Need new winches

[Roy M]

I'm approaching the thirty year anniversary of the launching of WILDERNESS, and am celebrating by completing her complete overhaul. The remaining big ticket item is the rigging and winches. Everything was Barient when I built her, and the only self tailers were little rubber collars you could fit on the rim.

I am replacing the halyard winches with stops and selftailers. I need two winches to support tensioning a 600 square foot genoa and 1000 foot spinny, the two largest sails I will carry. I am strongly leaning toward Specta line for the halyards, as it has worked so well on my Edson steering cable system.

Being a multihull, weight is a major consideration, so Andersen winches may be ruled out. Lewmar and Harken are my next choices. Any suggestions from the multihull community? My boat is a 40 foot Searunner, with fifty foot stick and cutter rig. The two halyard winches will be doing multiple jobs, including setting the centerboard, so I'll use halyard brakes mounted to the mast.

While we're talking about it, please include any suggestions for the genoa sheet winches, staysail winches and main sheet, all with self tailing. I use nothing for the traveller control cars, simply pre-setting them before a tack.

Then I'll have some old Barients in nice condition for sale.

[senormechanico]

I had Barient self tailers on my old boat (a Lord Nelson 35), but my current boat (a Dragonfly 1000) has a total of 6 Andersen winches. The Barients tailer mechanism was slightly better at different line sizes, but the Andersens don't require any polishing and next to zero maintenance.
They always look like they just got polished and they work great.

There's really no comparison.

Steve B.

[44'cruisingcat]

Why are Andersen winches ruled out? I'm sure they have winches in aluminium. Anyway for well priced winches look here. HUTTON-ARCO Yacht Winches Most are available in either aluminium, bronze or chrome.

[Evan]

Check the weights - Andersens are actually lighter than a lot; their drum is thin walled stainless steel. Lots of racers use them.

For a genoa sheet winch for a 600 square foot genoa, at least a #52 winch with a double winch handle. We have Andersen 46 with 530 square foot and its marginal.

[Roy M]

Thanks folks, I'll take a look at the Andersens. A rigger suggested that they were heavier and I didn't research it further.