WinchRite Power Winch

[eliems]

Anyone used/purchased one of these? (My wife has trouble getting the Main Sail up using the manual handle).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLy54flif0U

Wondering if they last and have the required torque.

 

[stephen Penny]

I purchased one last April and have used it every weekend to winch my main sail in and out of the mast. Works great.

 

[eliems]

I wonder if it would take a lot more power to raise a sail than to pull it out of in-mast furling?

Also, what happens if there is a hitch (like reef lines catch) would the winch rip the sail?

 

[Jim Seamans]

YMMV

I purchased one last April and returned in May. I have a H356 and used it for pulling out/in the main. Pulling in the jib and adjusting the jib sheets. Found it under powered and bogging down. Yes it was fully charged. Once it came under moderate load it would just slow down to a crawl. Didn't even try to haul my butt up the mast.

Purchased a Milwaukee 28v right-angle and winchbit. I know it is a bit heavier and bigger but it has the power for anything I need. Even taking me up the mast with power left over.

My 2 cents...

 

[stephen Penny]

eliems,

Based on my experience it takes quite a bit of power to pull the main sail out of / into the mast. The big benefit of the WinchRite or similar device like Jim has is it avoids stressing my elbow(s) during this maneuver. If there is a hitch the WinchRite will just stop winching. It will not rip the sail.

 

[Jerry Peter]

I bought the Milwaukee 28v 1/2 in. angle drill this spring and it hauls the main on my 40.5 with no problem. Sure reduces the wear on the old bones.

 

[billt1]

Hmmm Sounds like Milwaukee is the way to.

Does is have a slip clutch so if the tension is high it will just slip and wont damage the rigging/sails. (like when a reefing line is forgotten in, or sauils caught somewhere etc )

Bill

 

[Les]

Just got back from just under two months in the San Juan Islands (WA) where I sailed my Hunter 27 quite a bit by myself and sometimes with guests on board. I have been using the WinchRite for almost three years now (since it was first on the market) and I have to say that without the WinchRite I wouldn't be sailing anymore.

Yes, we had our problems at the beginning. Although my Hunter 27 was brand new the main sail were not cut properly and was difficult to winch out. Doyle recut the sail and it pulls out much easier now. I've had over ten years with furling mains and you should not have to work to get the sail out--something is wrong. My WinchRite has an easy time with furling and unfurling.

I've also used the WinchRite to unfurl the jib although it is a small one. It just makes sailing so much easier. And, yes, I have seen the Milwaukee drill but quite frankly it is too heavy for my wife to use and I want her to have fun sailing as well.

To Jim whose WinchRite didn't have enough power--I'm sorry you didn't send it back to the company to have them check it out. My WinchRite has plenty of power.

My wife and I are approaching our eighties and still want to sail. The WinchRite does the job for us.

 

[Nodak7]

Have one, tried it and the jury is still out. Worked but pretty slow. Seemed like it took forever to winch the the main in. It does work though and if I were tired or the wife was having to handle the boat alone it might be the thing to have.....

 

[Jim Seamans]

Les, We tried it for about 3 weeks, and found it slow and under powered for our boat. My wife loves the Milwaukee, raises the mainsail without any effort with the variable trigger and will raise me to the top of the mast with any strain. We do watch our lines to insure nothing is binding while using this tool. Understand that it has the power to rip things if not watching.

 

[stephen Penny]

Nodak7,

If you put in the high speed mode it winches the main sail in really quickly based on my experience.