Barton Winchers on a Lewmar #6 winch

[have2ride102]

My CP23 has Lewmar #6 winches. I'm interested in purchasing a set of Barton Winchers for the jib winches. I'm looking for advise and opinions from those who use them or have used them in the past.

1. Has anyone installed the small winchers on Lewmar #6 winches? The Lewmar spec sheet has the drum diameter at 58mm but the Barton specs the small's for drum diameters of 64-68mm. I know this may seem like a dumb question but there are threads that talk about the use of winchers on other CP23's but no mention of the specific make and model of winch.

2. If you've used them in the past, what is your impression of their utility? Pros and cons? I'm most interested in the self cleating use case.

Thanks for the info.

Cheers,

Russ

[Potcake boy]

Russ,

When you say "self cleating", are you referring to the self tailers found on some winches? Generally these are used when there is a lot of sheet to deal with and the loads are to great to crank the winch with one hand while tailing with the other. I haven't found them to be needed on my 23, but there is nothing wrong with using them, and they do work well if it is a genuine self tailer. I haven't heard any raves about those after market blue disks that are fitted to the top of a stock winch, and haven't tried them myself. As far as manufacturers, I prefer Andersen because of the ribs used on the drum. It eliminates the wear on your lines and allows a smooth easing without the jumping that occurs on friction surface drums.

[brackish]

I have Harken #6 winches and I installed Barton Winchers on them.  They were kind of difficult to get on and I find I rarely use them.  I guess I don't really trust them (for no particular reason) to be the final cleat and the sheet angle to either my cam cleat or horn cleat from the Barton groove is awkward.

[Bob23]

I have no experience with "winchers" but I do have a pair of Andersen 12ST self tailing winches on my 1985 23. No, I ain't rich, a previous owner installed them and I absolutely love 'em!! I can't say they're worth the $500.00 clams each that I've been told they sell for but I can't say they are not, either. They sure make sailing a lot more fun and are very easy to maintain and clean.
Bob23

[Potcake boy]

Bob,

None of us are in a position to judge you as a wealthy boat owner, because that "wealthy boat owner" is just a myth. There is no wealth remaining when you own a boat - except maybe a wealth of enjoyment. So as you crank those Andersen self tailers, listen to the ching ching sound they make, cause the cheap winches just go click click.

[have2ride102]

When you say "self cleating", are you referring to the self tailers found on some winches?

I misspoke here. I meant using the tailing groove as a cleat for the sheet. As mentioned in other replies, I don't think I'll really use them that much for self tailing either.

[have2ride102]

I have Harken #6 winches and I installed Barton Winchers on them.  They were kind of difficult to get on and I find I rarely use them.  I guess I don't really trust them (for no particular reason) to be the final cleat and the sheet angle to either my cam cleat or horn cleat from the Barton groove is awkward.

You mention a cam cleat, I assume you use it to optionally cleat the tail of the working sheet with the sheet wrapped on the winch in place of the horn cleat. This could be a good solution to my real problem here which is fumbling with the horn cleat while single handed in a stiff breeze or when my first mate (a.k.a. Admiral) who is not very experienced is managing the foresail for me. A cleat hitch is not hard to tie, in general, but can be quite fiddly when things need to be squared away fast or when working with one hand.

[Potcake boy]

Russ,

If you're finding that you are doing quick tacks as in racing then the self-tailer can slow you down a bit.

[Bob23]

Ron, They are a joy to use, to look at and to hear! And I've had little experience racing but much in short tacks in the narrow channels around here. The self tailers never seemed a bother.

[Jon898]

I had installed the winchers on my old Newport 28 - don't remember the size of the winches, but know they were larger than Lewmar #6.  They worked OK although not as well as the true self-tailers I had on the subsequent Precision 28.

Advantages IMHO were:

- allowed two-handed winching
- the cleating option worked after a fashion
- significantly cheaper than replacing with self-tailers

Disadvantages IMHO were:

- as they aged, the "grip" of the rubber started to fade (took several years)
- for them to work, you need to pack the drum of the winch so the underneath of the wincher is firmly contacted by the sheet
- easing the sheet is a bit of a challenge to control (turns tend to ride up under the device and self-cleat)
- mine were a real pig to get on

In all I'd probably buy them again if I had a need and could not afford real self-tailing winches.

Jon

[brackish]

You mention a cam cleat, I assume you use it to optionally cleat the tail of the working sheet with the sheet wrapped on the winch in place of the horn cleat. This could be a good solution to my real problem here which is fumbling with the horn cleat while single handed in a stiff breeze or when my first mate (a.k.a. Admiral) who is not very experienced is managing the foresail for me. A cleat hitch is not hard to tie, in general, but can be quite fiddly when things need to be squared away fast or when working with one hand.

Yes that is what I have, it is located just aft of the sheet winch on the inside of the coaming about four inches down.  I would post a pic, but I have given up on that, I resize all the way down to 60KB and it still will not attach.