Sailboat Winch Q

[Yannis]

I'm thinking of installing an aft sailboat winch (probably electric) to help with pulling lines but also to help pull the anchor when deployed from aft.
I've seen bronze, chrome, alu and stainless winches.
Does anyone know which metal is the best choice?
The aesthetics are no issue to me.
Thanks.

[IRGuy]

Yannis...

I spent about 30+ years sailing before I bought my first power boat, so I am familiar with winches, large and small. You ask about which material is best for a winch to haul in an anchor rode. I don't think you need to be concerned as long as you buy one manufactured by a reputable marine supplier. All the marine winches I have ever used/seen were made of materials that tolerate salt water, or at at least were coated with some kind of treatment to prevent corrosion. I have seen winches that were 50 years old that worked properly. In my opinion the choice of materials the drum is made of is usually more of one considering if they match the color of other deck equipment. Any of the materials you mention should work fine for your application.

If cost is not an issue I would suggest you buy a two speed winch, so you can use the slow speed to apply more pulling force while the anchor is set, but once it breaks loose from the bottom the higher speed will allow faster retrieval. Electric winches are great, but usually very expensive. If you do buy an electric model be careful using it as they can apply very large forces on the anchor line.. I have seen electric winches damage (rip the attachment ring out of) sails, break lines, and rip out of the deck if they are not controlled properly. I would also buy one that is "self tailing", so one person can use it alone. If it is not self tailing someone needs to take care of the line that is brought aboard while the other operates the winch.

[Yannis]

IRGuy, thanks.

I'm having a terrible back pain as I fell twice on the deck because someone from my friends spilled sun tan oil...
I' m thinking of putting a big "no tan oil aboard" sticker somewhere...

And everytime I have a back pain I remember about the winch. I looked at the prices and they are crazy - around 4-5k for the electric ones; so although I wanted to go electric I'll most probably go manual .

I also have some sailing experience and know about the virtues of the two speed winches. What I'm not sure I understand is the Self tailing part. I'll do some research and revert with ...new questions.
Thanks.

[IRGuy]

Yannis...

The self tailing feature is usually available on most winches.. sometimes it is an option, but on some models it is standard. It is simply a small device that sits on top of the winch and guides the line as it is retrieved.. it holds the line that is fed off the winch as someone turns the winch handle. It relieves the operator of always having to hold the line as the winch pulls it in, meaning that one person can retrieve your anchor rather than two.

If someone spilled suntan lotion on my boat and didn't clean it up, or at least warned me about it I would be VERY upset! It is seriously dangerous. You could have been badly hurt, or possibly fallen overboard. Glad you weren't seriously hurt!

Feel free to ask more questions.. or send me an email.

[Yannis]

Frank,

Yes, I figured that this would be the self tailing feature. And while you can get away with it in an automatic winch (where both your hands are free since you operate it with a toe button), for a manual one it is a must.
I wander if the fast speed of any winch is fast enough for anchor retrieval, or, you would end up pulling it by hand... And just because we're talking about a second anchor which has almost only rope (bow anchor is all chain) it shouldn't be so heavy afterall. For mooring though it becomes essential, even for a 7 ton boat like the 28.

I think you have a B33, right? If I hadn't put so much labor and dime in my 28 I would go for a 33 right now. You know, you always want bigger and better... I love the looks of the 33 with the small salon(single cabin) and the huge deck BUT the main reason I would change would be the addition of a second cabin, the 33 with the galley at stb ; only it is soooo tall and big that it looks like the 35, so then why not go for the 35, and hey, the 38 is good looking too !!
I'm still on vacation, so I'm allowed to dream...
Thanks .

[Stephan]

Yannis-
I can sympathize with the sticker shock on the electric winches. The power drain on them is significant too and may cost some extra $$ for the installation for the breaker, etc.
I think the drum size is also important to consider. While I can appreciate wishing to keep it as small and unobtrusive as possible, my belief is that the drum has as much to do with the capability as the electrics, especially so for self tailing.
Spending this sort of bucks should get you some help considering the engineering. If you would like a referral I have a friend who works at Harken and can point you in the right direction.
Best,
Stephan

[Yannis]

Stephan thank you for your help. I might take you up on that input from your friend.
You brought up a very important point, that of power drain.
There's a B42 a few boats down at the pier, with a nice winch; I think I'll start by asking him the pros and cons for starters!
There are actually 30 kn winds blowing and since everyone is sitting tight I figure they might be in the mood to discuss.
Cheers.

[Carl]

Not sure of the conditons your anchoring in...but have you considered using a ball to pull the anchor?

Ball and boat do all the work of pulling and releasing anchor...just need to take in the slack line.


Spilt lotion over the deck and left...not cool!
Sounds as like as me helping a friend put out their anchor after they tried and failed a half dozen times.
I swam over to their boat, climbed out windshield onto one of those Your-A-Pee-N design boats...you know the ones that have a sloped deck from windshield right down past the anchor locker to bow rail... Wet feet on Waxed Non skid, I slid all the way down till my foot hit cleat, spun, did a split into bowrail. Hurt like a bastard...I should have figured as much as he also waxed the fiberglass swim platform I slid back and forth on trying to get out of the water. At least I didn't really get hurt...back problems are the worst.

[Yannis]

Carl, I know what you're talking about... And, boy, does that little toe hurt against a cleat!

I think we are a completely different market. Motor boats are mainly inflatables for up to, say, around 30 feet, some costing more than twice my Bert. With 2, sometimes even 3 monster outboards. Then, there are those Ferreti type boats, all shiny, the bigger ones with the appropriate Philipino tying ropes and giving a soap and shine to decks, windows and rails, around the clock. And then, are the sailboats; I noticed that sailboats are wider lately, featuring wide sterns than open electrically to become swimming platforms...

As for the mooring conditions, consider that we have no tides, therefore no pillars, boats usually moor with the stern and owners watch all the dock commotion siting on their aft decks. Which is why I want to bow in, and find an easy way to deploy an aluminum fortress anchor from the stern, sit on my deck and admire the sea and not the cement dock.

Needless to say that not one boat, either inflatable or cruiser, is equipped to fish. Boats are used as transportation craft between beaches or islands and those that have accomodation space are also used as summer vacation houses. When I removed the wishbones and outriggers from my boat, nobody knew what they were; they must be rotting away at some yard somewhere.

[Carl]

Yannis,

A somewhat different market for sure...

Definitely was not thinking about retrieving anchor from a docking position...

[Navatech]

Yannis, a few things:

1) Some of the bigger (and older?) Bertrams (like my 46') were factory equipped with 110 volt windlasses... My guess is that this was due to the power requirements involved... Just too much even on a 32 volt system with 4/0 gauge wire...
2) I actually prefer to use the ball method...
3) See if you can find something used but nice on the US Fleabay (Ebay) site... I can get it for you and then ship it to you... Price could be 15-20% of what you'd pay in Europe for new...

[Yannis]

Much obliged, Nav. I,ll give it a try and let you know. Thanks.