Winch Upgrade

[jerry]

Continuing my 20-year maintenance/upgrade. Getting tired of taking the inside headliner off every time to do maintenance on the cabin-top 40.2 Harken winches, plus they are worn.
• I assume the Harken Performa 40.2 STP is the approved upgrade.
• Am I correct the newer design allows for maintenance without taking the winch out of the deck?
• Does the new Performa 40.2 STP have the same hole mounts? Would really like not to have to drill new holes.
• Once off, any way to tell if Pearson/TPI drilled and sealed deck holes with epoxy correctly?
• What is the preferred sealant? I have used silicone, but recently it was recommended to use 3M 4200.
• If I do need to drill new holes, any preferred technique? I've seen it range from simple to complex on the web.[/list]

Thanks again for the help, If no experience with this then I'll contact Harken.

Jerry
S/V Shada #44

[TSweather]

Hi Jerry,

The cabin top holes are not pre sealed from the factory on our boat #41. Performa winches do have a different hole pattern, which will require over drilling and sealing with epoxy prior to mounting. I replaced my primary winches and the Performa is an excellent upgrade.

Sikaflex 291 is my preferred sealant for mounting all deck hardware.

While the new Performa 40.2’s you’re considering can be serviced from the top without touching the headliner, there is also another solution for your current winches. Harken makes these mounting plates that will match your current holes when thru bolted into the deck. The winch then mounts to this plate from the top for easier service.

[30101]

My primary winches have become slippery enough that 4+ wraps are required to hold the modern jib sheets in a breeze. As discussed elsewhere in this forum, resurfacing isn’t a very attractive option.
The Harken Performa seems to the popular choice.
However, Ronstan has recently introduced their new Orbit line of winches with the nifty Quicktrim feature that allows the sheet to be eased while in the self-tailer. The drums look like they’d be easier on the jib sheets as well.
Has anybody installed these, used them or seen them in action otherwise? Is there any reason we can’t install them on 109’s?

[Vento Solare]

The Ronstan Winches have a different diameter base, are lighter and have different gear / power ratios than the original Harken winches. Thus they are not acceptable for one design use. The only acceptable one design alternatives are the Harken winches previously approved by the class measurer in 2020 as described in this post.