electric winch on c-22

bob branch · Post by **bob branch** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:56 pm

Has anyone ever converted to an electric winch on a C'22 or 26? If so would you share how you did it and how it was rigged? Interested in limiting switching if you did any and how. Seems like an electric trailer winch would work. Its just getting too heavy for my wife or myself to handle as we get older.

bob

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:52 am

Since I singlehand almost always (and its always a mad dash to raise it downwind, and lower it upwind alone) I considered it for the C26, didn't find too much of a roadblock finding a way to refit the winch stand/table to mount it, but never came up with a way to configure a mechanical limit switch or a good circuit for a 12V current sensing system to shut it off when in full up.

Comparing it to retracting landing gear, I thought a small hyraulic ram could be mounted horizontally under the table, that would attach to a cable running over a block to lower and raise the keel.When the ram is "full in" the keel is "full up" so no need for a limit switch. But there wouldn't be room for enough "throw" to get the keel down very far.

I guess if you didn't want the limiting capablity, just a winch on an On/Off switch would work, provided there was battery enough.

Anybody else ?

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:59 am

bob branch · Post by **bob branch** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 4:26 pm

A landing gear type ram is just not practical for a system like this. All that is required is a less than $100 electric trailer winch and a microswitch or two triggered by for instance ball fittings swedged onto the cable at the full up and down lengths. Since the fittings do not have to pass external to the hull they only need be local to the winch itself. Current max on these sytems is about 60 amps but that is at max load which is about 1500 to 2000 pounds. Loads of the keel would be well under those. A 60 amp circuit breaker should be able to handle that issue no problem. My guess is there is an internal fuse or circuit breaker internal to the units. Since these would be not hour loads but short probably less than one minute loads battery consumption is not going to require a huge battery bank. If it took a full minute to raise under a 60 amp load that is only 6 amps drawn off the battery. Also very doable with either a starter battery or a deep discharge battery. Basically just a mater of where and how to mount hte switches and the particular type of switches to use. Costs should not be prohibative and the ability to start or stop anywhere is still preserved. Just a mater of the limiting switches to safely prevent popping the breakers which would happen under full hoist stop and to prevent unwrapping the cable if motor kept turning beyond full down position.

Any experience out there? btw, landing gear in aircraft are not moved unlimited by rams. They have microswitches to limit the movement. My Piper Arrow had 19 of them. Don't ask how I know the exact number. .... it was the next to last one that was developed the failure.

bob branch

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:49 pm

I have a similar setup in my garage to lift the hard top off my convertible.
Harbor freight. 50 bucks in a box.

It has a maximum lift switch but not a switch for maximum lowering.
I use a block to get 2-1 purchase for the hard top. Not for lifting strength but to cut the lift speed in half. Don't want to scratch my baby!

Works beautifully and the idea could be adapted for a boat.

Scott

bob branch · Post by **bob branch** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:43 am

Scott

Is it the motor and switches or just the switches? If both is it 110 volt or 12V?

bob

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 5:11 am

The setup is winch,cable,and one switch. Runs off 110 AC.

Also has an up/down controller