Barlow 2 wire halyard winch

[Paulus]

My Barlow 2 wire halyard winch on the main mast - situated at slightly below chest hight - has two channels on its drum - a narrow channel with "wings", or "catchers" separating it from the wider drum surface, where I wrap the wire when hoisting the sail.

The only thing I can see the narrow part of the drum used for is to take the final one or two turns, as it is located closest to the mast and therefor does not present as much momentum....

Does anyone know what this narrow channel on the drum is used for?

Bad pic here od a Barlow 5...



But it shows the little channel near the mounting side...

[Pinching]

Paulus:
That's exactly what the channel is for -- the last few turns. Otherwise, when loaded up, the wire would jam in the reel. It's also used after reefing.

Those winches aren't used much anymore. Fell out of favor on big boats when high modulus line replaced wire. Some of those winches could hurt you of the brake slipped with the handle in place.

Hope this is useful.
P

[Paulus]

Others agree with your notion of caution...

Found a thread elsewhere (http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f11 ... 30700.html) which confirms the concern with the winch... If you loosen the brake with the winch handle in, you'll be in for a surprise - plus, the brake release is almost in the path of the now swinging handle, so watch them elbows!

By the way, that beautiful shiny housing is made from.... plastic. Mine was split through in three different spots and barely still attached to the bronze gear itself.

I am in the process of rebuilding/re-greasing the winch components and reinforcing the plastic cover - re-painting it pretty chrome... project report with pics to follow.

As far as the finger losing part, I guess that confirms my notion that the narrower part of the drum is used to make the final wrap(s) - being that the wire must then be coached by hand into the channel - get caught by one of the 'wings", or "catchers" mentioned above. I can see that if this is not done carefully, your fingers could indeed be at peril.

I have yet to do this - I simply keep the wire on the wide part of the drum....

I have used the winch for a whole season and, while I remember getting a warning from the winch handle once or twice, I have not gotten hurt by it. The thread in the link does reference the possibility of "crew" making the mistake of unbraking with handle - I intend to put a warning on the housing once I get it back together and painted - to warn good samaritans of its potential hazard.

[earlylight]

I would be scared to death to have that winch on my boat, having seen a Choey Lee skipper with 3 fingers and a thumb on his left hand as a result of a confrontation with his reel winch. Just my $.02 worth.

[Quetzalsailor]

We still have ours, a Barient bronze beast but otherwise the same. I never knew what the separate place on the drum was for; I'll have to look at it more carefully. I therefore, of course, have never used it.

I understand that these winches were standard equipment on many boats. (Our Morgan 27 had a rope halyards and an ordinary winch). Care must indeed be taken whenever you're near it. Never release the brake without a careful and firm hand on the winch handle! An additional liability is the way it has (once) begun to dissassemble itself; I used my third hand to reassemble it.

My intent is to go to rope halyard and lead it aft.

It's a perfectly lousy winch to use for hauling someone up the mast. A conventional winch is much better for control on the way down.

[Paulus]

I would be scared to death to have that winch on my boat, having seen a Choey Lee skipper with 3 fingers and a thumb on his left hand as a result of a confrontation with his reel winch. Just my $.02 worth.

I stumbled over a UK thread (or was it Australia?) where the posters talked some slob into replacing his Barlows wire winches... Then, when he announced he was going to, several folks litterally lined up to buy the old ones off him... heh, heh, heh...

I will be frank - I actually really, really like the smooth operation, clean halyard storage and swift drop action I have experienced so far with this winch. My "brake" is a solid band - brass on brass - unlike some tooth engagement I guess existed on earlier ones. I can loosen the band to where I can somewhat manage - at least the initial part of - the fall.

Raising the sail, I lock the winch and ratchet up the sail, ever so smooth - I can stop at any point and the sail will stay put. When its up, I simply take the handle out of the star hole and place it in its holder at the foot of the mast. To lower, I leave the handle in its holder and give the break handle a small turn towards release - the sail drops only enough to release the tension on the halyard and then stays put, until I further release the brake to a point where the sail almost free-falls, except perhaps for the last 5 or so feet, where I have to help it a bit.

Call me ignorant, but a lot of items on a sailboat carry their unique risk. Pulling the break with the handle inserted and unattended is similar to gibing the main or mizzen in a stiff breeze, except with the former you may knock your arm or elbow, while with the latter you might knock your head.

To date, I have stopped the boom from swinging with my head more often than I have caught the winch handle with hand, arm or elbow.

Risk management is not necessarily risk avoidance... But then, I am a stubborn Dutch cheesehead. ;-)

[Pinching]

P:

To guide the wire into the inboard track with wings, you don't need to put your fingers into the reel area, just guide the wire above the winch toward the mast the last couple of turns. You can use the palm of your gloved hand while cranking the halyard. I recall doing this on a big boat in college with a reel main halyard winch. We always wore sailing gloves because of the meat hook risk (we also had wire guys for the spinnaker). Those were the bad old days!
P