How many approximate torque pounds is needed to hoist a Main on a 35' Hunter. I was thinking about buying a cordless driver and adapt it with a winch socket to make it easier for someone else to Hoist me up. Other consideration and maybe cheaper is the Top Climber I was seeing on a recent thread. Any opinion would be helpful.
Winch Torque
- Thread starter Captain Dave
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I doubt that it is going to have enough power.
Dave: I doubt that it would have enough power. If you have ever tried to haul someone's butt up the stick, it hardly compares to hauling a sail. Stick with the ATN Top Climber. You can control your own ascent & descent. You don't have to make promises to the person raising and lowering you.
Dave: I doubt that it would have enough power. If you have ever tried to haul someone's butt up the stick, it hardly compares to hauling a sail. Stick with the ATN Top Climber. You can control your own ascent & descent. You don't have to make promises to the person raising and lowering you.
Not enough .....
You'd be better off getting a larger winch handle and rigging a block and tackle system. Use the halyard to stretch out the tackle to the top of the mast. Clip on the lower portion of the tackle, run the free end back to the winch and have your crew grind you up, on low gear if necessary. 3:1 or 4:1 block and tackle should be all you need. I've pulled myself up to the spreaders on my old soft boom vang with this system without a winch. Use the secondary or spinnaker halyard for a safety line. PS... don't use nylon or laid line. Too stretch and too twisty. Also, don't use line too big for the blocks, too much friction. My recommendation is the least expensive 5/16 double braid polyester you can find.
You'd be better off getting a larger winch handle and rigging a block and tackle system. Use the halyard to stretch out the tackle to the top of the mast. Clip on the lower portion of the tackle, run the free end back to the winch and have your crew grind you up, on low gear if necessary. 3:1 or 4:1 block and tackle should be all you need. I've pulled myself up to the spreaders on my old soft boom vang with this system without a winch. Use the secondary or spinnaker halyard for a safety line. PS... don't use nylon or laid line. Too stretch and too twisty. Also, don't use line too big for the blocks, too much friction. My recommendation is the least expensive 5/16 double braid polyester you can find.
good idea but won't do it
torque is a measure of force multiplied by length or distance. Since there is no significant length, there is no significant torque.
torque is a measure of force multiplied by length or distance. Since there is no significant length, there is no significant torque.
I use Joe's 4:1 block system
and on the bitter end I clip on an ascender sliding clamp thing, so when the wincher gal wants to take a break, she can cast off the winch and I just hang there. As advised, alway have a back up line or at least a sling around the mast as you go up.
and on the bitter end I clip on an ascender sliding clamp thing, so when the wincher gal wants to take a break, she can cast off the winch and I just hang there. As advised, alway have a back up line or at least a sling around the mast as you go up.
Torque works
Torque = force X distance between the application and the "center" of rotation. For all you engineers out there give me some slack, I don't want to give a course in statics. So if you weigh 150 lb at the end of the halyard the rope will have to have 150 lb of tension in it. It goes up and then down the mast and through some turning blocks before it gets to the winch. These add drag which can be thought of as an additional weight. For a "well oiled" system this should be less than 10 lb. So we are up to 160 lb of tension the winch has to handle. If the DIAMETER of the winch drum is .3333 ft (4 inches) then the force of 160 lb is acting at 0.333/2 ft from the center of rotation and the torque it has to handle is Torque = 0.3333/2 ft X 160 lb = 26.7 ft*lb. You can convert this to the the force you need to apply on the winch handle by working the equation backward. Assume the winch handle is 1.5 ft long. Force = torque/distance = 26.7 ft*lb / 1.5 ft = 17.8 lb For winches with a internal gearing that provides additional mechanical advantage just divide the torque by the gear ratio to get the actual torque required. So a 2:1 gear ratio would require 26.7/2 = 13.4 ft*lb of torque. Now you know how a winch gives you a mechanical advantage (purchase) If your drill has a torque spec you can compare the torque values directly. Note: 1 ft*lb = 12 in*lb So for this example you would need a drill that supplies 28.7 ft*lb of torque. As others have noted you will have a hard time finding one that supplies this amount of torque and runs on batteries and has enough AH in the battery to actually get you all the way up the mast. If you have kids this is a great way to punish them. My three boys do the round robin each taking one turn on the winch handle. And yes it is slow. On a safety note: do you really want someone who can't haul you up the mast at the bottom when you get yourself in trouble? Think about it. It may just take muscles to solve the problem and they should be "on hand" not "in the battery"
