Winch handle

[Lee Kaufman]

OK, it happened. The winch handle went overboard in the marina even. It's bronze so a magnet won't get it. Any ideas on how to fish it up. I'm not going into that water with a mask!

Second question. Is the insertion on all winches the same i.e. any winch handle I buy will fit my winch?

Thanks for the help.

[Paul D.]

Lee,

I would fashion some sort of grappling hook to go for the handle but I can't say how I would do it; good luck!

As for winch handles, they are pretty standard, so if you get one it should fit. The choices seem to run between locking, non-locking, floating or not and racing type handles with lots of leverage ie shorter or longer handles and different grips. I would look for the simplest handle available and if it floats, that's a plus.

Paul

[Neil Gordon]

How deep is the water? Bottom is mud, sand or what?

If you can reach bottom, you might try a rake rather than a grapple. A winch handle won't be easy to snag. Any chance you could get a view of the bottom from the surface? That might help in the snapping process.

[Tom Javor]

depending on the depth of the water - a view box like is used for scalloping and either a clamrake or a set of quahog tongs. another option might be to see if someone in the yard hs a diver coming in for something if h's already there and in the water he might do it for alot less than normal.

[rtbates]

bummer.

pretty much standard, IF it's a modern winch with the topside socket.

I'd highly recommend a locking, floating replacement.

[Steve Laume]

How bad is the water that you don't want to swim for it this time of year? There is always some kid that will go in. Geez I would go in for ya if you were close by. If you are going to dive for it the less you mess around before hand the easier it will be to find it espeacially if it is silty mud. Gravity is the enemy, Steve.

[John Danicic]

A few years ago, my wife dropped the mainsail winch handle, (a nice Lewmar alloy one) into the muddy waters at our dock. I quickly wrote it off as lost having no desire to go in after it. After a week away, I returned to the boat and told a wise fellow marina occupant about the lost handle. He dove down into his cabin and brought out what looked to be a garden weeding hook on a short pole. Think Captain Hook's hook; curved with a flat point.

We securely taped it to a long boat hook pole and I started dragging the hook back and forth in about the location I thought the handle went in. It took a few minutes but I finally banged into a solid object, twisted the pole around until I felt it was hooked and slowly lifted the handle up out of the water. This after a week of being lost. I now carry a similar hook of my own, that and a powerful magnet on a rope.

Sail on

John Danicic
CD 36 -Mariah- #124
Lake Superior

[Sea Owl]

Lee;

As it happens, I have a "spare" winch handle for my CD25 - not a modern one, but 'original' - all one piece, no locking lugs. Both are identical.

PM me, let me know where you are. I am sure we can work something out!

[Lew Gresham]

Throw a cast net! That will get it!

[Cathy Monaghan]

bummer.

pretty much standard, IF it's a modern winch with the topside socket.

I'd highly recommend a locking, floating replacement.

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As Randy mentioned, if your winches have a center sprocket (smack in the middle of the top of the winch like in the photo above) for insertion of the winch handle, a winch handle from any of the manufacturers will do. It's a standard size. Make sure you always carry two aboard so if one goes overboard you've got a spare. Locking models are less likely to fall out if you leave'em in a winch, but it's recommended that you remove the winch handle as soon as you've got the sail trimmed.

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If that was you're only winch handle, purchase a 10" locking floating winch handle (like the one pictured above) as a spare. It'll be your primary winch handle if you can't recover the one that went overboard. I'm not sure of how to get the thing without going over the side yourself, but Neil's suggestion of using a garden rake sounded pretty good to me.

Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

[Lee Kaufman]

I appreciate the information and suggestions on recovering my winch handle. The rake sounds like a really good idea. There are also some kids with nets that catch bait in our marina. Maybe I can get one of them to try.

Again, thanks.