"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:02:45 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

Would it be common for a 40' sailboat to have a power winch? All we saw
had
them as options... but I suppose you could add one yourself.

They are an expensive add on. If shopping used boats, better to find
one properly equipped.

I would say that all well equipped 40 foot cruising boats have a
windlass, usually electrically powered, sometimes manual. Properly
sized ground tackle on a boat that large, typically a 45 lb anchor
with a substantial amount of chain, needs a windlass of some sort.


You're talking windlass... or electric winches?

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:02:45 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

Would it be common for a 40' sailboat to have a power winch? All we saw
had
them as options... but I suppose you could add one yourself.

May have misunderstood your question. Are you talking about a powered
sheet winch or an anchor windlass?


Ah.. sorry.... windlass is part of minimum equipment for sure on a boat that
size, but I was thinking you were saying adding a power sheet winch (for
sail adj and raising, right)?

Sounds nice, but I'm wondering if it's worth it for normal sailing. I
suppose they can be turned off but the winch used manually? I could see one
for raising the main. Big boat.. lots of effort I'd imagine!

On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:35:20 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

I was thinking you were saying adding a power sheet winch (for
sail adj and raising, right)?

Sounds nice, but I'm wondering if it's worth it for normal sailing. I
suppose they can be turned off but the winch used manually? I could see one
for raising the main. Big boat.. lots of effort I'd imagine!

A powered sheet winch makes a lot of sense for larger cruising boats.
I have only sailed on a couple of boats that had them, but I helped a
friend deliver his boat NY to the Chesapeake a few years back. He had
a powered winch on the cabin top, and I thought it was a good location
and very useful. It was positioned primarily for use with the main
halyard but it was also possible to use it on the jib sheets by first
taking several turns on the normal sheet winch, and then leading the
sheet forward to the powered winch. It had two power switches, one
for low speed and another for high speed.

The biggest caveat is that a great deal of care is required when
hoisting sails. Normally you feel the extra resistance right away if
a sail jams in the track but with a power winch it is possible to do
some damage if you don't catch it quickly.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:35:20 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

I was thinking you were saying adding a power sheet winch (for
sail adj and raising, right)?

Sounds nice, but I'm wondering if it's worth it for normal sailing. I
suppose they can be turned off but the winch used manually? I could see
one
for raising the main. Big boat.. lots of effort I'd imagine!

A powered sheet winch makes a lot of sense for larger cruising boats.
I have only sailed on a couple of boats that had them, but I helped a
friend deliver his boat NY to the Chesapeake a few years back. He had
a powered winch on the cabin top, and I thought it was a good location
and very useful. It was positioned primarily for use with the main
halyard but it was also possible to use it on the jib sheets by first
taking several turns on the normal sheet winch, and then leading the
sheet forward to the powered winch. It had two power switches, one
for low speed and another for high speed.

The biggest caveat is that a great deal of care is required when
hoisting sails. Normally you feel the extra resistance right away if
a sail jams in the track but with a power winch it is possible to do
some damage if you don't catch it quickly.

Interesting! Thanks for the detail about the power winches. I think they
would be a good thing to have, but I guess there would be some concerns
about complexity (more complex a system, the more unreliable it tends to
be), including a big drain on the batteries if there's no shore power. I
guess that opens up the question of self-generating power such as wind or
solar.

On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:43:23 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

Interesting! Thanks for the detail about the power winches. I think they
would be a good thing to have, but I guess there would be some concerns
about complexity (more complex a system, the more unreliable it tends to
be), including a big drain on the batteries if there's no shore power. I
guess that opens up the question of self-generating power such as wind or
solar.

Serious cruising boats that are going to spend a lot of time at anchor
in the boondocks usually have both solar and wind power. I also
recommend a high output alternator with a "smart", 3-stage regulator.
A powered sheet winch needs only short bursts however and has little
effect on long term battery drain. The big battery killers are
things like refrigeration, the auto pilot, navigation equipment, wind
instruments, lights, etc.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:43:23 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

Interesting! Thanks for the detail about the power winches. I think they
would be a good thing to have, but I guess there would be some concerns
about complexity (more complex a system, the more unreliable it tends to
be), including a big drain on the batteries if there's no shore power. I
guess that opens up the question of self-generating power such as wind or
solar.

Serious cruising boats that are going to spend a lot of time at anchor
in the boondocks usually have both solar and wind power. I also
recommend a high output alternator with a "smart", 3-stage regulator.
A powered sheet winch needs only short bursts however and has little
effect on long term battery drain. The big battery killers are
things like refrigeration, the auto pilot, navigation equipment, wind
instruments, lights, etc.


Thanks for the GREAT information!