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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Winch replacement

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Oksky
1st Mate

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Canada
40 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/02/2008 : 22:40:28

Just working on my winter list of wants and needs for our Catalina. I would like to change the winches to self tailing. What would be the best/easiest winches to replace the originals with. I also have the CDI furler that has a couple of bends in it. The result of towing the boat without supporting the end of the unit. Has anyone straightened one of these or will I have to replace the part. It looks like it is made of a hard plastic but I would rather ask the question and appear stupid than wreck it first and ask second.

Mike Payne
1990 Catalina 25
SR/WK

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2008 : 07:52:35

Hi Mike, my 2 cents. I had self tailing winches on my boat and hated them. The Catalina 25 headsail is fairly small so the loads are not terrible. Self tailing winches make it difficult to release the sheet which means it is hard to play the sheet while trimming. I seldom used the top of my winches, I used them as conventional winches while sailing and only used the self tailing part with dock lines. My point is that you probably have Lewmar 16s already so the 16st will not give you bigger winches, that means all you gain is the ST function which I think is a PITA. The CDI foil might straighten with some applied heat while it is laying on concrete as a flat surface.

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Oksky
1st Mate

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Canada
40 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2008 : 08:47:41

Thanks for the info. I'm actually looking into it because my fiance has trouble pulling the halyards and sheets when she is winching so self tailing I think is the way for her. Right now there are Lewmar 6 and 7 I think. This is our first year of sailing and there are little things that we are finding we would like to change. One thing we learned quickly was a bimini is a must have, hahahaha.

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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2008 : 08:51:11

Mike, if you choose to change, I'm interested in getting another winch - please let me know.
Thanks!

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2008 : 10:00:13

Self tailers on the cabin top, that is different, Lewmar 14st is the product, get ready to fill old holes and drill new ones.

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Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2008 : 17:52:27

Thanks for that post Frank.
I've always felt I was cheating myself by not buying self tailing winches during my milinmium long refit.
Thanks for saving me a ton of money, and thanks for all you've done for the association and helping all us newbees all these years.
Dan

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2008 : 23:23:41

I can certainly attest to what Frank says...for the jib sheets the self tailing winches are a pain. My Admiral read about them and thought she wanted them on our boat. We sailed on several boats with them and are glad we did not make the change.
However, If I were to install a cabin top winch for halyards or mast-raising I could see the logic....though I would most likely stay with traditional non-tailing. (IMHO - winch is not required to raise a sail on a C25 or 250 - most likely result is damage to sail or attachments)

One of the best tips I've recieved on this forum is jamming a sheet under a cleat. I was going to install jam cleats by my deck cleats for racing but I can jam my sheets in two or at most three wraps.
Since the Admiral does most of the sheeting, I have to say that how sheets are handled is based largely on how well the helmsman tacks. There is the kind of tack where the sheeter tries to keep up with the helmsman and there is the kind of tack where the helmsman stalls a bit with the nose into the wind so the sheeter can sheet in without having to use a winch handle.(except for perhaps the final adjustments)
I wouldn't tell another sailor not to intall self tailing winches but I will say that I am glad I waited until I completely understood the mechanics of tacking and of how my C25 handles before I went ahead and made that mod.

Edited by - on

Oksky
1st Mate

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Canada
40 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 19:36:41

Thank you for the info. If it was for myself I wouldn't bather but we all knows who needs to have a smile on her face so I will probably end up going for the big buck items.

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Daren
1st Mate

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USA
81 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2009 : 04:02:30

Thanks Capt.'s! You all just saved me mucho denero! I was thinking of replacing my OEM winches on the Prima Donna, but will probably just replace my horn cleats with cam cleats.

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glen
Captain

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359 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2009 : 09:08:25

The following is from the CDI manual for your furler. "Removing Kinks: If your luff has been stored improperly,
coiled or bent for a long time, the best technique is to place
the entire luff inside a pipe or tube and let it sit outside in direct
sunlight for 1-2 weeks in the summer. NEVER try to straighten
the luff by using a hair dryer or by laying it on the ground and
weighting it down along its length. These techniques don’t
work and void the warranty." / "Do not expose the furler to temperatures above 140 degrees
F. Such temperatures may frequently occur in warm climates
under a boat cover. The higher the temperature, the faster a
bend becomes permanent."

Edited by - on

Even Chance
Captain

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USA
393 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2009 : 11:01:03

Well, sounds as if you've made your decision, but I like my Lewmar 16ST primaries. I don't race, so I'm not constantly playing the sheets. When we're sailing two-up, Vicki trims the jib, and I know she especially appreciates self-tailing. I also moved the Lewmar 7 (non-ST) from the mast to the coach roof when I ran all the lines aft. I find the winch enormously helpful getting the main and jib (before I had roller-furling) luffs tight. When I reef the main in a blow, I especially need the winch to re-harden the main luff.

Edited by - Even Chance on 07/02/2009 11:02:51

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.