New Eclipse Owner in Sydney

[Paul G]

Hello,

I have recently joined the ranks of Eclipse owners having purchased a 2nd (3rd) hand Eclipse in Australia.

My name is Paul and I live in Sydney with my wife and two young boys.  This is our first trailerable,but we previously owned a 31ft keel boat which I had moored in Sydney Harbour.  When the little boys started to appear I sold that boat and have been pining (according to wife) for another ever since.  Now that the boys are older (9 and 7) we felt it was to time to get back into sailing (Yay!) and so lashed out and bought the Eclipse. We have taken the boat out for a day sail and whilst the junior members of the crew were not terribly impressed with the boat heeling on the windward leg they relaxed on the downwind leg.  After  my sail that day I am convinced that the Eclipse was a great choice for our family.

I read many reviews about the Eclipse and lurked around this forum gathering a much Intel as I could prior to inspecting and purchasing.  I am grateful for all of your contributions to this forum as they had a significant impact on my decision to go with the Eclipse.

So here is my first request for help.  Attached is a photo of a winch that is being used for the main halyard.  It looks to me like a self-tailing model that is missing the cap and ST arm.  The winch does not display any manufacturers information.  Being an American boat, I wonder if anyone can recognise the winch? I would like to get parts to fix it.  

On a final note I just have to say that it is 0440hrs and I am jet lagged in Nashville. We are currently in the US visiting family for Thanksgiving (wifey is American) spending a few days with Sis-in-Law in TN before driving up to Southern Illinois for the big Thanksgiving dinner. But we will be back soon on our Eclipse.  It is perfect sailing weather back home at the moment.

Cheerio and thanks,

Paul G

BTW the Eclipse is a 2009 model.

[Bob23]

Welcome, Paul!
  I don't think you are our first member from down under but welcome just the same! Enjoy your Eclipse! While I cannot help with your technical questions, being a 23 owner, there are others here that can. I've been aboard one and was surprised at the amount of room down below.
  I guess you are jet lagged...what is it - 24 hours in the air or something like that? My nephew is currently working in Perth for Chevron and while I will not, and cannot endure that much time in the air, they return here occasionally to visit and I hear tales of super lag.
  There are a few of us US Compac-o-nauts in southern Illinois or thereabouts. You may hear from them here. Don't be afraid- they bark but don't bite!:)
   Again, welcome!
Bob23 and "Koinonia" 1985 23/2 in Southern NJ...cold but still sailing!

[brackish]

Welcome Paul!

Hey if you don't get an answer about your winch here, call Hutchins with your hull number.  If it was OEM they will have all the data and maybe even spare parts.

[Paul G]

Thanks Bob23 and Brackish. After further googling I am firming on the idea that the winch might be a Lewmar type.  I will act on your advice and email Hutchins.

Cheerio,

Paul.

[Vectordirector]

Congrats Paul on the Eclipse.  I love mine.  I've never seen a picture of a winch on one, but I can see why one might want one.  The main is sometimes difficult to get all the way up with the spinlock on mine.  Depending on your level of fitness, you might find it to be overkill and an unneeded bit of complexity.  Or you may feel it is a godsend.  I don't feel the need for one.  Switching it back to a spinlock might be more trouble than it its worth though.    Lewmar is pretty much the standard for boats up here.  Down under?  Maybe someone else.  I would guess it is a Lewmar 14, 15, or 16.  These are the smallest self-tailers they make.  If it is a Lewmar, it is likely one of those.  Measure it up and you should be able to figure out which winch.      

Here is the link to the replacement parts from West Marine.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/lewmar--self-tailing-winch-spare-feeder-arms--P010705804.  Hope that helps.

Could be an Antal 16 too.  http://www.westmarine.com/buy/antal---16-two-speed-aluminum-self-tailing-winch--12255972

That would be where I would start.  Prior owner no help? There aren't a lot of these boats, shouldn't be too difficult to figure out the history of who installed it and what type it is.  Pretty sure it isn't factory unless it was special ordered that way.  

Enjoy the boat.  It is a great design.  Good luck.

Vectordirector

[TedStrat]

Welcome Paul, from fellow eclipse owner on Long Island NY. Fantastic boats - sails great. I don't have a winch - although at times having one for the main halyard would have been nice. I learned to Completely release the down haul to raise it all the way. I agree with vectordirector in that you may not need it but that's your call. Either way she will sail brilliantly. Best of luck.

[Eagleye]

Paul,
A hearty welcome an cograts on the purchase of you Eclipse!  It is exciting to have new Eclipse owners on board.  We sail our Eclipse in the upstate New York area (please, not to be confused with NYC).  It would be interesting to hear the story  as to how an Eclipse found its way to Australia.  Did you purchase it from someone there or did you have it sent there?
I had the good fortune to visit you beautiful country about this time in 2005.  Yes, if I recall sailing would be quite nice about now.  Here is a pic I took of Sydney Harbor.




