Why spend thousands for electric winches?

corbin39sailor · #1 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005

Did you ever think that electric winches would be great to have but can’t justify their high price tag? Love to sail but that big main hurts to hoist up? When you furl the genny wouldn’t it be nice to just tail a line off a winch? I came up with this solution – The Cranker. It’s a bit for your drill that fits into a standard winch socket letting you use your drill instead of a winch handle. It may not be an electric winch but the results are the same. Check out www.thecranker.com for more information. $19.95 + S&H.

sneuman · #2 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005

For more information on companies that invade free message boards to hock their wares because they are too cheap to pay for real advertising, check out www.thewanker.com

Irwin32 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-12-2005

Pretty soon we can all sail w/o leaving our living room. Project a virtual image on the wall and head out. Why bother getting up and grinding a winch?

I''m old school and when I get too old to grind a winch it is time for a trawler.

sneuman · #4 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005

well, in any case I''d have serious doubts about this device. You''d have to use a battery powered drill, which doesn''t have much "ompf" to begin with. Add to that the limited battery charge ...

Dave A · #5 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005

I have serious doubts about dealing with someone who has to harass people on a free message board to sell their product. I''m sure customer service will be nonexistant.

Just my opinion.
Dave A.
Pearson 35 "Windsong"

SailinJay · #6 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005

Irwin 32--

Irwin--

Do you use candles instead of electric lights? Do you use a bike or a horse instead of a car?

Come on. Using labor-saving devices do not make one a wussy. An electric winch to raise and lower a large main sail is a labor-saving device. I''m 58 and hope to be sailing when I''m 78. I''ll use my electric winch to help me get there.

dman · #7 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005

Irwin 32 does make a good point.If it is problem or too much work raising a mainsail you should have others on board that can help.Don`t be one of those guys that uses an electric winch for the mainsail and then spends thousands of dollars going to some gym.BTW How big of a boat are we talking about?

tahitisail · #8 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005

I have to let my mast down to go to sea and adapted the working end of a fish boat geared 12 volt motor to fit in my winch. I attached a two foot stick to the motor which I put my knee against, plug it in, hold tension on the line and up the mast comes, I have also used it to pull up my main anchor. At 73 I got tired of pulling up the mast with a winch handle, it seemed to take a long time and I had to tail it myself most of the time since I do a lot of single handing.

JeffC_ · #9 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005

An electric winch is understandable; they certainly have extended many a sailor''s life on the water.<P>But this gizmo seems to be an inefficient way to motorize a winch. It requires an inverter to run an AC power drill, and the extension cord running down the comapnionway. Better, I think, to go through the expense to do it right and fit winches with electric motors under the base.<P>If you can''t find the time to do it right, from where will you find the time to do it over?

thorJ30 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005

heheh
what a joke .....

maybe for a mac 26 x
than again not even there it will work

where is that guy with that new mast invention anyhow.... maybe we could put both guys on a boat and let them sail into the sunset together ....

as they say at sailing anarchy : HOMO

thor