Mainsail winch SO 32i

[igpuica]

Hi Jeanneau owners!

I have recently bought a second-hand SO 32i and I suspect that the Mainsail Winche is not the original Winche wich is fitted as Standard in this sailboat.

It is a one speed Harken 16 ST

Could a SO 32i owner clear up my doubt?

Thanks in advance and BR

[JohnB]

Hi, standard equipment is:

• 2 x Harken 32 self-tailing sheet winches.
• 2 x Harken 16 self-tailing halyard winches

Regards

John

[igpuica]

Aug 14, 2019 10:59:43 GMT JohnB said:

Hi, standard equipment is:

• 2 x Harken 32 self-tailing sheet winches.
• 2 x Harken 16 self-tailing halyard winches

Regards

John

In my 32i There are only 3,
Two harken 32 st for Genoa Sail maneuver and only one for de halyard in the port side.
This last I suspect is not the original one because is single speed...

Am I wrong?

BR

[johannes]

I think 16 winches are always single speed.

[igpuica]

Aug 14, 2019 12:34:58 GMT johannes said:

I think 16 winches are always single speed.

In this pic you can see harken 16 st 2 speed



Regards

[johannes]

I stand corrected, Harken produced a 16.2 two-speed until 2016 according to their web site. It was non-selftailing, mostly intended for racers on smaller boats who do a lot of fine-trimming. It seems unlikely Jeanneau would put it as a halyard winch on a cruiser.

The winch on the photo looks self-tailing, but it looks like 1980s-1990s, so well before the SO 32i.

[igpuica]

Aug 14, 2019 13:56:19 GMT johannes said:

I stand corrected, Harken produced a 16.2 two-speed until 2016 according to their web site. It was non-selftailing, mostly intended for racers on smaller boats who do a lot of fine-trimming. It seems unlikely Jeanneau would put it as a halyard winch on a cruiser.

The winch on the photo looks self-tailing, but it looks like 1980s-1990s, so well before the SO 32i.

Thanks for the answer.

Do you think I could upgrade to 32 st the hailyard Winch or i should keep my 16 on my 32 feet??

Thanks in advance

[MartyB]

you can go to IIRC a 24 and get the 2 sp option in an ST model. Not sure you need a 32 for the halyards frankly. I use a 2 sp 16 on my Arcadia, more the size of an SO28, I have no issues hauling up either the 190 sq ft main, or 150 sq ft 155 genoa.

Marty

[igpuica]

Aug 15, 2019 3:28:04 GMT MartyB said:

you can go to IIRC a 24 and get the 2 sp option in an ST model. Not sure you need a 32 for the halyards frankly. I use a 2 sp 16 on my Arcadia, more the size of an SO28, I have no issues hauling up either the 190 sq ft main, or 150 sq ft 155 genoa.

Marty

Thanks for the answer!
Thanks thee question is if I oversize the halyard winche... could I damage the halyards? Or not?

Thanks!

[MartyB]

I doubt you could damage the lines per say.... with that said, if you raise the halyard with clutches tight, you damage the clutch, and take off micro millimeters if the line casing.
You would imho probably break a sheave/pulley before the line.
While I'm saying probably not, reality, anything can break or get broken if used and handled incorrectly.
As I am typing this....I have a plan to add 32st winches to the outside cabin top, for sheet lines for a 110 or smaller. Use the 2 so 16 min st winches on inside for other lines coming from mast IE youthful, reef lines, bang etc, bigger outside for jib sheets, halyard and raising humans up mast.
Another I'm thinking....you currently have 32st for headship sheets....I would replace with 40st, put 32st's on cabin top. I have 40s for big Genoa sails, could not imagine trying to use 32s. I believe and am recalling, the SF32 has 40ST winches along cockpit.
A couple other option upgrades.

Marty

[johannes]

Bigger winches are always better in the sense that you need less muscle force. Cruising boats are usually equipped with somewhat small winches because of economy and it is assumed that cruisers reef early and don't do a lot of sail trimming. I think the best strategy is just to go sailing with what you have now, and if you feel a need to upgrade go ahead. MartyB's advice to replace the main winches and move the old ones to the coachroof is good.

