Probably the most difficult job on the boat single handed is raising the main.
An electric winch would solve this issue.
Does anyone have any idea of the cost of installing one and the power required to drive it?

If you only need it to raise the main what about using something portable and powered to wind your existing Winch like a winchrite or a cordless 90 degree drill with a Winch bit in it www.mysailing.com.au/news/winchrite-electrify-your-winches sydneytools.com.au/product/milwaukee-m18crad-0-18v-li-ion-cordless-fuel-right-angle-drill-skin-only?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgO3btNno3gIVVRePCh1DXwGhEAQYAyABEgJFU_D_BwE

Regards Don

I use a pot hauler - very easy & versatile.

I have it located so I use it to raise the main; furl the jib; also very useful on the mainsheet etc.

It takes most of the load out of hauling in anything.

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Bundeenabuoy said..
Probably the most difficult job on the boat single handed is raising the main.
An electric winch would solve this issue.
Does anyone have any idea of the cost of installing one and the power required to drive it?

Hi Bundeenabouy,
I have one electric winch, and yep, its for the main halyard. It is used as a manual winch except for hoisting the main.
They don't use a lot of power except when you're tensioning the luff when you use the second speed gear, and of course you can do that manually anyway, you don't need it in electric mode for tensioning. I've got a pretty heavy copper gauge to it for that reason.
Cost was painful, it added from memory another $2,500 on top of the Harken ST40. The motor is retro fitteable, and sits at right angles under the deck so it is sorta low profile, but you still need to check it will fit without fouling anything like headroom.
Pay attention to the winch sizing, the last thing you want is an oversize winch that will tear your halyard out. My winch can not overpower my halyard load.
Cheers,
SB

Edit: At first I hated it due to the additional bulk, it was a bitch to fit without fouling the cabin door when it was open, it wasn't a manual boat anymore, I wasn't a fan. But there has been countless times when I've been so thankful for it, it makes even taking the familiy for a sail a truly single handed affair. I leave the mainsheet eased and hold the back of the boom whilst helming to move it around to clear the lazyjacks as my wife pushes the button. It's paid for itself tenfold just in ease of use.

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Lazzz said..
I use a pot hauler - very easy & versatile.

I have it located so I use it to raise the main; furl the jib; also very useful on the mainsheet etc.

It takes most of the load out of hauling in anything.

Brilliant idea Lazzz, I might look at installing one down the track. Cheaper option than a dedicated electric winch too.

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Donk107 said..
If you only need it to raise the main what about using something portable and powered to wind your existing Winch like a winchrite or a cordless 90 degree drill with a Winch bit in it www.mysailing.com.au/news/winchrite-electrify-your-winches sydneytools.com.au/product/milwaukee-m18crad-0-18v-li-ion-cordless-fuel-right-angle-drill-skin-only?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgO3btNno3gIVVRePCh1DXwGhEAQYAyABEgJFU_D_BwE

Regards Don

Don't touch the winchrite they are total rubbish. I know 2 people who have thrown them in the bin. The Milwaukee 18volt drill is not powerful enough. You need the 28volt Milwaukee drill which you bring the skin in from Canada and you get the charger and batteries from Sydney power tools. I have one and they are great.

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Jode5 said..

Donk107 said..
If you only need it to raise the main what about using something portable and powered to wind your existing Winch like a winchrite or a cordless 90 degree drill with a Winch bit in it www.mysailing.com.au/news/winchrite-electrify-your-winches sydneytools.com.au/product/milwaukee-m18crad-0-18v-li-ion-cordless-fuel-right-angle-drill-skin-only?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgO3btNno3gIVVRePCh1DXwGhEAQYAyABEgJFU_D_BwE

Regards Don

Don't touch the winchrite they are total rubbish. I know 2 people who have thrown them in the bin. The Milwaukee 18volt drill is not powerful enough. You need the 28volt Milwaukee drill which you bring the skin in from Canada and you get the charger and batteries from Sydney power tools. I have one and they are great.

There is another electric handle on the market that can also be used as a conventional handle as well called a ewincher. www.ewincher.com/en/

Regards Don

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Jode5 said..

Donk107 said..
If you only need it to raise the main what about using something portable and powered to wind your existing Winch like a winchrite or a cordless 90 degree drill with a Winch bit in it www.mysailing.com.au/news/winchrite-electrify-your-winches sydneytools.com.au/product/milwaukee-m18crad-0-18v-li-ion-cordless-fuel-right-angle-drill-skin-only?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgO3btNno3gIVVRePCh1DXwGhEAQYAyABEgJFU_D_BwE

Regards Don

Don't touch the winchrite they are total rubbish. I know 2 people who have thrown them in the bin. The Milwaukee 18volt drill is not powerful enough. You need the 28volt Milwaukee drill which you bring the skin in from Canada and you get the charger and batteries from Sydney power tools. I have one and they are great.

We are on our second winchrite , first one clapped out after 2 years .second one has the upgraded gearbox. No issues so far. The only issue we had was trying to deal with the Australian supplier , what a joke . Just bought online from US and was delivered within10 days ( not 30 days like Aus supplier said only after receiving the money).
if this one ****s itself we will go down the Milwaukee 28 volt right angle drill.
Jode 5 - Thanks for the info regarding charger and batteries from Sydney power tools .that was the hold point last time looked at them and forced us down the winchrite route

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Donk107 said..

