Mast winch backing pad

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svMira
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Mast winch backing pad

Post by svMira »

What do you use for a mast winch backing pad?
I bought a little #6 to put on my mast, but there is the obvious difference between the curve of the mast and the flat of the winch base. I haven't quite had the 'aha!' moment yet of what the right thing is to use.
Marvin - s/v Mira - 1971 Pearson Wanderer #174
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atomvoyager
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Re: Mast winch backing pad

Post by atomvoyager »

Cast aluminum pads come on different sizes from Selden and from US Spars:

http://www.seldenmast.com/en/products/m ... leats.html

Last year I bought two medium size winch pads #1077 from US Spars in FL to use on a Triton mast with #6 winches. I don't see them in the catalog but you can phone them:

https://www.usspars.com/products/

They were pricey at around $60 each retail. In the past I've made my own out of teak. I cut a piece of paper to match the mast curve and traced it onto the teak block then shaped it with a #36 grit pad on an angle grinder. Best to make one first out of pine to work out the mistakes. User a block that is a bit thicker than you want to end up with because inevitably you keep grinding further to get a good shape until it's too thin. You could also make it out of wood other than teak and varnish or paint it.
svMira
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Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:16 pm
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Re: Mast winch backing pad

Post by svMira »

The Seldon ones in the link tilt down. How necessary is that? I'm pretty sure the one on my Tanzer 22 was just perpendicular to the mast.
Marvin - s/v Mira - 1971 Pearson Wanderer #174
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atomvoyager
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Re: Mast winch backing pad

Post by atomvoyager »

The angled base is good to help prevent overrides. When I made my own I didn't bother making them angled but sometimes you have to consciously tail the halyard at an angle to keep it from fouling so angled would be better.
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