Get rid of it before it gets you.

[JoeRobertJr]

Originally Posted by miketo

Apparently you've never heard of Resistentialism. The struggle is real.

That was an interesting detour. Thanks!

[Cheechako]

Never had one... for long. All soft halyards...

[Midnight Son]

If you know of a local foundry, give it to them, WITH THE WARNING. Beware, hungry animal.😱😎🤣

[zstine]

I personally love my continuous wire reel halyard winch. it has so much less friction than a conventional self tailing winch. Yes you have to be careful not to release it with a handle free to spin... but i do all kinds of things that would likely injure me if I make a mistake. Doesn't everyone really?

I would never get rid of mine and in fact, I'd replace a conventional winch if my boat had one and I could find one of these!

[zstine]

Originally Posted by nuku34

Reel winches only use wire halyards, why would anyone want to be using wire halyards at this point? They are heavy and get “meathooks”. modern low-stretch lines make wire halyards obsolete.
.

I disagree. Wire halyards do not chafe like rope and last way longer. My 15-20 year old wire halyards don't have meat hooks and are still going strong. There's also less friction with wire, so it is much easier to hoist and get full luff tension compared to rope. The weight difference is about 3 or 4 pounds. Negligible compared to the weight of the mast, rigging and sails which is near ~1000 lbs on my boat.

[CarinaPDX]

All, or at least nearly all, of the leading lights of cruising have been saying to deep six these dangerous reel winches for the last half century. I am shocked that anyone still has them on their boats, which often means that several owners have either not heard or have ignored the advice. Ever since low-stretch double braid polyester line has been available there has been no need for wire halyards on a cruising boat, and even racers have gone with synthetic halyards now. Sadly there are a few who rationalize keeping these things but there is very little upside and lots of downside. By all means teach it to swim! BTW while it is not terribly common I believe that every winch on a boat should be self-tailing, and especially any winch mounted on the mast or boom. Simply put you only have two hands, and without self-tailing one hand winches, one hand tails, and no third had for the sailor - to hold on. Self-tailing halyard and reefing winches make the boat a safer place (and remove one of the few advantages of closed reel winches).

Greg

[BlackHeron]

I wouldn't downgrade to fiber halyards if someone paid me, unless there was a way to run dyneema on the wire drum.

Almost zero friction -hit the clutch and the sail comes down NOW! No need to uncoilna hank of excess halyard and pay it out so it can feed up the mast.*

Zero stretch in the halyard, and no need forna Cunningham either. .want more tension? Crank some more in at any point of sail. Want less? The clutch has a ton of feel.sonyouncan burp it a little or a lot. Burp it too much and hou have scallops? Put the handle back in and tension it back up again.

*Yes, sure you need to know where your fingers are and NEVER forget and leave the winch handle in. If you are gonna be dumb you better be tough.

Careless people need not apply -you wouldn't last long in the electrical trades if you don't know how to keep your fingers clear of hot busbars or forget to do things in the absolutely correct order. There is a reason some apprentices wash out of the program. We don't work on live stuff much these days (because millennials probably) but we still pull big wire in conduit and someone who doesn't know how to properly rig a pull or know how to operate a chugger winch when it has 10,O00+ pounds on it will lose a finger or a hand just as quick as shoving it into hot busbars in a live panel. I laugh at sailors who use gloves. Gloves might save you from a minor F up, but when running rigging with thousands of pounds on it and 10-15 feet of stretch snaps back on a 1" three-strand it'll take the meat right off of your hands -not just rope burns. Gloves aren't gonna save you if you don't know what you are doing around loaded rigging or a chainfall with tons of switchgear or a 100hp.motor. An itty-bitty windlass on cruising boat is a toy in comparison. But it'll still take a finger or a toe if you are dumb.

[redhead]

Friend - having an opinion is a good thing, insulting people is not the purpose of this forum.

[Jono as 2234]

Originally Posted by redhead

Friend - having an opinion is a good thing, insulting people is not the purpose of this forum.

Jesus mate, don't be so sensitive. Light hearted banter is all. My 3rd yacht has these, apart from avoiding one meat hook, no probs. Did a lot of miles too.
Jon

[BlackHeron]

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name." ― Confucius

[GILow]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

Better get rid of your windlass and anchor chain too then. That gear is 10x more dangerous if you don't know how to use it correctly amd can and will do much more damage to limbs and extremities when improperly used.

Or just learn to use the equipment the right way and quit blaming inanimate objects for lack of knowledge and proper procedures while operating them.

Gee, I wish I was as smart as you.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

Wishing doesn't work.

Only if you don't know how to do it correctly.

[KP44]

Originally Posted by SVTatia

Well said.
I had a similar one which I just removed after a few years of taking the risk. My halyards are now all rope.

Our boat had rope-to-wire halyards. I had new sheaves fabricated for everything on the mast. Replaced with all-line and we are very happy.

[KP44]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

BTW while it is not terribly common I believe that every winch on a boat should be self-tailing, and especially any winch mounted on the mast or boom.
Greg

I agree. Self-tailing winches all around on cruising boats.

[patprice]

I have the same winch for my main halyard and find it satisfactory, lots of miles and reefing.
I did have a situation when I was giving the halyard a final stretch and with the winch handle horizontal and me lifting upwards. The handle broke and I became airborne! If not for the shrouds I would have left the boat. Single handed and on autopilot.