WinchRite

[Get-a-Life]

Originally Posted by nickc

Anyone out there bought the new WinchRite www.winchrite.com cordless electric winch handle? It sounds fantastic particularly for those who sail with female partners of a certain age. Any comments on the 110 MN max torque. How does that compare with the average guy?
The instant appeal to me, is staying at the helm keeping the boat pointed into the wind while Lorraine just grips the switch, no more arguements or swearing!

Brad,

You are entitled to your opinion and I mine.

If you care to read the above quote (the original question) I will rest my case.

Ken

[James Baines]

Originally Posted by captden

Ive been using the Milwaukee R/A drill now for a couple of years now and I can say it's like having power winches on board. Just have to pay attention as you can get into trouble if a sheet or haylard get fouled. As far as the Cranker goes IMO. not a very good design I broke two of them before I went with the winch mate that you can get on ebay for around $40. US. A little more money but better design.

I broke a "Name Brand" winch bit as well so I got some S.S 5/8ths bar stock and a buddy of mine made me a couple by turning down the stock just enough for it to fit the Milwaukee chuck. With a very large fillet radius, along with sensible use, those things 'aint ever going to break...

[Nyeki]

Can anyone tell me if they know of any places which sell the Winch-Rite in Australia. I have only come up with Catalina Yachts on the Gold Coast far. They sell them for AUS$699.00

[formrteki]

We have blown up two Milwaukee right-angle drills the first time of use. Once raising me (120 lbs) up the mast (I was halfway up); the second time raising the main. The screw holding the chuck shears off. Are we doing something wrong? Everyone else seems to love this system. Are we going too fast? Too slow? It seems odd that my little girly self can hold this machine with one hand while operating it and it breaks. I've returned one and will today return the other. Home Depot is going to get tired of this....

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by formrteki

We have blown up two Milwaukee right-angle drills the first time of use. Once raising me (120 lbs) up the mast (I was halfway up); the second time raising the main. The screw holding the chuck shears off. Are we doing something wrong? Everyone else seems to love this system. Are we going too fast? Too slow? It seems odd that my little girly self can hold this machine with one hand while operating it and it breaks. I've returned one and will today return the other. Home Depot is going to get tired of this....

We had some difficulty with that when we first purchased our drill. It turns out that if the locking screw gets loose, it will load up and rupture when using the drill in the "reverse" direction as one does when cranking a winch in secondary or high power mode. Firstly, you can buy replacement screws from Milwaukee for very little, if I recall less than $.50 each. After breaking two, I called the company and purchased 10 (largely because the shipping cost was the same regardless of how many I bought). N'any case, the last time I replaced the locking screw I used a little Locktite on the threads and we haven't broken a screw since. Note though, if the drill starts to lug down badly, you're getting close to its limiting load and one should switch to a long winch handle.

FWIW...

[rtbates]

you guys who can't raise your main without electrical help need to watch old movies of the schooners raising their main...A version of that method works wonders, Yea it's slow, but not dependent of electrical power...I've used the yank and pull method many many times to raise mains that otherwise I couldn't budge, being 140lb 65 yo...With two it's really easy..

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by rtbates

you guys who can't raise your main without electrical help need to watch old movies of the schooners raising their main...A version of that method works wonders, Yea it's slow, but not dependent of electrical power...I've used the yank and pull method many many times to raise mains that otherwise I couldn't budge, being 140lb 65 yo...With two it's really easy..

Try it using just one arm, or, at most, with one arm and your other locked in place at your side from your elbow up and report back on your experience. The we'll talk.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by bgallinger

I'm surprised it's so tough to raise the mainsail too. The last 10 feet are strenuous to say the least. I heard later that this is an issue with the Hunter 340. I have played with the outhaul, but perhaps something else needs adjusting!

There has to be something causing the high drag. Do you have full batton at the top that might jam the car or track? On the sails I have flown that use a bolt rope I found that a Teflon white grease applied to the bolt will make the track slippery as heck. Works very well on my Tornado Cat main and on my jib tracks. You may need to go aloft or use good binoculars on a peaceful day to figure it out. Its bound to be something simple.

