Cheers Cisco thanks for that , always good to get reports / opinions ,etc on stuff like that.
Regards James
I haven't used their self tailers (but I do have a couple of their standard #6 ones) so I may be giving you a a bad lead. But for mine, it's worth looking at Hutton-Arco www.arco-winches.com/
An Australian manufacturer based in western Sydney, they recognise they'll never beat Lewmar etc on price so they aim to beat them on quality. They claim if you can ever break their winch in your lifetime they'll replace it. You can also give you a trade in your old winches. I've no connection with them by the way but have dealt with them a couple of times and found them very good.
I just purchased a pair of Hutton (Arco) ST40 winches last week. we did a heap of research - looking at Harken, lewmar etc. we were replacing a pair of Barlows. they also gave us a trade in on the old ones, so the nett price was best of the lot as well. I must say the new Huttons are sensational !!!
"Thats interesting , sounds like a option , what size genoas have you guys cranked in with the hutton st 40 #1 ? and if so ,are you able to flatten it in a 15knt + breeze ?"
James, as i have only had them a week or so, we havent been out when things are pressed. -i was using #2 in about 15kts and compared to the old barlows, it felt effortless - but the barlows were smaller, werent self tailing & had a weaker power ratio anyway.
According to our sailmaker, our #1 is 24m2. if anything, we have probably overspecked with the 40, but good for when we are out with wives & kids who arent as strong.
I am not sure that the cost of doing the conversion on the old ones is worthwhile, when at the end of it, you still have the old gearbox & ratchet etc. - I had a couple of conversations with Alan Hutton, he comes across as quite unbiased & i am sure he could talk you through the conversion thing.
The engineering of the hutton looks & feels pretty solid. this is evident in the weight of the things compared to say the harken (less than half). although we have gone for the chrome bronze drums.
i have done a fair bit of offshore racing on boats with lewmar & harken, the aluminium construction of the harken needs regular servicing (up to monthly depending on how hard they are used) to keep clean because the use of dissimilar metals and plastics. The lewmars are pretty solid, but in the end it was price & lifetime g'tee that got us - plus the time that Alan was prepared to spend sorting out what we needed.
hope this helps. cheers.
I have just by coincidence ordered a pair of Hutton 20-1St winches with a trade for the old Barlow #16 cabin top halyard winches. I like what I am reading...hope to be able to confirm quality and service within the week.
Ramona talks about the lenght of winch handles !!!!
went and had a look on boat and all are same length except one !! about 100mm longer!! ....never noticed this before, we have two steel ones that never get used and two plastic ones .. I always grab the red one and swap it from side to side.
But the green one is the monster handle !!!! Tried it today in light winds but I,ll try it next time the breeze is up !!!! Its gotta be heaps better!
cheers Ramona ,.........gota love this forum !!!!
regards James
Was out sailing yesterday on my relatively new to me yacht. It has 4 cabin top winches and the outside pair are used primarily for halyards. I accidentally discovered that these are two speed winches! Makes winching up that little extra luff tension a breeze. I'm guessing they started life as the primary winches and were relegated to the cabin top when the new Arco's arrived.
I haven't read all of the posts, so sorry if I am repeating or something like that...
Harken by far is the best I have used. I sailed on a sydney38 with lewmar and trimming was ok, now I sail on another sydney38 with harken winches and it is so much easier to trim on
Hi James. Mine was the first response (since deleted) to your original question.
I think you will be more than pleased with your choice of Andersen 40 ST winches.
Before you fit them you will have to take the drums off so you can through bolt the bases. When you do that you will see how beautifully they are built.
When the Swedes or Norwegians build something, they do it for keeps. A fair bet is that those winches will outlast you and your boat. Indestructable!!
I have a pair of 40 STs and a pair of 28 STs and a pair of 34 ft yachts, a VDS and an S&S. Whichever yacht we decide to keep the Andersens will be on. Cheers Cisco.
Hey Cisco , yeah hopefully my winch fitting skills will arrive as required .
I,ll keep you posted.
cheers and regards James
