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Hmmm..I use my port winch to raise the main, and my starboard winch (much less motion) for the MRS. 1 or 2 (2 is safer) can use the MRS.

raycarlson wrote:Still have never figured out why these boats even have winches on them, unless possibly your a handicapped person with severe physical limitations the sails are much easier to trim, raise etc with normal hand-arm leverage. But it does make the 26 look like a real sailboat I guess.

I use the starboard winch for the main halyard. Myself because of 5 rotator cuff surgeries and the Admiral because she is; well, the Admiral. Those are the only times that the winches are used. With the swivel-cam cleats on the cockpit comings, I have no need of winches; even with a 150 genny.

~Rich

I agree physical problems will limit abilities, I had 80 pound concrete filled mooring buckets that were hard on my rotator cups and tried using winch to lift them up but was to much trouble, Dr said hold off on surgery awhile longer as they are successfully repairing shoulder joints with a few multiple stem cell injections which are cheaper than surgery with no rehab-recovery time at all.

Well bad back , & now 2 regenerated shoulder injuries , something called ain,t getting any younger , forced me to face reality, so thinking ahead of time I now have 2 #6 & 2 #7 aft winches + my elect. anchor windlass / capstan I,m ahead of the game , unless u r sticking to day sailing in light breezes & or strickly trawler mode , even so that elect windlass/capstan would come in handy ! , no rotto cuff injuries here , but once u have torn off a muscle from ur shoulder blade to ur back rib cage a couple of times both shoulders now & 18-24 months recovery u kinda get smarta , let the deck hardware start taking the beating just saying sh-t happens more often when ur moving up there
So take care out there !

J

I replaced the cr@p "Marelon" winches a couple of years ago with stainless Andersen ones. The best bit of Bling I ever fitted to my Mac & yes, I do actually use them!

I have a 2008 which came with the useless plastic winches. I upgraded to the Lewmar 6" when one winch collapsed internally. Other comments about the inutility of these winches I find hard to understand. Although I am not a person living with any disability I use my winches frequently. I have all my lines in the cockpit.

Starboard for flattening the luff of the main in stronger wind.
Also use them to tighten or ease the the Genoa sheets in stronger winds.
Use Portside winch to tighten up my single reefing line before closing the rope jammer to hold it.

If you have to use a drogue downwind you can adjust the set of the drogue using the winches.
Have used them to send my grandchild up the mast with a rope rigged bosuns chair and they could be useful in hauling a heavy person into the boat in a MOB situation. I clean then and lubricate them regularly

Overall a very useful part of my boat

BB

And they "look" salty when being used.

Berber Boy wrote:I have a 2008 which came with the useless plastic winches. I upgraded to the Lewmar 6" when one winch collapsed internally. Other comments about the inutility of these winches I find hard to understand. Although I am not a person living with any disability I use my winches frequently. I have all my lines in the cockpit.

Starboard for flattening the luff of the main in stronger wind.
Also use them to tighten or ease the the Genoa sheets in stronger winds.
Use Portside winch to tighten up my single reefing line before closing the rope jammer to hold it.

If you have to use a drogue downwind you can adjust the set of the drogue using the winches.
Have used them to send my grandchild up the mast with a rope rigged bosuns chair and they could be useful in hauling a heavy person into the boat in a MOB situation. I clean then and lubricate them regularly

Overall a very useful part of my boat

BB

Berber Boy wrote:I have a 2008 which came with the useless plastic winches. I upgraded to the Lewmar 6" when one winch collapsed internally. Other comments about the inutility of these winches I find hard to understand. Although I am not a person living with any disability I use my winches frequently. I have all my lines in the cockpit.

Starboard for flattening the luff of the main in stronger wind.
Also use them to tighten or ease the the Genoa sheets in stronger winds.
Use Portside winch to tighten up my single reefing line before closing the rope jammer to hold it.

If you have to use a drogue downwind you can adjust the set of the drogue using the winches.
Have used them to send my grandchild up the mast with a rope rigged bosuns chair and they could be useful in hauling a heavy person into the boat in a MOB situation. I clean then and lubricate them regularly

Overall a very useful part of my boat

BB

Interesting my was built Jan 08 & came with the Lewmar #6 winches , so they must have changed to the plastic ones midway through production , but I believe they went back to the Lewmar #6 in 2010

J

J-
My early 2011 build has the plastic winches.
-B.

My early 2011 also has the plastic marelons. I use them to raise the daggerboard while moving and have the jib sheets on ezcleats.

well, they are not the Lewmar, but I just got a nice pair of Enkes Crome winches for 65 bucks on Ebay. Works out fine because the remaining "good winch" can go on the mast of my Boston Whaler beach cat mast as it is a PITA to raise the sail on that one.

Interesting my was built Jan 08 & came with the Lewmar #6 winches , so they must have changed to the plastic ones midway through production , but I believe they went back to the Lewmar #6 in 2010

Yes, the change took place in summer of 2008, we got a 04/2008 and still have the Lewmar #6. Our dealer told us, that his next allotment would come with the plastic winches. Our friends have a 2012 and they still have the plastic winches. I think Tattoo went back to Lewmar #6.

Obelix

My early 11 had the plastic winches but I made the dealer agree to replace them as part of the sale.
Eventually msybe Anderson SS winches.
Ix

Ixneigh wrote:My early 11 had the plastic winches but I made the dealer agree to replace them as part of the sale.
Eventually msybe Anderson SS winches.
Ix

Ah you have good taste Ix. I consider Andersen to be the best winch on the market.

seahouse wrote:

Ixneigh wrote:My early 11 had the plastic winches but I made the dealer agree to replace them as part of the sale.
Eventually msybe Anderson SS winches.
Ix

Ah you have good taste Ix. I consider Andersen to be the best winch on the market.

Oh Yeh
I remember her is she still pretty Hot !!!

J