Sorry I can't help you with the winch problem and I have to agree, I would guess that it is not stock but only Hutchins could answer that for sure.  I have never seen one on an Eclipse but I did see an official line drawing that had winches on the combing.

Enjoy your stay here in the US and have a safe trip home.  We will be looking forward to hearing about your adventures down under.

-Allen

[Salty19]

Welcome to the forum.  We have a few from down under...Pete..uhh..forget who else. I'm sure it will come to me after I post this.

As I understand it, Hutchins is exporting them to Australia on a fairly regular basis these days, so if you're lucky you might live close to another owner.
They would be very rare I would imagine. Drive along the Florida coast and you be hard pressed not to spot a Com-pac!

The Eclipse is a pretty boat, and from what I hear sails like a dream.  I have inspected at the dock and sailed along side one numerous times at the infamous Carlyle Lake Rendezvous in the State of Illinois. They appear to perform similarly to a CP19 with foiled rudder, however last year with his worn out sails and our newer we had clocked at least 15 minutes quicker over the course of the 7.5 mile race.  We didn't really keep exact time...that's kinda against the spirit of the kind of racing we do there.

Toolman is his name here...anyway, gorgeous boat and sure looks easy to raft up and swim with the low transom.

Can't really offer any other advice on the winch.  I'm considering removing our CP19 winch...really don't need it and it's just more to step on and trip you up while on deck.

[Pete H]

Hi Paul,

Welcome! I am a fellow Aussie Com-Pac owner, based in western Victoria. I bought a new Legacy in 2012 through Blue Reef Marine on the Gold Coast. They had a new Eclipse on display at the time which I had a look at. I was very impressed! I can't help with your winch question (the Legacy is so small that it doesn't need them), but if you gave the guy in charge at Blue Reef, his name is Cameron Suter, he may be able to help.

I mainly sail on the Gippsland Lakes and if you are ever down there we could perhaps meet up for a Com-Pac get together. Cameron delivered one of the cat boats to Melbourne about the time we picked up the Legacy so there are a few Com-Pacs around, although in forty years of trailersailing I have never seen one apart from those at the dealers.

Paul if you haven't already done so I suggest you check out the "Trailer Sailer Place" forum, lots of info about trailer sailing in Australia about every topic imaginable, except Compacs of course. Someone on there may be able to answer your winch question.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy your Eclipse.

[Paul G]

Thank you all for the warm welcome and advice.  I will get to the bottom of it eventually.  Whilst I agree a winch is not necessary on an Eclipse I did find this particular one handy for ensuring the head of the mainsail  is hard up against the top of the mast.

Thanks Eagleye for the photo of the Opera House!  Sitting here in Southern Illinois I am wishing I was at home sailing on Sydney Harbour! That photo must have been taken on a weekday because on the weekends the harbour is packed with boats.  My work routine allows me to have days off during the week where one could almost own the harbour.   It will, however, be another two weeks before we all get home.  With regard to my Eclipse I purchased it from the owner in Brisbane.  I understand that he bought if from someone who imported it to Australia.  The boat was previously registered in the US as I can make out the registration letters on the hull.   It also came fitted with a Promariner12 110 volt battery charger which is pretty much useless in AUS as we use 240 volt.   However, a quick trip over to Menards this morning (one of the benefits of regularly visiting the US of A) to purchase the relevant electrical power cable and plugs has meant that my first purchase on arriving back home will be a 240 v to 110 v stepdown transformer and BINGO I will have continually charged batteries whilst the boat is in the shed at home.

The Eclipse is already a hit with the family.  The kids love the step-through transom, as does the wife who fondly(?) remembers on the last boat having to haul herself up a swim ladder mounted amidships and then over the guard rail to get back onboard after taking a dip.  It was always fun to watch that.

The engine is a 9.9hp Suzuki with throttle controls and electric tilt/start - nice - but a little too large for this boat.  I have seen on this forum a discussion about ballasting forward to compensate so I will also try that when I get home.  

Only one other thing, other than the winch, which drives me nuts about the boat is the magnetic compass.  It was corrected for magnetic dip in the Northern Latitudes and so is useless in Sydney.  It will have to be replaced as I can't have equipment on my boat that doesn't provide useful information.  

Anyway, thank you all.  Looking forward to sharing 'Eclipse Tips' on this forum.

Cheerio

Paul

For Pete H - thanks for the tip. I am aware of TrailerSailerPlace, although I have yet to register on the site.  I am keen to sail the Gippsland Lakes so I will be in touch (Mum lives in Warragul).