Need advice on a good quality winch for my bigger sails.The Hercules l once possessed is nearing a end.any advise would be appreciated thanks .

I use one of these, works a treat for effortless down hauling

Use a Chinook winch, looks the same as the one above but has Euro pin and mast cup options. Once you've gone winch youll never go back

The uni fibre ones from windsurfing perth are good quality $50.

Chinook make them, and they are plastic with an aluminium handle.

I am sure you can find them in WSnS, or order them from other shops.

I've got one of this Mr Orange and it is a very serious winch. I think they were made locally in Brissy.

Let me introduce you to my 'bad boy' winch!

Inherited as part of a misfit formula package many years ago. With the gear reduction and the lever-arm of the handle, it's fair to say you could very comfortably downhaul until either the sail, mast, mast base or pulley breaks! (No, I've never done this! ) It is, after all, designed to haul power-boats up onto trailers!

Select to expand quote

ka43 said..
Once you've gone winch youll never go back

And your back will never go too!!!

^^^ I agree, the winch is the way to go. I use mine to rig and derig.

Worth noting that for the rotating-winch, it adds a quarter-turn of twist to the rope, for every 360 deg winding. Depending on whom you talk to [ like me ], this could be a bad thing.... adding rope-twist, adds more tension to the individual fibres, than would be otherwise, for no net gain.

All that said, I still use a rotating-winch -> I just give the downhaul a good old fashioned yank, before using the winch.

Select to expand quote

eckas said..
Let me introduce you to my 'bad boy' winch!

Inherited as part of a misfit formula package many years ago. With the gear reduction and the lever-arm of the handle, it's fair to say you could very comfortably downhaul until either the sail, mast, mast base or pulley breaks! (No, I've never done this! ) It is, after all, designed to haul power-boats up onto trailers!

Made for us weak females..

Thanks everyone but l have decided to eat more Wee Ties.found one of these beautys & do it the old way