Hi all , I'm new to sailing and have just purchased a new used boat ( 6 months ago ) I'm looking for a pair of self tailing winches 25-30 to replace my Maxwell 25s and make life a bit easier when sailing with the Mrs , also looking for a self tailing to replace my Maxwell 16 . Alternatively non working self tailing Maxwell that I could use the shaft and line guide from would be suitable
If you know of some one who has any of these they would like to exchange for cash , please let me know .

Thanks

Yes I've been looking at Ebay , can get an Anderson 18st all stainless locally for the same or less than the Lemar . Arco sell a self tailing conversion for the MAxwells for $400 a winch + gst + postage . Trying to convert as cheaply as possible until I can afford Anderson 28st all stainless $795 a pop which I know is a good price but works out at over $2k for the 3.

Thanks for the suggestions Ramona . Do you have any experience or know of any one who has tried the winchers ?

If you search on this forum forums.ybw.com/index.php you will find a fair few threads about the Barton Winchers

Some people have installed them and like them but others say they are not that effective

I think that for them to be effective you have to have the sheet wrapped around the drum enough to jam the sheet against the bottom of the wincher for them to hold unlike a true self tailer where you only need 2 or 3 wraps around the drum before you put it in to the self tailer

On our boat my wife used to have trouble pulling in the headsail sheets but i told her to put 3 wraps on the winch, put the winch handle in, kneel over the winch, pull in as much sheet as she can while the headsail is coming across with no load on the sheet, and when the sail is set and she wants to trim it in further, operate the winch handle with her right arm and tail the sheet with her left (although we do have 2 speed winches so that helps)

This can be hard on the knees so a set of knee pads helps but it is much easier than trying to operate a winch from a sitting position

On mine there are cleats just behind the winch and if you put 1 turn of sheet around the cleat it will hold the sheet on the winch without slipping and you dont have to hold the sheet when you have it set where you want it

The boat i race on has 2 speed self tailers so i know that they are easier to use but i cant justify the money to replace mine so i just make do with the above procedure

A lot of the time on ours though i get my wife to helm and i trim the sails and this alleviates the problem

Regards Don

Dammit! There ya go again Don, confusing the issue with clear thinking and logic ..... but I like the way you think.

That's pretty much what the Mrs does with the head sail sheets whilst I let off 1 running back stay, man the tiller and the mainsheet and then she or I bring in the other running backstay ( damn running back stay's) . I may possibly settle for a self tailer to replace the #16 for ease of raising the sails . Might be a better investment to put on a tiller pilot so I have more free hands to pull lines.

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mr2ster said..
That's pretty much what the Mrs does with the head sail sheets whilst I let off 1 running back stay, man the tiller and the mainsheet and then she or I bring in the other running backstay ( damn running back stay's) . I may possibly settle for a self tailer to replace the #16 for ease of raising the sails . Might be a better investment to put on a tiller pilot so I have more free hands to pull lines.

I think that running back stays make tacking a bit busier with a limited number of crew although the only boat i have sailed on with them was a 80 foot 1970's maxi where you needed one dedicated person to run the backstay forward and tether it to the shroulds each time you tacked but on a smaller boat it might not be so difficult

What length boat do you have?

Regards Don

The boat is a 30ft Lexcen , Designed by Ben and built by Mconaghy yachts in 88. Was originally named Break n out until the guy I bought it off purchased and refurbished her.
The running back stays are a pain in the **** . Easy enough if you have an extra crew member , just a matter if letting off one winch and bring on the other winch as the sail crosses over.
I would love to remove them but not sure if I can . It has a Keel stepped mast with side spreaders.

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Donk107 said..
If you search on this forum forums.ybw.com/index.php you will find a fair few threads about the Barton Winchers

Some people have installed them and like them but others say they are not that effective

I think that for them to be effective you have to have the sheet wrapped around the drum enough to jam the sheet against the bottom of the wincher for them to hold unlike a true self tailer where you only need 2 or 3 wraps around the drum before you put it in to the self tailer

On our boat my wife used to have trouble pulling in the headsail sheets but i told her to put 3 wraps on the winch, put the winch handle in, kneel over the winch, pull in as much sheet as she can while the headsail is coming across with no load on the sheet, and when the sail is set and she wants to trim it in further, operate the winch handle with her right arm and tail the sheet with her left (although we do have 2 speed winches so that helps)

This can be hard on the knees so a set of knee pads helps but it is much easier than trying to operate a winch from a sitting position

On mine there are cleats just behind the winch and if you put 1 turn of sheet around the cleat it will hold the sheet on the winch without slipping and you dont have to hold the sheet when you have it set where you want it

The boat i race on has 2 speed self tailers so i know that they are easier to use but i cant justify the money to replace mine so i just make do with the above procedure

A lot of the time on ours though i get my wife to helm and i trim the sails and this alleviates the problem

Regards Don

A walker owner down here told me you can buy a tailing kit for the walker Barlows

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mr2ster said..






The boat is a 30ft Lexcen , Designed by Ben and built by Mconaghy yachts in 88. Was originally named Break n out until the guy I bought it off purchased and refurbished her.
The running back stays are a pain in the **** . Easy enough if you have an extra crew member , just a matter if letting off one winch and bring on the other winch as the sail crosses over.
I would love to remove them but not sure if I can . It has a Keel stepped mast with side spreaders.

I think that you would need to talk to a rigger to see what options you would have if you wanted to remove the running back stays

Regards Don

I don't think you can run a yacht like that without runners. They are designed in.

You may find them less of a hassle if you go from wire to spectra.

Re:- Self tailing winches. Forget the conversion kits etc. Just buy the Anderson self tailers and be done with it. If you are selling the yacht later, take them off and put the old ones back on and keep the Andersons for your next yacht.

Once you have owned Andersons you will never want to part with them.

Picked up a stainless Anderson 18ST for my halyards $527 from local shop . the rear winches for the backstays are Maxwell 20's self tailers but are missing the line guides/stripper , I have swapped the self tailing bits to the Maxwell 25 sheet winches and ordered the stripper from Hutton , all up $310 , until I can afford $1500 for a couple of Anderson 28st .
the new Anderson is so smooth compared to the maxies .

mr2ster,
I saw Wild Card for sale in Rockingham. Have you just Bought her recently and will you be sailing out of TCYC?

Hi mr2ster

She is a interesting looking boat

I saw the photo's in the advert when she was for sale but I was wondering if have any other pics particularly of the cockpit area

Regards Don

I Purchased her in December last year , I was using a mooring out front of TCYC but have moved to a pen at Mandurah Offshore Fishing and Sailing club .


I don't have a picture of the cockpit but I will take one when I fit the new winch tommorow