Unusual Winches

[Dave Lesser]

Listed on eBay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220603782627

Any comments from the Kiwi's about these?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1433/4602468889_38384b1639_o.jpg

[John B]

Murrays. Good winches.great quality. top cleating as you see and you don't have to unclip the handle to load or run the sheet. Great for halyard winches etc. As sheet winches.... up to about 250 ft say. 300 is pretty hard work with those , 400 leaves you crying.( ask me how I know.) Perfect as I used them more recently for about say 180 ft.. you just spin through the tack and finish of a half crank or two.
A good trick is to fit either a bungee or a stop on your coaming to prevent the handle running right around. that can give you either a handle /sheet override or a nunchuck blow to your kidneys( or your crews.)
Howzat.( I have 6 of that size on Waione) A pair each for the jib sheets, staysail sheets and 2 for the halyards.

[goodbasil]

Those are great winches from what I've read.

[John B]

Just reading the ad, they're not self tailing in the modern sense. You load a couple of turns and cleat off, then crank until the drum is full. Then uncleat, unwind 2 or 3 turns ,re cleat and wind again.
Great for purpose, but not comparable to a modern top handle self tailing winch, and off course they're single speed .

Here's a look inside one. A spare of mine. 5 pawls and springs ( reversable), the base, the drive( handle socket) and the drum. Nothing really to go wrong.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/Waione_photos/misc%20o7/233_3369_1.jpg

[wizbang 13]

Great winches. I have them!

[kc8pql]

Just reading the ad, they're not self tailing in the modern sense. You load a couple of turns and cleat off, then crank until the drum is full.

Self cleating would be more accurate. I've got one on my boom for hauling down the clew when I put in a reef. Works great. I really like not having to use a separate winch handle. You can do it all with one hand while you're hanging on with the other.

[PeterSibley]

I just bought 2 . John ,thanks for the clear explanation .

[John B]

I love those old murray fittings as you know Peter.;)
They used to make some really nice spin pole ends too, relieved / caged to save weight and just made beautifully.

[svaap]

Wow!!

I just bought 4 of these winches two weeks ago....
Will fit nicely on my 30-footer.

[John B]

You'll have the dilemma of deciding whether to have them rotate the 'old ' way of outside to in( clockwise stbd anti clockwise port), or all clockwise.;)

[WX]

Those are the winches I would have liked. Though having changed to Junk rig they would be wasted. The Barlow 16 I have is fine for my needs.