The Marinervideo
Everything You Need to Know About Winches
February 2, 2024 · 49 min · 16K views
What this video covers
A seamanship tutorial covers winch operation, safety, and mechanics for sailors moving from small boats to larger, high-load vessels.0:32 The instruction takes place aboard Spartan, a large racing/cruising yacht whose winch package cost roughly 50,000 euros and includes two-speed winches, three-speed winches, and grinder-connected winches with magnesium alloy drums 100–110mm deep.11:36
The core safety focus is degloving and crush injuries caused by mishandling loaded lines.6:34 Ropes aboard run at roughly two-thirds of their 8,000-kilogram breaking strain — enough load to lift two trucks — and Chris explains that on a boat this size, a sailor caught in a loaded sheet cannot pull back to free themselves.8:43 The tutorial covers correct line lead angle (near-horizontal, above the winch's 15-degree base angle to prevent override or slipping), clockwise versus anti-clockwise rotation (standard on most boats; America's Cup boats mark port winches anti-clockwise), and the progression from one to seven wraps, with three turns as the minimum for grinding.9:27 Self-tailing gear — introduced in the 1970s — is explained, including the transition point where removing a line from the self-tailer suddenly exposes the operator to full load.3:34 Rope twist, override causes, and single-handed versus two-person operation are introduced.14:36 Internal winch mechanics — ratchets, pawls, the main pinion, and the stainless drive ring — are described, with a full strip-down deferred to a later installment.18:15
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