Stock Winches and upgrades

[Southern Gales]

Hey folks,
I've been spinning my wheels on verification of the stock winches on the s2 79. Can I get some help on the following:
1) what are the stock winches (make and model)?
2) what are the class legal upgrades?

The boat I'm looking at has an over-riding issue with the starboard cabin top winch when lifting the centerboard. The lead of the line appeared to be standard, I'm wondering if the winch bell is sitting too high.
Thanks, Gales

[AJ Oliver]

Unless you have a very strong macho/a crew on board, a two-speed
winch to raise the board is a REALLY good idea.
Wish I had one.

[BarryE]

My boat, hull #11 from early 1982 came with Lewmar #30 two speed winches for the jib/genoa and Lewmar #16 two speed winches on the cabin top. The top winches are not self-tailing. My understanding is that self tailing winches were a later option. Hope that helps.

[Stef]

#146 has two speed winches all around. Headsail sheets are 16's (I believe). Port cabin top is slightly smaller. Starboard is a Lewmar self tailing for the board. Not sure what number it is, but it's about a 1/3 taller than the 16's. I have had them apart several times for greasing, no extra holes anywhere on the deck, so I assume they are original. The self tailer makes raising the board easy. My second in command usually raises it 1:1.

[SailingUphill]

I believe my keel winch is a single speed self tailer. I think it's a #16? Lewmar. I've been told it's too small, but honestly it works. The primaries are 2 speed lewmars 30s?. Here's a close up shot of the self-tailer on starboard...


I just pulled the two primaries apart to grease them. They were easy to clean, and put back together... I've not tackled the self-tailer yet, but I'm sure it'd be easy to repair/clean as well.

[John Spierling]

My personal preference is to use a 2 speed 16 on the starboard cabin top, and a larger self tailing winch on the port cabin top.
Here is my reasoning: by using a small winch for the board, the gear ratio is lower on a 16 than it is on say a 30 or 40, therefore it takes less turns of the winch to get he board up.
With a 16, and a 3:1 purchase on the board, it only takes 17 rotations to get the board fully up.
With a 30, and a 4:1 purchase, it takes about 52 rotations to get the board up.
I find 17 cranks a lot easier than 52, but that's just me.
If one needs to raise the board by one's self, you can cross sheet across the cabin top by simply using the starboard winch as a turning block across the cabin entry to the port self tailing winch. Also having the self trailer on the port side allows you to quickly adjust the jib halyard tension while it is in the self tailer while going upwind.

[Southern Gales]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.
John, That makes sense even though the larger winches have a bigger drum circumference. Thanks for the tip.
I've confirmed the boat I'm looking at has a Lewmar 16 two speed. Still don't know what is causing the override.

[normbue]

Hull #92 has 16s and 30s. But I have changed the ratio to 4/1 and even 6/1. It takes a lot of turns, but I'm not man enough anymore to do 3/1.

[Tim Bosma]

I don't reach my aerobic training range on just 17 turns.....52 turns save me a trip to the gym.

[AJ Oliver]

If any of you macho hombres wants to trade your self-tailing two speed DB winch,
for my one speed self tailer - I am all over that.
I cen get my board all the way up with only 42 turns and one coronary.

[dave]

Getting rid of as much friction in the system as possible is as or more important than the winch. Going to all bearing loaded sheaves and blocks and reducing the line size to the smallest that will work in your self tailer and/or clutch makes a fairly shocking difference in raising the board.

[Southern Gales]

Getting rid of as much friction in the system as possible is as or more important than the winch. Going to all bearing loaded sheaves and blocks and reducing the line size to the smallest that will work in your self tailer and/or clutch makes a fairly shocking difference in raising the board.

I agree Dave. What is the model of your winch and the diameter of the line you are running?