Genoa / Chute winches

[amytom]

I've been trying to piece together enough hardware to rig a genoa on our 32 for some time. The new winches is a large portion of the expense so a nice used price is definately a help.

I've found a pair of Lewmar #7 winches that I can get at a good price. They're not self tailing though.

So the questions at hand are:

1) For those of you that have rear winches, what size do you have?

2) Self tailing for the halyards is great but for genoa or chute sheets would I be better off without the self tailing and just using a cam cleat on the tail after the winch?

3) Used winches in working condition should be what percentage of the new price? 50% , 40%, less...?

Thanks again for the free education this forum offers.

Tom

[thinwater]

1. I believe they are Lewmar 32. Actually, Harken I think, but same size.

2. They are self tailing, and I like it that way. I do have cam cleats near each winch, so that I can use option when it is breezy and preparing to tack or jibe. I have non-tailing winches on the mast and I'm fine with that.

You should only need 2 winches on starboard (main/jib). On port you only need one and can use cam cleats to retain other lines (spin sheet, eg.). I have 2 but never use both. If I reefed from the cockpit, that would be different.

[thinwater]

BTW, the Lewmar winches are easier to service.

[amytom]

Thanks,

I was thinking the #7's would be too small.

Maybe the 14s or 16s would do for genoa sheets.

If anyone sees used ones laying around somewhere keep me in mind.


Tom

[mikeandrebecca]

Our primary winches are harken 32s. Our boat came with a spare harken 16 and I acquired a matching used one from our local chandlery (50% of new price). I plan on installing them behind the primary ones this week. Does anyone know if the area for the winches is solid glass or is it cored?

Mike

[thinwater]

Cored, in my expereince. However, it is a strong core and with a good backing plate, it is OK.

From a trip report, last year:
"We did pull a winch out of the deck, trimming the genoa under full load. We didn’t lose the winch—she just lifted a bit and made crunching noises. I quickly transferred the sheet to a matching winch next to it. Later discovery, weeks later, confirmed my suspicion; this one winch had been owner-added on a cored deck without adequate backing. I was surprised, though, when I saw that not even simple washers had been placed under the nuts! The nuts simply punched into the foam under what must have been the greatest strain the winch had seen. The factory installed winches presumably were installed with big fender washers into a solid glass area of the deck, reinforced for winch mounting (at least the non-skid was removed from that area). I reinstalled the winch with and over-sized FRP backing plate."

[mikeandrebecca]

Yes, I remembered that post. On our PDQ there is another smooth, circular area where apparently secondary winches are meant to be added. I was hoping that this area would also be solid glass. I guess I'll find out when I drill the first hole!

(Note that there are also two more circular areas like this just aft of the forward anchor lockers. I'm not sure why I would want winches way up there)

I purchased harken stainless backing plates to match the winches. Our primary winches also have large circular backing plates too (I removed the cabin liner to see when I installed our new radio).

[mikeandrebecca]

I only JUST realized that just the starboard side has the smooth circular area under the primary winch. The port side does not. Strange! Not only that, I just noticed that the two primary winches aren't even exactly the same. They must be slightly different years. I noticed all this when servicing the winches.

Once I install the new (to us) secondary winches we will then have 4 different winches on board.

[mikeandrebecca]

Secondary winches (Harken 16s) are now installed. The areas I spoke of are solid glass.

The bad news is that the way we are running the lines from our Genny (spinnaker) to the winches is causing the sheets to chafe a bit on the deck. I'll need to organize a solution for that.

[amytom]

Someone please talk me into or out of buying these ( http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f64 ... 43496.html ) winches for adding a genoa to our 32.

[eepstein]

Buy a self tailing set. Also go for ones that are bigger - you wont regret it. The Genny carries a lot of load. If you don't already have a Genny and are going to buy one, ask the sail loft what they recommend for your multi-hull and the sails you are buying. I just purchased a new Genny that is much stronger than the old one. The sail maker said the ones on the PDQ36 are marginal for the loading, especially as you may not furl a newer and stronger head sail as early. Hope this helps...

[thinwater]

Buy a self tailing set. Also go for ones that are bigger - you wont regret it. The Genny carries a lot of load. If you don't already have a Genny and are going to buy one, ask the sail loft what they recommend for your multi-hull and the sails you are buying. I just purchased a new Genny that is much stronger than the old one. The sail maker said the ones on the PDQ36 are marginal for the loading, especially as you may not furl a newer and stronger head sail as early. Hope this helps...

Absolutly. Unless I come up a little, it's all I can do to get the genny in tight when it's blowing, with a 2-speed winch.

[tmount]

I never bothered with a new winch and installed clutches on both sides. The sheets go back to turning blocks, through the clutches, and to the existing winches. Works great!

[jak430]

tmount,
I was thinking about doing the same thing. Any problem with mounting the the clutches?
John & Regina
'DreamCatcher' PDQ32

[tmount]

No problems installing the clutches on the smooth circles in back of the winches. If I remember correctly they are solid glass and I didn't need backing plates.