On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:41:37 -0700, in message
lutions
"Capt. JG" wrote:

"Ryk" wrote in message

It is possible to configure most large winches to work either
clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Why would you want to do this?

I can imagine some special situations where the line feed or
handedness issues might show up. Then again it might just be bad
design that allows the pawls to be inserted in either direction...

Ryk

"Ryk" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:41:37 -0700, in message
lutions
"Capt. JG" wrote:

"Ryk" wrote in message

It is possible to configure most large winches to work either
clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Why would you want to do this?

I can imagine some special situations where the line feed or
handedness issues might show up. Then again it might just be bad
design that allows the pawls to be inserted in either direction...

Ryk



It would also confuse the hell out just about everyone. LOL

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:16:26 -0400, Ryk
wrote:

Then again it might just be bad
design that allows the pawls to be inserted in either direction...

Why is that bad design? What is the downside to offering the option.
What I think are cool are the two speed winches.

Casady

"Richard Casady" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:16:26 -0400, Ryk
wrote:

Then again it might just be bad
design that allows the pawls to be inserted in either direction...

Why is that bad design? What is the downside to offering the option.
What I think are cool are the two speed winches.

Casady


I guess there would be a very limited number of times one would want a winch
that goes in the wrong direction. Perhaps, ask Ryk said, if there was an
issue with lines, but how often would that come up realistically?

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:52:04 GMT, (Richard
Casady) wrote:

On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:16:26 -0400, Ryk
wrote:

Then again it might just be bad
design that allows the pawls to be inserted in either direction...

Why is that bad design? What is the downside to offering the option.
What I think are cool are the two speed winches.

That reminds me. There was a web journal called "Bumfuzzle" where a
young couple bought a 35' cat in Lauderdale and took off around the
world. They had one class in sailing.
Successful circumnavigation, and an entertaining journal.
Anyway, they were halfway across the Pacific before the Skipper found
out he had 2 speeds on his most often used winch.
No wonder it was so hard to crank.
He was mocked by the armchair guys when he wrote about it, but just
got a kick out of that since he was sailing around the world and they
were ......in their armchairs.
I got the impression 2-speed winches are common.
What little winching I've done was with a 1-speed.

--Vic

It is possible to configure most large winches to work either
clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Ryk

Why would you want to do this?

America's Cup boats have right and left handed jib winches so the lead
is perfect to the fairlead. My boat has jib winches of the same
handedness and there's chafe on the port side coaming when trimming
smaller jibsfixed by a second fairlead car aft.

"Mark" wrote in message
...
It is possible to configure most large winches to work either
clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Ryk

Why would you want to do this?

America's Cup boats have right and left handed jib winches so the lead
is perfect to the fairlead. My boat has jib winches of the same
handedness and there's chafe on the port side coaming when trimming
smaller jibsfixed by a second fairlead car aft.


Right. No doubt, but 99.999% of boats would not do this. AC boats are highly
specialized, and there are probably better solutions to chafe than confusing
other sailors with winches that are non-standard.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

In article lutions,
lid says...
"Mark" wrote in message
...
It is possible to configure most large winches to work either
clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Ryk

Why would you want to do this?

America's Cup boats have right and left handed jib winches so the lead
is perfect to the fairlead. My boat has jib winches of the same
handedness and there's chafe on the port side coaming when trimming
smaller jibsfixed by a second fairlead car aft.


Right. No doubt, but 99.999% of boats would not do this. AC boats are highly
specialized, and there are probably better solutions to chafe than confusing
other sailors with winches that are non-standard.


Given that many winches allow the pawls to be put in for either right or
left hand rotation what is the "standard"?

My own preference is the the lines to wind on the sheet winch drums from
outboard, keeps them from rubbing on the cockpit combings. Mast winches
are standardized to wind on from forward.


--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok

On Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:49:01 -0700 (PDT), Mark
wrote:

America's Cup boats have right and left handed jib winches so the lead
is perfect to the fairlead. My boat has jib winches of the same
handedness and there's chafe on the port side coaming when trimming
smaller jibsfixed by a second fairlead car aft.

I don't think so. I've sailed on several America's Cup boats, 6 to be
precise, and they all had conventional clockwise turning winches, both
port and starboard. It would confuse the heck out of the trimmers
otherwise, trying to remember which way to wrap the jib sheet.

On Aug 23, 5:08*am, Wayne.B wrote:
On Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:49:01 -0700 (PDT), Mark
wrote:

America's Cup boats have right and left handed jib winches so the lead
is perfect to the fairlead. *My boat has jib winches of the same
handedness and there's chafe on the port side coaming when trimming
smaller jibsfixed by a second fairlead car aft.

I don't think so. *I've sailed on several America's Cup boats, 6 to be
precise, and they all had conventional clockwise turning winches, both
port and starboard. *It would confuse the heck out of the trimmers
otherwise, trying to remember which way to wrap the jib sheet.

"Developed for events like the America's Cup and the Vendee Globe,
Harken racing winches feature carbon fiber and aluminum construction,
titanium gears, and PEEK roller bearings for ultra-lightweight
performance and reliability. This elite racing technology is also
available for smaller budgets - contact Harken® to order aluminum and
stainless steel in place of carbon and titanium. Options include self-
tailing arms, free-spinning or ratcheting base sheave additions, top
cleats, and *left-handed* rotation."

I've only sailed on 3, but they were America's cup class boats, not 12-
Meters. Definitely had left and right handed jib winches, no room on
coaming for a "wrong-handed" winch because of winch diameter and the
fairlead was so close to the winch.