Electric winch for main halyard B37

[Jackho]

Anyone fitted one?  intending to install an EVO40 to replace the existing 30.  Any tips gratefully received.
My boat 2006 B37 Cruiser.

[IslandAlchemy]

Why not just get a winchrite handle.  You can use it on every winch then, and it's a lot cheaper.

[Jackho]

Vastly over priced and two handed operation.  Already use a Dewalt right angle 2 speed drill with winch bit but 2 handed operation as well.
Age restriction and with SWMBO "input" !!  must obey.

[Craig]

Suggest you might also consider following points:-
1. Hoisting Main might be made easier if you "sweat" the halyard up from the mast while your partner pulls the halyard through the clutch. This would only require a small amount of winching for final metre or so. The forces required are much less if you do this. I've also seen main sails torn when the electric winch overloads the halyard.
2. If you want to hoist from the cockpit, I suggest that the lines from the mast are organised so that the electric winch you install is also set up to trim the main sheet. It would be a pity to have an electric winch that is only used once on each trip, especially as the main sheet can require a bit of winching at times.
3. Buy 3 electric winches, one to be used as above and the other 2 for the headsail sheets. I find that the headsail winches require more force, more often than any other winch on the boat.

Craig
"Shirley Valentine"
Gold Coast
Australia

[suibhne]

I have a BAV 36 with 3 reefs in the slab reefing main.

The main has full length batons

Pulling all the reefing lines from scratch is hard work.

To save a lot of the effort when I drop the main say from the first reef I do not pull all the reefing lines in(second and third).
If they are loosely left in the stack pack then when hoisting the main its easy to get back to the first reef stage.
Only the first reefing lines need to be worked on if you require an unreefed main .

You might think that the loose reefing lines get entangled but this rarely happens

[Salty]

I have a BAV 36 with 3 reefs in the slab reefing main.

The main has full length batons

Pulling all the reefing lines from scratch is hard work.

To save a lot of the effort when I drop the main say from the first reef I do not pull all the reefing lines in(second and third).
If they are loosely left in the stack pack then when hoisting the main its easy to get back to the first reef stage.
Only the first reefing lines need to be worked on if you require an unreefed main .

You might think that the loose reefing lines get entangled but this rarely happens

I fully agree with suibhne, but getting someone up the mast for a maintenance task can be a bit of a chore without a power winch. Last time we rigged a turning block at the foot of the mast and took the main halyard forward to the electric windlass. It worked well, but extra care is needed to ensure a safe operation. Part of the problem is that the windlass drum is relatively short, and the rope had a tendency to walk towards the end of the drum and required constant surging while lowering, even though there were no more than three turns. Next time I'll rig another block to keep the halyard close to the inboard end of the drum while lowering. Looking around for an electric conversion for a Harken cabin top winch shows just how expensive they can be, but if changing the winch completely takes your fancy, Seateach had some Lewmar 40, 46 and 50 size electric winches starting at £1500 to about £2000ish available during a recent check.

[Kibo]

Recommend you get more than one if budget allows. All our winches are electric, I wouldn't go back.....  SWMBO likes sailing so much more when a tweak on a sheet is a quick button press or a simple ease. We have roller furling on both main and head sails so cant help much with your specific halyard question....

As to the cons about pulling sails apart or doing damage with an electric winch: it's relatively simple to avoid this by paying attention to what is happening at the end of the line and using your ears since it quickly becomes apparent when things are binding or tightening up. Motto is "if in doubt: STOP".  No doubt you can destroy gear pretty quickly if you don't pay attention but you are in complete finger tip (literally) control at all times so it's not the winch that will do the damage it is the operator.

[Jackho]

Electric winch now installed no problem.  Excellent choice works a treat.
Jackho

[Salty]

Electric winch now installed no problem.  Excellent choice works a treat.
Jackho

So which winch did you choose?

[Jackho]

Lewmar ev40 complete kit.

