Hey all, hoping i can get some advice on the winch i use to lift the keel on my boat. Keel weighs around 400kg, and is extremely hard to get back up with the current winch, which is also in a awkward spot. Any tips?
Wow that is really not very friendly. What's the boat? I'm sure you aren't Robinson Crusoe on this.
There's a good reason for an electric winch if I ever saw one!
Kojin, can you winch it easily once you're "in position"? Or, should I say first what is the problem? Too heavy, or no access?
Select to expand quoteshaggybaxter said..
There's a good reason for an electric winch if I ever saw one!
Kojin, can you winch it easily once you're "in position"? Or, should I say first what is the problem? Too heavy, or no access?
What about a nice strong cordless drill you may already have one. remove the handle and if you want to get fussy make an adapter to fit the chuck on so you dont butcher the thread on the winch... or if you are like me just clamp the cordless on the handle shaft and crank away. works for car jacks, jockey wheals, boat winches and small outboard starters ect just make shore you have a spare battery charged
I would like to see the rest of the mechanism. Is it Dynema or wire on the winch? Perhaps more efficient tackle would compensate for the unusual access.
Select to expand quoteRamona said..
I would like to see the rest of the mechanism. Is it Dynema or wire on the winch? Perhaps more efficient tackle would compensate for the unusual access.
looks like Dyema from the photos.
Maybe if you could remove the handle and added a sprocket where the handle was and added another sprocket which the handle was attached to reduce the ratio even further . would be a lot of mucking around.
I'd be checking the whole system making sure all the pulleys were working correctly.
Have you tried googling the yachts model with the problem at hand ? see if some one else has had the same hassel?
If you identify the boat, the folks at Trailer Sailer Place are likely to have some good ideas. www.trailersailerplace.com.au/
Looking at that photo it appears there is a sink on top of the unit which houses that winch.
It would seem the waste pipe for the sink is ommited as it interferes with the swing arc of the winch handle.
It reminds me of Barstards Incorporated from the eighties Comedy Company scetch show.
Select to expand quoteAshleyM said..
Looking at that photo it appears there is a sink on top of the unit which houses that winch.
It would seem the waste pipe for the sink is ommited as it interferes with the swing arc of the winch handle.
It reminds me of Barstards Incorporated from the eighties Comedy Company scetch show.
Ha Ha ha yes it does 
Hey all thanks for the replies so far. The boat is a Elliott 7.4, and yeah the winch is housed under the sink. If you have your hand in the wrong position you tend to hit the bottom of the sink fitting...its painful
The winch is hard to move, as it has a fair bit of weight to lift. I had thought about a electric trailer winch, but worried if it fails, how hard it might be to get it back up.
I seen the cordless drill idea on YouTube, seems like it might work? What do you all think would be best?
www.facebook.com/Elliott7.4group/
In a brochure I found on the net it was saying the keel had a hydraulic system for lifting??
Id ask the facebook page looks like there been doing a fix on the keels
www.facebook.com/Elliott7.4group/photos/a.939095769546310.1073741828.939067396215814/939113176211236/?type=3&theater
I was sailing on a Young 7.8 and he has a cradle structure that a pullys system sits on top of the cabin the rope then goes to a halyard winch.
Select to expand quoteKojin said..
Hey all thanks for the replies so far. The boat is a Elliott 7.4, and yeah the winch is housed under the sink. If you have your hand in the wrong position you tend to hit the bottom of the sink fitting...its painful
The winch is hard to move, as it has a fair bit of weight to lift. I had thought about a electric trailer winch, but worried if it fails, how hard it might be to get it back up.
I seen the cordless drill idea on YouTube, seems like it might work? What do you all think would be best?
if you are going to get a cordless drill for the winch i don't think the brand matters too much as long as it has a low gear and a 1/2 inc chuck would be best remembering if it gives up or brakes you can bolt the winch handle back on to get you out of trouble. if i was to make an adapter i would make it from a long nut used to join threaded rod and a bolt with the head cut off. (both the same size and thread as the winch handle axle)
This may be several months to late but as an Elliott 7.4 owner that system is not stock.
The Kiwi boats generally have a hydralic ram to lift the keel. The Oz boats are assorted systems, mine uses a self tailing starboard cabin winch on a permanent 6:1 above the centreboard. With 450kg of lead in the bulb the system above would be horrible.
I'm currently at sea for work but give me an email and I will send you details how to get rid of that contraption.
Nacrajon ( AT ) gmail.com
Firstly that is a brake winch and a S/S one at that, worth alot of $$!!
I don't know if a drill would work on lowering for this application but might on lifting?