[igpuica]

Aug 16, 2019 3:10:59 GMT MartyB said:

I doubt you could damage the lines per say.... with that said, if you raise the halyard with clutches tight, you damage the clutch, and take off micro millimeters if the line casing.
You would imho probably break a sheave/pulley before the line.
While I'm saying probably not, reality, anything can break or get broken if used and handled incorrectly.
As I am typing this....I have a plan to add 32st winches to the outside cabin top, for sheet lines for a 110 or smaller. Use the 2 so 16 min st winches on inside for other lines coming from mast IE youthful, reef lines, bang etc, bigger outside for jib sheets, halyard and raising humans up mast.
Another I'm thinking....you currently have 32st for headship sheets....I would replace with 40st, put 32st's on cabin top. I have 40s for big Genoa sails, could not imagine trying to use 32s. I believe and am recalling, the SF32 has 40ST winches along cockpit.
A couple other option upgrades.

Marty

Thanks Martyb for this Great advice!

[igpuica]

Aug 16, 2019 7:27:50 GMT johannes said:

Bigger winches are always better in the sense that you need less muscle force. Cruising boats are usually equipped with somewhat small winches because of economy and it is assumed that cruisers reef early and don't do a lot of sail trimming. I think the best strategy is just to go sailing with what you have now, and if you feel a need to upgrade go ahead. MartyB's advice to replace the main winches and move the old ones to the coachroof is good.

Thanks johannes, i will do it that way!

[johannes]

I can also add that a "cheap" way of getting a little better winching performance is to get the best winch handles. We replaced the old handles this year with Harken Carbo One Touch handles. I can really recommend those, they are light, very easy to release with one hand, and have independent knob and hand grip with ball bearings, so you can use both arms efficiently.

[igpuica]

Aug 16, 2019 8:46:18 GMT johannes said:

I can also add that a "cheap" way of getting a little better winching performance is to get the best winch handles. We replaced the old handles this year with Harken Carbo One Touch handles. I can really recommend those, they are light, very easy to release with one hand, and have independent knob and hand grip with ball bearings, so you can use both arms efficiently.

Thanks johannes, your remarks are noted!!

[MartyB]

I have 10" Lewmar "one touch"? Handles... the 8" does not give you as much leverage.
I also have the handle with a knob, so easier to two hand when need be.
Marty

[zaphod]

My question is, why do you feel the need to upgrade your halyard winch? On a boat that size you should be able to pull sails up most of the way by hand, and the winch is mainly for halyard tensioning. That's why they don't put big winches on the cabin top. If you find yourself having to grind your sails up, and need more power than the stock size winch offers, you should first see if there is anything causing excessive friction. Do your mainsail slugs slide freely? Is your masthead sheave seized or broken? Is your halyard oversized for the clutches and blocks it is running through?

[igpuica]

Aug 16, 2019 17:12:10 GMT zaphod said:

My question is, why do you feel the need to upgrade your halyard winch? On a boat that size you should be able to pull sails up most of the way by hand, and the winch is mainly for halyard tensioning. That's why they don't put big winches on the cabin top. If you find yourself having to grind your sails up, and need more power than the stock size winch offers, you should first see if there is anything causing excessive friction. Do your mainsail slugs slide freely? Is your masthead sheave seized or broken? Is your halyard oversized for the clutches and blocks it is running through?

Interesting comment, i really apreciate your point of view! I will Take it into account
Thanks

[hillwalker]

I have a 2006 SO 32i, it has only one halyard winch on the coachroof, single speed with an anti-clockwise winching handle direction.

As per the comment above, the mainsail goes all the way up by hand and then just a few turns on the winch to tension it.

[so32foot]

I have a SO32 from 2004. Standard with 2 x 32 2 speed  and 1 x 16 single speed. As on my boat Jeanneau installed on my request an extra halyard, I have 2 16 single speed winches on the roof.

The sheet winches are quite OK for usage. The halyard winches are a little light, especially for the main halyard. I solved it by installing a cunningham hole in the mainsail.

I use the 26 speed winches also for the mainsail reefing lines.

[igpuica]

Sept 3, 2019 8:20:45 GMT so32foot said:

I have a SO32 from 2004. Standard with 2 x 32 2 speed  and 1 x 16 single speed. As on my boat Jeanneau installed on my request an extra halyard, I have 2 16 single speed winches on the roof.

The sheet winches are quite OK for usage. The halyard winches are a little light, especially for the main halyard. I solved it by installing a cunningham hole in the mainsail.

I use the 26 speed winches also for the mainsail reefing lines.

Thanks, very useful commentary!