[Nicholson58]

I see advantages with Winchright - it is reversable and variable speed. I think the price is impressively high. Here are a couple of reviews. sounds like a great tool. I remember reading that the earlier versions at least was prone to twisting off or loosing the output socket. The battery is purpose built and expensive.
Free Shipping for WinchRite Electric Winch Handle. Only at AhoyCaptain.com.
ASA Review
Personal Review of the WinchRite - SailboatOwners.com
Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: WinchRite Cordless Electric Sailboat Winch Handle

We use the Milwaukee 28 volt Lithium battery powered right angle drill for many of the reasons noted above. I had the bit made in our shop from hardened keystock so its indestructable. Our boat is 58 feet and the #1 is 30 feet on the foot and 80 hoist. The material is 5-layer and stiff as cardboard. It must be furled to tack. The milwaukee has plenty of torque and its length is equivilent to a 24 inch winch handle. Draw-back is weight, single direction. If you drive it in reverse the chuck un-screws from the right angle driver. Make sure you set the right angle gears to reduce 2:1. This is greater torque at half speed. We have had no problems with this tool. We sail as a couple and one season without this showed us its importance. Main is powered in-mast roller furl. Primaries are electric. Jib and Cutter are manual Pro-Furl and Mizzen is manual in-mast furl.

You might find the Milwaukee factory reconditioned on E-Bay for as little as 220.00. We also added a suit of Milwaukee 28 volt tools so there are two chargers and three batteries on board. The boat is 24 VDC as well so we can power directly if necessary. Together, this makes a lot of sense for us.

[Nicholson58]

I was just reading TCP http://thecoastalpassage.com/papers/etcp57.pdf and found this link for WinchRite in Australia.

sales@boatinghardware.com.au

[KatsPau]

After looking at a "winch buddy" at a show a few years ago, I purchased a Milwaukee 28V RA drill and a winch bit. I bought an extra battery as a backup. So here is my experience with the winch-buddy idea. We own a 38 lagoon. The winch-buddy battery runs out of juice about 1/2-3/4 of the way up and I have to either swap the battery or crank it up by hand. The issue seems to be the weight of the sail. The winch-buddy battery just can't provide sufficient juice to get it all the way up. I am at the ANNAPOLIS show and will be seriously looking at the winchrite. We are 12V sailors when underway so a 12V rechargeable solution would be very much appreciated.

KatsPau
Norfolk VA

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by KatsPau

After looking at a "winch buddy" at a show a few years ago, I purchased a Milwaukee 28V RA drill and a winch bit. I bought an extra battery as a backup. So here is my experience with the winch-buddy idea. We own a 38 lagoon. The winch-buddy battery runs out of juice about 1/2-3/4 of the way up and I have to either swap the battery or crank it up by hand. The issue seems to be the weight of the sail. The winch-buddy battery just can't provide sufficient juice to get it all the way up. I am at the ANNAPOLIS show and will be seriously looking at the winchrite. We are 12V sailors when underway so a 12V rechargeable solution would be very much appreciated.

KatsPau
Norfolk VA

I have ordered a winchrite. I really don't know how long the battery can hold a charge, but I know I can get the sail a good way up the mast before I use the Winchrite. Where it may actually be the most help to me is in trimming the headsail.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by KatsPau

After looking at a "winch buddy" at a show a few years ago, I purchased a Milwaukee 28V RA drill and a winch bit. I bought an extra battery as a backup. So here is my experience with the winch-buddy idea. We own a 38 lagoon. The winch-buddy battery runs out of juice about 1/2-3/4 of the way up and I have to either swap the battery or crank it up by hand. The issue seems to be the weight of the sail. The winch-buddy battery just can't provide sufficient juice to get it all the way up. I am at the ANNAPOLIS show and will be seriously looking at the winchrite. We are 12V sailors when underway so a 12V rechargeable solution would be very much appreciated.

KatsPau
Norfolk VA

PS it occurred to me that it will be really important to make sure the halyard didn't end up wrapped around something. I wouldn't recommend using it to force the headsail in unless you know for sure there's no chance of a halyard wrap around the forestay.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I was just reading TCP http://thecoastalpassage.com/papers/etcp57.pdf and found this link for WinchRite in Australia.

sales@boatinghardware.com.au

Link didn't work ....

[JamuJoe]

Originally Posted by rtbates

you guys who can't raise your main without electrical help need to watch old movies of the schooners raising their main...A version of that method works wonders, Yea it's slow, but not dependent of electrical power...I've used the yank and pull method many many times to raise mains that otherwise I couldn't budge, being 140lb 65 yo...With two it's really easy..

Yep, I like the old movies also. Foretopmen climbing the rigging (and falling overboard) in a storm. A becalmed captain ordering the crew to the boats to pull on oars and tow the ship. Ship's surgeon wacking off crushed limbs. All good entertainment.

"Yanking and pulling" the main halyard would be neither easy nor safe on my boat. I've done it on smaller boats. I can certainly crank up my main by hand, but I've found a tool that makes the operation much more enjoyable. Consequently I sail more and motor less.

For the intent of this discussion, acknowledging that a simple tool like the WinchRite can make sailing easier and safer is constructive and should not be ridiculed. While respecting traditional skills, we want to share ideas that may better enable some of us to continue enjoying our activity in the reality of diminished abilities.

Safe Sailing,
JamuJoe