Torque = force X distance between the application and the "center" of rotation. For all you engineers out there give me some slack, I don't want to give a course in statics. So if you weigh 150 lb at the end of the halyard the rope will have to have 150 lb of tension in it. It goes up and then down the mast and through some turning blocks before it gets to the winch. These add drag which can be thought of as an additional weight. For a "well oiled" system this should be less than 10 lb. So we are up to 160 lb of tension the winch has to handle. If the DIAMETER of the winch drum is .3333 ft (4 inches) then the force of 160 lb is acting at 0.333/2 ft from the center of rotation and the torque it has to handle is Torque = 0.3333/2 ft X 160 lb = 26.7 ft*lb. You can convert this to the the force you need to apply on the winch handle by working the equation backward. Assume the winch handle is 1.5 ft long. Force = torque/distance = 26.7 ft*lb / 1.5 ft = 17.8 lb For winches with a internal gearing that provides additional mechanical advantage just divide the torque by the gear ratio to get the actual torque required. So a 2:1 gear ratio would require 26.7/2 = 13.4 ft*lb of torque. Now you know how a winch gives you a mechanical advantage (purchase) If your drill has a torque spec you can compare the torque values directly. Note: 1 ft*lb = 12 in*lb So for this example you would need a drill that supplies 28.7 ft*lb of torque. As others have noted you will have a hard time finding one that supplies this amount of torque and runs on batteries and has enough AH in the battery to actually get you all the way up the mast. If you have kids this is a great way to punish them. My three boys do the round robin each taking one turn on the winch handle. And yes it is slow. On a safety note: do you really want someone who can't haul you up the mast at the bottom when you get yourself in trouble? Think about it. It may just take muscles to solve the problem and they should be "on hand" not "in the battery"
Dave...
Going aloft is one of the few tasks where you really need to locate someone who has a little knowledge on the subject to give you a hand. My wife and I do this with no problem, she weighs in at 104 and I tip the scales around 200, she operates the winch. First do not clip the bosun chair with the hardware that is used to clip to the sail! Run the line thru and get back to the un-spliced section and use a safe knot, there are many, then clip on as a secondary with the hardware. The person on the winch does not have to hoist the man going aloft from deck to masthead by cranking, in reality the winch is only used to stop and hold to allow the man in the chair to lift himself a little at a time. If you think about it unless he is 4 feet tall when standing on the boom on your boat your almost halfway to the spreaders already. Use the shrouds to lift a bit while the person on the winch tails, take your time, 5-6 strokes and you can pull your self to the spreaders. It gets easier as the shrouds get closer to the mast. If your boat has 2 sets of spreaders even easier. On a larger boat it would require some winching to get started because the man going aloft would not be able to reach the shrouds at first. If possible always have 2 people on the winch.
Going aloft is one of the few tasks where you really need to locate someone who has a little knowledge on the subject to give you a hand. My wife and I do this with no problem, she weighs in at 104 and I tip the scales around 200, she operates the winch. First do not clip the bosun chair with the hardware that is used to clip to the sail! Run the line thru and get back to the un-spliced section and use a safe knot, there are many, then clip on as a secondary with the hardware. The person on the winch does not have to hoist the man going aloft from deck to masthead by cranking, in reality the winch is only used to stop and hold to allow the man in the chair to lift himself a little at a time. If you think about it unless he is 4 feet tall when standing on the boom on your boat your almost halfway to the spreaders already. Use the shrouds to lift a bit while the person on the winch tails, take your time, 5-6 strokes and you can pull your self to the spreaders. It gets easier as the shrouds get closer to the mast. If your boat has 2 sets of spreaders even easier. On a larger boat it would require some winching to get started because the man going aloft would not be able to reach the shrouds at first. If possible always have 2 people on the winch.
Winch Buddy
I got the Milwaukee 18V right angle drill, same thing as winch buddy just not as expensive. It does a great job raising the main and trimming headsail. But when I tried to use it to get my dockmate up the mast on his 35.5 it wouldn't raise him past the first spreader. I've since thought that maybe the battery was drained but I don't know.
I got the Milwaukee 18V right angle drill, same thing as winch buddy just not as expensive. It does a great job raising the main and trimming headsail. But when I tried to use it to get my dockmate up the mast on his 35.5 it wouldn't raise him past the first spreader. I've since thought that maybe the battery was drained but I don't know.
Fred F
If you think that is bad you should have seen me right after 5 semesters of statics and dynamics in college! I was seeing little force arrows in door way jams and torques on the hinges. Driving a car was quite the trip too. After an experience like that you can't help but think of things in a different fashion.
If you think that is bad you should have seen me right after 5 semesters of statics and dynamics in college! I was seeing little force arrows in door way jams and torques on the hinges. Driving a car was quite the trip too. After an experience like that you can't help but think of things in a different fashion.
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