[GeoffV]

Electric winch now installed no problem.  Excellent choice works a treat.
Jackho

Did you fit it yourself? If so I would be interested to know the details. Ta

[Jackho]

Re: your question.  yes fitted myself.  fairly straight froward. Simply remove existing winch ,in my case the st30 and align the st40 in its place.
The holes don't line up so new positions have to be assessed along with the most critical alignment which is the shaft position through the coachroof.
This location determines the clearance below to which the gearbox and motor are located so measure 10 times and cut once.
A pilot hole (or two) is the best method to determine and confirm the accuracy of this this alignment before drilling .
The coachroof is about 22mm deep with a glassed in metal plate about 12mm so has to be drilled from both sides (as least with my hole cutter).
Wiring is simple if you have the correct tools to crimp lugs etc. and access back to batteries is fairly straight forward.
hope this helps
Jackho

 

[Salty]

Re: your question.  yes fitted myself.  fairly straight froward.
.............
Wiring is simple if you have the correct tools to crimp lugs etc. and access back to batteries is fairly straight forward.
hope this helps

Did you connect the winch through a solenoid system similar to that used in connecting a windlass? Because if you did then you can also connect in a radio control system (about £7-£8 through eBay), for single handed hoisting of the main.
This is a particularly useful device when refitting and hoisting the main after the end of the winter period on shore and prior to that first sail of the new season. It saves all of the trips back to the cockpit to hoist the sail a bit more before fitting the next batten or reefing line for us that prefer slab reefing and lazy jack systems.

[Jackho]

Yes the contactor comes with the kit and i mounted it in top of the motor - The start buttton being part of same arrangement,( Also has overload protect before the contactor). Would not advise remote control for sail control - ok for windlass where failure of control might not have such dramatic consequences.  My alternative is another "start" button at the wheel . (simple parallel connection from coachroof mounted button.  Properly shielded of course.

[AFRiCA]

I have thought long and hard about electrifying winches on my Bavaria 2001 42 footer. The issue being, do I install many or just one strategically located electric winch to be able to attend to all the winching tasks. It seems to me that the port primary genoa winch is ideally located on my yacht to facilitate hauling up the main halyard, trimming the main and genoa as well as reefing the headsail and mainsail, attending to the outhaul and boom vang and trimming spinnakers. So when the time comes I will be electrifying my port primary genoa winch (the biggest winches on my yacht) which will provide for a cost effective way to attend to all winching tasks in the future. May also need to double as an anchor winch should my anchor winch fail, therefore I consider the bigger the electric winch the better.

[Salty]

I have thought long and hard about electrifying winches on my Bavaria 2001 42 footer. The issue being, do I install many or just one strategically located electric winch.........................................  So when the time comes I will be electrifying my port primary genoa winch (the biggest winches on my yacht) which will provide for a cost effective way to attend to all winching tasks in the future......

That sounds like a good plan, also if your 42 has a similar cockpit arrangement as my B36(2002) then there is probably enough space under that port winch where the motor can be hidden away out of sight and out of the way from anyone's head getting bumped against it. On my 36, there is a panel under each of the Genoa winches giving access to the cockpit coaming space below each winch and which also happens to be a large and otherwise void space. However, it might make fitting the motor a little more time consuming.

[Jackho]

in response to Africa .... I would suggest the main halyard winch to consider as also useful for positioning the traveller along with the other functions you mention.  Also the wiring is much simpler with close access to the engine frame (for negative connection) and cable access back to batteries. The overload contactor is also more convenient to mount 
hope this helps.

[Mirror45184]

On B40 Cruiser, we installed 4 winches; both primary (genoa) and Mainsheet winches. We used Hydraulic drive with a single hydraulic pump. Reduces the amount of copper cabling required and worked out cheaper than 4 electric winches. Sourced the units from Hutton Arco winches, great service and support. No relation by the way. Based Sydney so Allen is generally at the Sydney Boat Show.
The genoa winch can be used for the main halyard by first taking a wrap around the halyard winch then leading the halyard to the primary winch.
Cheers