A couple of weeks ago I wrote, or maybe ranted is more accurate, about the lack of kill switches on boats equipped with electric winches.
And I have long bemoaned that electric boat winches and roller furling systems don’t have any overload protection.
The way I see it, the marine industry foists machines on us that can, with just a moment’s inattention, destroy thousands of dollars worth of gear, and, for an added bonus, cripple the yacht or, worse yet, a crew member.
But now, one of my favourite companies is doing something about this:
Good article, John. One question I had on first reading the website information (and still have) is whether the SailForce Hutton winches actually are a good value. Certainly they are priced competitively with electric winches from Harken or Lewmar, but I’m completely unfamiliar with Hutton winches in any form, so I’d really appreciate any relevant insights from those with more knowledge of and experience with Hutton winches and their quality, durability, serviceability, etc.
Hi Mark,
Good point. I will also be interested if anyone comes up on that. One thought: if in doubt buy Harken and the kit. I have Harken winches on the J/109 (older model) and can vouch for them.
I’m also a general Harken fan-boy, having used their gear for over 45 years without any issues.