Antal, Lewmar or Harken Winches?

[Kevin84]

Which you recommend? The boat I'm looking at has all non self tailing winches. I'd like to replace them with self tailing. I'm strongly considering the Lewmar EVO winches. Going with two 50ST, three 40ST and three 30ST winches. These will be used for the jib sheets, staysail sheets, main sheet and halyards. Opinions?

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[Sailmonkey]

I'm putting my money into arco-Hutton winches. They're heavy bronze construction.

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Kevin84

Which you recommend? The boat I'm looking at has all non self tailing winches. I'd like to replace them with self tailing. I'm strongly considering the Lewmar EVO winches. Going with two 50ST, three 40ST and three 30ST winches. These will be used for the jib sheets, staysail sheets, main sheet and halyards. Opinions?

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When I was choosing winches for my boat (several years ago) I was informed by yard, that from options available (Lewmar, Andersen, Harken) the best owners feedback is for Harken. Yard had not financial interest in misinformation (I was paying for winches straight to supplier and flat rate for installation to the yard). Gone with the advice and never regret it.
I do not want to say, that Lewmar were any less good at the time - I just followed the yard advice.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

I'm putting my money into arco-Hutton winches. They're heavy bronze construction.

So are chromed-bronze Lewmars.

My boat is an 84 and has 3 Lewmars - two ST and one non. They work like new and I'd certainly buy them again. (indeed I just did - I am replacing the non-ST main halyard winch with a Lewmar EVO 16 ST)

[tamicatana]

I had Harkens on my race boats and they were damn good winches. The 'new' boat has some Andersens which have been mistreated but with renewal care are good as ever, so I speak well of the Andersen winch (at least the 1993 vintage)

Care, as in yearly cleaning and maintenance, is the key regardless of brand

[Kevin84]

Ok. Thanks guys. I'm leaning toward the Lewmar EVO winches. Particulary since they seem easy to maintain.

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