Yacht, the German magazine, awards 5 stars to Ewincher
According to Yacht Magazine, Ewincher is the best solution for motorizing all your winches
Ewincher received 5 stars from the German Yacht magazine following two tests carried out with the aim of defining the best solution for motorizing a winch. We summarize these two articles on this page. Article written by Mickael Rinck Published in April 2021 on the website www.yacht.de (photo credit @Nil Theurer)
“Perhaps you are thinking, one day, or will think, of motorizing one of your winches on your boat. Lack of strength or endurance, sometimes both due to age..., many crew members find it difficult to manually use the winches. The electric winch can be an option, but it is also a big investment - the motor costs around 2000 euros alone (excluding installation) and that for a single winch. And that’s not the only “problem”. For example, electric winches are terrible for utility batteries and most electric winches don't have cruise control, which can be really dangerous for the boat and yourself.”
Electric winch handles: a real alternative
“In fact, electric winch handles are a cheap alternative compared to permanent and expensive installations of halyard or sheet winches…”
This is why Yacht Magazine, a reference for sailboat enthusiasts, decided to test 8 products, and put these 8 different solutions to the test for motorizing a winch. This is how Ewincher, the first generation, was proclaimed, in April 2021, the winner of this test, far ahead of its competitors - Winchrite, Modea, cordless drills or even a DeWalt brand screwdriver.</ p>
This is tremendous recognition from the professional world for Ewincher. Even more so when, the same magazine, in the July 2021 edition, tested the 2nd generation of the Ewincher electric winch handle, and described it as a “much more developed successor”. Let's take stock of what Yacht thinks of Ewincher - of its competitors, and how Ewincher won 2 times in a row the 5 stars in the test carried out by Yacht.
Ewincher is powerful but not brutal or aggressive: safety above all!
Even when the Ewincher button is fully pressed, the flexible start of the crank ensures subtle and precise work. It is so important that an electric winch handle can start smoothly, above all, in a controlled manner. It’s a good way to avoid getting hurt and avoid breakage on a boat.
In addition, Ewincher stops if the torque becomes too high. The maximum weight retained by the crank can be controlled via an application to the nearest kilogram. Safety above all even if the Yacht test proves that Ewincher has the greatest torque out of the 8 solutions tested. One of the features that sets Ewincher apart from competitors like Winchrite is the locking square with which the crank is equipped. It is a safety mechanism that prevents Ewincher from coming out of the winch like a classic crank."
Design, weight, wireless: Ewincher is designed to be ergonomic!
The Ewincher design is inspired by classic cranks. Indeed, the shape of Ewincher has been designed to be ergonomic, with a “Palm Grip” handle, unlike its competitors. The Ewincher crank is cordless, unlike Modea, and weighs just 2.2kg - compared to over 3kg for Winchrite. Ewincher is really easy to use on board.
The crank allows you to retain all your reflexes, and navigate as you are used to. For example, Ewincher is the only solution tested to have the same size as a classic crank (250 mm)."
Batteries: a crucial point for browsers
Ewincher is one of the tested electric winch handles which runs on its own batteries (possibility of charging at 230 and 12 volts). Unlike Modea for example, Ewincher does not use the boat's service batteries. In addition, if you wish or if your sailboat is more than 45 feet, Ewincher offers the possibility of purchasing a second battery (or a replacement) at the price of 349 euros.
It's good to know that you can only change the battery and not the entire crank if something goes wrong - unlike Winchrite."
Trust Yacht, a reference magazine for sailors, and bring Ewincher on board!
To summarize, don't give up on your passion, don't stop sailing because of too much effort when using the winches.
From motorizing a winch to using an electric winch handle, alternatives exist. Batteries, price, level of precision...so many strong points that make Ewincher a much better solution than an electric winch.