Winch help

[dfp51]

We have a 1985 O'Day 28 purchased last fall. There are two Barient 16's on the cabin top (assumedly original equipment), which are used primarily for the halyards and topping lift. Last year, the starboard winch seemed grossly under powered to raise the main. I do not recall problems raising the genoa with the port winch, but since it is on a roller furler, we only raised it once.

My wife would like to replace these winches, and West is running a buy one get one sale through today on Lewmar winches. I know it is the last minute, but it is what it is.

The question is what size. According to the Lewmar website, we should be using a #7 on the main halyard and a #7 or a #16 on the jenny halyard. This seems grossly undersized given the problems we had last year. I do not know if the right call is to go up to a #30, which is about $300 more, or to rely on the new winches being more efficient/easier than the old ones. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[justsomeguy]

Any advice would be appreciated.

Save your money. Disassemble, clean and properly lube your Barients.

 

[Davidasailor26]

I suspect that there are other issues creating friction when you raise your main, beyond the winches themselves. On our 28 I could raise the main about 90% of the way just pulling the halyard through the winch, without cranking. I only used the handle for the last bit and to snug up the luff. Do you hoist when going into the wind? Do individual sail slugs seem to slide through the track well? It’s also possible that the halyard has jumped off the sheave or that it is twisted with another line inside the mast.

 

[Ted]

Your problem could also be caused by the sheave at the masthead not turning.

 

[Hello Below]

Save your money. Disassemble, clean and properly lube your Barients.

+1

But as a backup I would take advantage of the current WM 2 for 1 sale, purchase the winches and return them unused if they are not needed.

 

[Benny17441]

We know you want new winches, go BIG you may need to hoist someone up the mast one day.

 

[dfp51]

Thanks everybody. Believe it or not, I really don't want to drop the money on the winches. Between the boat, the motorcycle and the kids, there are plenty of other places that money could go!

I think that the move is to buy the new winches but also service the existing ones. I will also check the sheeve on the mast. I assume that is something that can be done most efficiently while the mast is in a cradle in the yard?

Something has to be wrong, because if the winches are in fact sized appropriately (and they appear to be) there is no way it should be that hard to raise the halyard.

In any event, thanks again. This website has already been a huge help as we get back onto the water.

 

[Hello Below]

I assume that is something that can be done most efficiently while the mast is in a cradle in the yard?

Check with your yard to confirm whether going up the mast is acceptable. Causing the boat to heel while on land will result in a different outcome then when the boat is in the water.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Even parts for the Barients are pricey. I know. The only distributor is in Australia. Last Fall I rebuilt my Barient Model 17 halyard winch, repaired and cleaned my Model 21-33 jib winches

HUTTON-ARCO Yacht Winches

 

[dfp51]

Check with your yard to confirm whether going up the mast is acceptable. Causing the boat to heel while on land will resilt in a different outcome then when the boat is in the water.

Sorry if I was unclear. The mast is off the boat now and sitting in a mast cradle in the yard.

 

[markwbird]

You should be able to raise the main all the way to the top without using the winch at all. The winch is only needed to tighten it up at the end. If the main does not go up easily there is a problem and it is not the winch. Now, if you are using the winch to raise the main and it does not operate smoothly there could be a problem with the winch. How bad is it? Maybe a rebuild kit with a cleaning is all it needs.

 

[rogjack2]

We have a 1985 O'Day 28 purchased last fall. There are two Barient 16's on the cabin top (assumedly original equipment), which are used primarily for the halyards and topping lift. Last year, the starboard winch seemed grossly under powered to raise the main. I do not recall problems raising the genoa with the port winch, but since it is on a roller furler, we only raised it once.

My wife would like to replace these winches, and West is running a buy one get one sale through today on Lewmar winches. I know it is the last minute, but it is what it is.

The question is what size. According to the Lewmar website, we should be using a #7 on the main halyard and a #7 or a #16 on the jenny halyard. This seems grossly undersized given the problems we had last year. I do not know if the right call is to go up to a #30, which is about $300 more, or to rely on the new winches being more efficient/easier than the old ones. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[rogjack2]

Howdy— I have two Barient 18 winches from my 28 . They were used for jib . Replaced them with Harken self tailing. I cleaned them up. Work fine. Contact me if they might work for you. You would pay shipping from New Jersey. You would need to lube them after examining the interior. Roger

 

[loneshark64]

I had this problem initially on my 28. I cleaned and lubed the track and raised the boom to the right level with the topping lift and I can rais the main nearly all the way without a winch.

 

[jssailem]

and I can raise the main nearly all the way without a winch

As it should be. This is the norm not the exception. Happy for you that your found a resolution to this challenge.

 

[AndreNJ11]

I second the notion that your 28' main should go up to the top mostly effortlessly by hand. I raise my 322 main 95% of the way to the top by hand before I even wrap it on the winch. Something else is wrong. My vote is that the sheave at the top has disintegrated from UV damage over the years (plastic). Also a good cleaning of the sail slot in the mast, and lube the slides with McLube teflon lubricant.

Also, I have never seen a winch that can't be brought back to serviceable condition with a good cleaning, new grease, and maybe new pall springs. Look up how to service that winch on Google and YouTube. Even the tiniest winch should be able to tension the mainsail luff after it is raised. Save your money. Inspect the sheaves at the top. (Read up on how to safely be hoisted to the mast head, and also agree that in the water is the far safer place to do it. ). Now hoisting a crew member IS a need for a large winch in good working order.

 

[odaydokay]

Yes, on my O'day 28 the main goes up easily, I snub with a good pull, then winch for only the last few inches.

 

[twodzusfittings]

Not sure if you have a set up on your sail like mine: see picture. If so, you might have made the mistake of tying it to the cleat on the mast before raising the sail all the way up and then hauling the line down and cleating in place. Don't know, just thinking out loud. I think its called a cunningham.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Not sure if you have a set up on your sail like mine: see picture. If so, you might have made the mistake of tying it to the cleat on the mast before raising the sail all the way up and then hauling the line down and cleating in place. Don't know, just thinking out loud. I think its called a cunningham.
View attachment 179340

Do you mean the line that the sail slides are attached to? That’s not really a Cunningham, it’s a jackline for the slides. It lets the slides sit against each other on the mast when the sail is down, so it takes less space to flake. You could probably tie the jackline through the tack of the sail and leave it there. A Cunningham would be a separate control line from the mast or boom to a ring a few inches above the tack.

 

[twodzusfittings]

@Davidasailor26 You are correct. My bad.