Jode5 said..

Donk107 said..
If you only need it to raise the main what about using something portable and powered to wind your existing Winch like a winchrite or a cordless 90 degree drill with a Winch bit in it www.mysailing.com.au/news/winchrite-electrify-your-winches sydneytools.com.au/product/milwaukee-m18crad-0-18v-li-ion-cordless-fuel-right-angle-drill-skin-only?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgO3btNno3gIVVRePCh1DXwGhEAQYAyABEgJFU_D_BwE

Regards Don

Don't touch the winchrite they are total rubbish. I know 2 people who have thrown them in the bin. The Milwaukee 18volt drill is not powerful enough. You need the 28volt Milwaukee drill which you bring the skin in from Canada and you get the charger and batteries from Sydney power tools. I have one and they are great.

There is another electric handle on the market that can also be used as a conventional handle as well called a ewincher. www.ewincher.com/en/

Regards Don

Hi Don, I've seen that one before, but I haven't used one. They look like an effective option. Expensive though 2,500 Euro's.

Hi Bundeenaboy,
im on the boat and I just checked my winches. The electric winch is a Harken ST46, not the 40 as I previously posted, apologies. Price was $3000 for the upgrade to electric.
cheers,
SB

I like the idea of the ewincher where you can use it manually or electrically compared to the other alternatives

Regards Don

I like the idea of using the electric winch to lift a 100 kg dead weight in a bosun's chair up the mast, will these gadgets handle the task?

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retired said..
I like the idea of using the electric winch to lift a 100 kg dead weight in a bosun's chair up the mast, will these gadgets handle the task?

Good point that :)
The electric winch doesn't even sound like there's any load on it at all winching 100kgs aloft.

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shaggybaxter said..

retired said..
I like the idea of using the electric winch to lift a 100 kg dead weight in a bosun's chair up the mast, will these gadgets handle the task?

Good point that :)
The electric winch doesn't even sound like there's any load on it at all winching 100kgs aloft.

A mate of mine who is a bit overweight used to crew on a boat and he thought he was exempt from having to be winched up the mast (I also use this reason so I am the last one chosen)
He said one night they were racing of the Victorian coast and something happened and the skipper was cranky with the crew and he said to one of the crew to winch that fat bastard up the mast to fix the problem

Regards Don

I don't need an electric winch at this stage but eventually will. I will be making a snubbing winch mounted near my present halyard winch on the rear edge of the cabin using a winch similar to this.
www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wireless-3000LBS-1360KG-12V-Electric-Steel-Cable-Winch-Boat-ATV-4WD-Trailer/271062853927?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
Modify the shaft to drive through the deck either direct drive or short shaft with a couple of universal joints. The drum could be and old winch or just turn up a suitable one out of black nylon. Only have one speed and use it to haul up the mainsail. When it gets to the top let the turns slide on the drum and lock off the jammer. Turn off the motor and transfer the halyard to the original winch for final tensioning. When reefing I have coloured marks on the halyard for the three reef points so it's just a matter of easing down the halyard and retensioning with the appropriate winches.

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Lazzz said..
I use a pot hauler - very easy & versatile.

I have it located so I use it to raise the main; furl the jib; also very useful on the mainsheet etc.

It takes most of the load out of hauling in anything.

My old mate uses one of them to haul anchor chain, after 30 years he bronze capstan was had it, he reckoned it was good economy so he replaced the whole unit

How big is this boat of bundeenabouy's that he's single-handing. I usually just pull the main up on my 31' by hand and only put it onto the winch at the end to tension it up. His profile picture looks like he's helming the wheel of something huge. 50'? I'm impressed

I am having a little trouble with my knees at the moment.
It isn't critical but it got me thinking how would I handle myself in the future.
A lot of great ideas here.
Thanks to all.
I might start a topic "All the things you can try before knee surgery'.

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wildemann said..
How big is this boat of bundeenabouy's that he's single-handing. I usually just pull the main up on my 31' by hand and only put it onto the winch at the end to tension it up. His profile picture looks like he's helming the wheel of something huge. 50'? I'm impressed

Depends a lot on whether you have full battens or not. Once the boats gets above 35 feet and has full battens and your getting on a bit some electric help is handy. The problem is overcoming the friction on the turning blocks for the halyard. So much easier to just stand in the cockpit and tail the halyard off a snubbing winch and watch the sail rise. Keeping an eye on the ends of the battens as they pass the lazyjacks.

Hi, I and my wife used Milwaukee 0721 right angle 28V with drill to raise the mainsail for over half year.
It really works and helping to reduce my back painful.

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Ramona said..
So much easier to just stand in the cockpit and tail the halyard off a snubbing winch and watch the sail rise. Keeping an eye on the ends of the battens as they pass the lazyjacks.

Gotta agree with that!! That's exactly how I do it with my pot hauler. :)

Same goes for furling the headsail & also bringing in the main sheet after a downwind run!! All off the same pot hauler :)

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fung0410 said..
Hi, I and my wife used Milwaukee 0721 right angle 28V with drill to raise the mainsail for over half year.
It really works and helping to reduce my back painful.

imgur.com/a/Vi9SFf9

This photo is what the drill I use with my right angle powertool V28 for my lovely boat (profile photo)
Last trip from Perth to SunShine coast, works fine and really help :)