What do Ewincher users think of their crank?
Ewincher in France, and elsewhere!
George Meffre is one of the users of the electric winch handle. He knew Ewincher thanks to one of his friends who invited him on board during a stopover in Brest. He sails on Antarctic, a sailboat whose mast is 25 meters high. It takes many minutes to set the mainsail, especially when sailing alone.
At 73 years old, and even with perfect health, as he says himself, “it’s a grueling gymnastics”! His boat is equipped, for genoa sheets, with four-speed winches (coffee grinder type). However, George Meffre chose Ewincher for the other winches of the sailboat. A solution that he considers “versatile” and “much simpler than electric or hydraulic motorization”. In particular, it uses the electric crank on the mast winches, for the halyards and raising the centreboard.
The second use is on furling line winches. George considers that the speed provided by the assistance makes it possible to furl even more quickly and to escape the jib ridge during the maneuver. George Meffre considers Ewincher as a real “complement for the boat’s winches which become more efficient”. Although he considers the purchase of Ewincher a significant investment, the navigator recommends the crank without hesitation.
Georges Meffre - France
Ewincher in the USA
David Knecht is the second in command of the Thames Yacht Club in Connecticut (USA). He discovered Ewincher through an advertising campaign in Sail Magazine. As he approaches his 70th birthday, he feels the need for "winching assistance when the maneuvers become very demanding". And yet, David is an experienced sailor. He used to charter a 50-footer in the British Virgin Islands.
He knows the efforts required to maneuver a large boat (he was the main sailor on board and was therefore most of the time alone maneuvering). For him, Ewincher is comparable to electric winches: "I can sail in any condition and without getting exhausted." According to David, Ewincher is a much less expensive solution and does not require adding additional cables and batteries to the boat (unlike installing an electric winch!).
He bought Ewincher because he regularly takes part in races, solo, at the helm of his C&C 34+ monohull. He explains why he chose Ewincher as his new teammate: “When I tack, if I'm not perfectly on time during the maneuver, I have to tuck the genoa a significant distance from the upwind position. The harder it blows, the harder it becomes and at the end of a race I'm often exhausted.” His original intention was to use Ewincher as an electric genoa winch for strong winds. But, the more he sails with the electric crank, the more he finds other uses for his Ewincher: "I use the crank to raise the mainsail and obtain good tension in the last centimeters.
It’s easier to press the button and watch what’s happening at the top of the mast than to winch and monitor what you’re doing in the effort.” And he’s not the only one who appreciates the electric crank: “When my wife sails with me, she also uses it to winch.” David recommends Ewincher to other boaters because he considers that the electric winch handle allows you to “extend the ability to sail”.
David Knecht - Rear Commodore of Thames Yacht Club (United States)