I've often wondered why Edson or Morse have not developed an engine/gearbox control module for sailboats that accepts a standard winch handle as a dismountable operator. I'd think it would sell like hotcakes. I'd think they'd be on just about every sailboat out there.
I stumbled across this AMAZING triton daysailor thing on the NETA site (Tim, if you referenced it in your daysailor design discussions, I missed it.) and lookee there in the cockpit.... Is that an engine control operated by one of the old-style flat bronze winch handles????? Sure looks that way to me!!!
Sailboat engine controls
- Tim
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Yup--I did indeed reference the "other" daysailor on my links page:
http://www.tritondaysailor.com/links1.htm
I'm well aware that I'm not the first with this idea--still, my version is going to be quite different from the "other" one.
That sure does look a lot like the sort of control you're talking about! It seems like sailboat engine controls get the short end of the stick, so to speak--perhaps the market is too small. Good sailboat engine controls are tough to come by, and even the best ones tend to get in the way. I had an old Morse set that had removable levers, at least. Now I have a very nice Vetus control which hasn't so far proved to be a line-snagger.
Trouble is, most new boats--even some silly 25-footers--come with wheel steering now. Get to 30 feet or over and it's almost a guarantee. So the separate control market is even smaller now, as these boats feature (usually) pedestal-mount controls.
Other than that, I can't imagine why someone hasn't marketed the very thing you describe. I've seen deckplates equipped with a star-type winch handle drive, which I always thought was a good idea instead of the ridiculous small deck plate keys that we have to fumble with.
http://www.tritondaysailor.com/links1.htm
I'm well aware that I'm not the first with this idea--still, my version is going to be quite different from the "other" one.
That sure does look a lot like the sort of control you're talking about! It seems like sailboat engine controls get the short end of the stick, so to speak--perhaps the market is too small. Good sailboat engine controls are tough to come by, and even the best ones tend to get in the way. I had an old Morse set that had removable levers, at least. Now I have a very nice Vetus control which hasn't so far proved to be a line-snagger.
Trouble is, most new boats--even some silly 25-footers--come with wheel steering now. Get to 30 feet or over and it's almost a guarantee. So the separate control market is even smaller now, as these boats feature (usually) pedestal-mount controls.
Other than that, I can't imagine why someone hasn't marketed the very thing you describe. I've seen deckplates equipped with a star-type winch handle drive, which I always thought was a good idea instead of the ridiculous small deck plate keys that we have to fumble with.
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- catamount
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Winch Handle Engine Control
Such a thing indeed is available.
I first saw it here: http://www.sailjazz.com/editorial/articles/14/8 -- it is the ATCU/1 from Spinlock in the UK
(from http://www.spinlock.co.uk/sitev2/defaul ... tType=atcu)
Regards,
Tim
I first saw it here: http://www.sailjazz.com/editorial/articles/14/8 -- it is the ATCU/1 from Spinlock in the UK
(from http://www.spinlock.co.uk/sitev2/defaul ... tType=atcu)
Regards,
Tim
Tim Allen -- 1980 Peterson 34 GREYHAWK
Harborfields Housekeeping Cottages, West Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Sailors for the Sea, a new voice for ocean conservation
Harborfields Housekeeping Cottages, West Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Sailors for the Sea, a new voice for ocean conservation
Winch handle control...
A great idea for cross use of a winch handle but the pic makes my shins ache :)
David
David