Barlows winches arrrrrrrrrrrrgh
I have scars across my eyebrow and forehead ( ~12 stitches) from a
Barlow that spun loose from the spindle. I was straining on the mast
mounted winch to reset halyard tension when it came off, the drum
travelled along the tailed, sheet hit my arm and the gyroscopic motion
of the drum kept it going as it then hit me squarely in the face/head..
It broke my good glass sunglasses, parted my eyebrow and knocked me out
for about 30-60 seconds. It was s sunny day with moderate winds so
therefore I had no harness on; but, my wife tellls me the lifeline
sling-shotted me back onto the sidedeck.where I pumped a lot of blood
onto the teak deck.

After that episode we develped a routine MOB drill for such
eventualities. By the way, instead of diving over the side to
retrieve the drum for the Balow, it threw it over the side as I
remembered how many times I had gone aloft the mast (58ft from the
water) hanging solely from this winch. Those damn 'push button'
release Barlows can kill you - If you have them, trash them and replace
with something 'safe'.

;-)

In article , Peter HK
wrote:

"Larry" wrote in message
...

Try this and see how you come out.....

Take out your usual crew of people, some partially sailors, some not,

Take her out in the harbor to a big open area with few boats you might
endanger.

Jump overboard from your lofty helm perch and start frantically screaming
and waving your arms in distress. Click the stopwatch on your diver's
Rolex Oyster to time this event.

Watch the reaction from back aboard by your crack crew of wife, kids,
friends, business associates and those still drinking your beer.

How long was it before they got her turned around and came effortlessly
alongside your position to retrieve you, using the finest navigation and
methods of retrieval?


I've actually experienced this scenario almost exactly, though it was my
crazy brother- not me- who dived off the boat unexpectedly, and it was not
in a "big open area with few boats"

We were heading out for a race, had just hoisted the mainsail when the winch
barrel on an old Barlow 16 winch popped of and rolled over the side (they
had a spring loaded retaining mechanism which was hopeless). The crew
consisted of my brother and myself (both with many years of racing and
cruising experience) and a friend who had been out sailing a couple of
times.

As the winch barrel rolled over, out of the corner of my eye, I saw my
brother dive in after it! We were in the middle of the channel leading out
of the boat harbour with maybe 10-12 other boats heading out to the start- a
few had to dodge him. He had actually grabbed it and was holding the winch
barrel aloft like a prize.

After the first few seconds of stunned disbelief, I explained to Graeme, my
inexperienced crewman, how to drop the mainsail, we dropped it, started the
diesel (there was no manoeuvring room in the channel to sail) and motored
back to get my idiot brother. Total time about 3 minutes.

I had been planning to replace that crappy old winch for some time, but,
because it was there, hadn't bothered. It would have been an ideal
opportunity- but it was still there when I sold the boat a couple of years
later.

Surprisingly, I still go sailing with my brother.

Peter HK