seems to be a bit faster than the worm and easier to tell that the cables gone slack when lowering.

 

[sola fide]

Good day mates, I seem to have an issue with my clipper marine 21' keel winch, I purchased one with the same reverse set up. now the way the oem set up was it was mounted with the three bolts. and just never really was mounted to not have the cable pressure over the drive shaft. So I too have a welder and can fabricate most anything, But am waiting to see some way to mount the unit (winch) on an angle to allow the cable to spool with out the cable rubbing on the drive shaft. thus reducing the wear and the release system. a slight angle to the mounting plate with out adding leverage affect is my goal. I am following this thread and looking for advise. thanks. sorry to ramble.