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10" unless swinging room around the winch is restricted. Yes, it can make a difference. If you have Lewmar 40 winches, smaller handle gives you a lot less leverage than the normal one. However, you can winch a smaller handle a lot faster, given a light enough load.
Since I do 99% of the work myself I go all the way with the Harken ball bearing long one with the ball bearing 'door knob' on the end of the vertical handle. It makes life sooo.... much easier to just reach down and grab that door knob for adjustments with one or two hands
The current thinking is short for speed, long for power. If you have a primary with multiple speeds on it a short handle is good for grinding spin and genoa sheets. Long is good on mainsheet secondarys and cockpit top halyard winches.
Crew with less physical strength will appreciate the longer handle, and the double fisted Harken mentioned above is better still. And actually, even at $100 or so, considering the amount of use it will get and the ease it adds it's well worth it.
Prefer 10s for sheets. Intend on trying out those double hand things. Use 8s for halyards and reefing. Works for me and Ms Wombat likes the extra power on the sheets.
I like the idea of those new handles with the lock release under the handle. Lewmar maybe ??
On the other hand I do like the look of a polished chrome winch handle. So much nicer than plastic. Shame about the lack of buoyancy though.
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