Secondary winches:where and why?

[Boulter]

Hi:

My wife really wanted ST primary winches, so looks like existing winches can be "promoted" to secondary usage.

I believe the primary purpose of secondary winches is to control spinnakers - which we currently do not own.

So basically knowing nothing, I intend to mount the new STs in the existing locations. So I am wondering what to do with the other two? Nothing for now - leave them off? Mount 2 feet forward of primaries? Other suggestions.

The boat is currently 30 feet out the back door, so there will never be an easier time to work on it (when it warms up in a month or two -30C this morning!). So if something sensible to do, now is the time while the boat is close and all my tooling is available.

The boat is an Ontario 32.

Cheers

Boulter

[Cheechako]

Some uses that come to mind: Dedicated winch for the furling headsail. or mainsheet winch if your MS is on the cabin top. Stern mounted for a stern anchor. hmmm... thinking..... Keep them out of the "trip zone" where you step out of the cockpit to the side deck.....

[Bash]

If you're leading lines to the cockpit, those secondaries will be useful for anything from halyards to the vang to the outhaul, et cetera.

I have primaries, secondaries and dedicated spinnaker sheet winches. In an emergency, the spinnaker sheet winches would be used to steer the emergency tiller or the emergency rudder. They've been put to use as a kedge windlass, to pull in the jib furling line in strong winds, trim a jybe preventer, and to barber-haul the genoa on a reach.

I can't imagine making do with a single set of winches in the cockpit. Secondaries are just too handy.

[Dockhead]

If it's any help, I have 8 cockpit winches on my boat.

Big electric ST66 primaries, for Yankee sheets and general use.
Secondaries for spin sheets, running backstays, furling lines, jib car control lines, boom preventer.
Dedicated mainsheet traveller control line winches.

On the scuttle: to port, an electric Lewmar 46 for staysail sheet, mainsheet, vang. To starboard, another electric 46 for main furling line, outhaul, and topping lift.

A 9th winch on the mast for halyards.

You can't have too many winches.

[barnakiel]

I am not sure one needs secondaries on a 32' boat.

The actual placement will depend on how your cockpit is laid out. In most cases my favourite place is as far fore (but behind mains, see winch handle arc) as practicable. Alas, in a small boat, this exact spot makes it difficult to get out and into the cockpit.

b.

[FSMike]

If you don't have a current use for them I would either put them in storage or sell them.

[Ziggy]

I think secondaries are useful even if you don't fly a chute:

1. Help furl or reef a roller furling genoa in a strong breeze
2. Tension a boom brake
3. Take the tension off the genoa sheet when you get an override on the primaries
4. Serve as a backup if one of your primaries goes t!ts up (I know, very unlikely, but I heard of it happening)
5. You might decide to get a cruising chute at some point after all

I added secondaries to my 32' a few years back. The only place to put them was aft of the primaries, but not so far aft that they would interfere with my favorite spot to sit on the cockpit coaming.

[daddle]

"Install them in storage". If you don't need them don't install them. They sound unnecessary. They will just take up room. Bang elbows. Use up seating space. Require maintenance. Add weight. Etc.

I have a complex boat and almost never use both winches on a given side. The "on" runners and sheet are always on opposite sides. I'd never winch a furling line. The genoa and spinnaker are not trimmed at the same time on a cruising boat. Same with anchor retrieval: the genoa is not trimmed at the same time. No staysail. 8 winches on the boat total.

[Boulter]

Hi:

Thank you for the replies.

I think I am leaning towards putting them into storage. No point trying to sell as I suspect 35 YO plain winches are worth slightly over scrap value. I suspect all the other stuff I have to do will keep me hopping this spring anyhow. Likely batter to get a season sailing under my belt and revisit the issue another time.

Cheers

Boulter

[gjordan]

I would think that there would be plenty of pictures on the net of Ontario 32s, and some would have secondaries. You could at least get an idea of what has been done before. If there is a Ontario blog, or forum you could ask other owners. I personally think secondaries are a very good idea, but some people dont think they are worth it. YOUR CHOICE!_____Grant.

[flopresti]

They are needed for spinnaker. If you don't use a spin, they will take away room for sitting .. Mine are behind the primary so the spin sheets can be run from the block at the stern of boat to them and the guys also... while jib is still up.