Rachet Windlasses - any good?

[Guest]

Hi all

 

I'm considering buying a ratchet-type windlass to ease the operation of stiff paddle gear. One type is described here

 

Does anyone have any practical experience of these - do they do what it says on the tin and what about value for money?

 

Your thoughts and comments very welcome.

 

Cheers

 

S23.

 

 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

A whole 5 pages about windlasses here including the ratchet one

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=35568&page=1

[Alan de Enfield]

Of the few reports I've seen non have been positive.

 

Slow to use, only get a fraction of a turn for each 'movement' of the handle

Heavy

Expensive

Get dropped in the cut as easily as a cheap one.

[b0atman]

You still need physical strength to use them, plus a longer handle for leverage means extra weight to carry .

[Burgiesburnin]

Seems a lot of money and not really a big benefit for the outlay.

At 100 quid maybe worth considering but 150 odd is just too much I feel

[Nightwatch]

If you can justify the cost, it's worth a try. I can't justify the cost.

 

Martyn

[Rich]

Hi all

 

I'm considering buying a ratchet-type windlass to ease the operation of stiff paddle gear. One type is described here

 

Does anyone have any practical experience of these - do they do what it says on the tin and what about value for money?

 

Your thoughts and comments very welcome.

 

Cheers

 

S23.

 

 

 

 

 

Their desirability depends very much on the physical condition of you and your crew. If you have celebrated a significant number of birthdays and/or have problems applying the required force to open paddles they can and certainly do make a big difference.

 

They are heavy, so my wife uses hers only when she is struggling. Otherwise it is kept at the back of the boat ready to be handed over when required.

 

Only you can know these things.

[bottle]

I do not have one and only seen, lifted one at a chandlers.

 

My thoughts it would make a good mud weight.

 

Whether it does as it says probably but we have short and long windlass and can cope with them.

 

Can count on the fingers of one hand where the long one has been used

 

Even a 'standard' windlass can be used in the same way, yes you have to take it off and refit it but it is also a lot cheaper.

 

In all the years we have been boating cannot think of one time where it would have helped and we are now youngsters in our mid sixties

[Bigredbus4468]

Seems bloody expensive to me. I saw one advertised in Canal Magazine. Know wonder no price was quoted

[steveiom]

very nice unit....BUT,

bloody expensive,£100 plus,and if you drop it....

[Nightwatch]

I think I've seen them at £150 at Wharfhouse in Braunston.

[Sir Nibble]

How about welding two windlasses together at the non handle end and get one person at each side of the balance beam passing the handles between them. (Easier to imagine than describe)

[Guest User]

How about welding two windlasses together at the non handle end and get one person at each side of the balance beam passing the handles between them. (Easier to imagine than describe)

 

 

.... like this but with a bit more round-and-round rather than up-and-down? ...

 

[Sir Nibble]

Precisely! and it can be used as normal or with a swift assistance from anyone nearby if a tight spot is encountered. Also allows the user to shift from one handle to the other so a series of pulls using body weight is employed rather than relying on main strength.

[steven wilkinson]

ah ha - if you are going down the two-handed approach - all you need it to modify one windlass to extend it a little, with lugs on to lock over the other one (hmm - you might also want to shim the hole in the middle to achieve a snug fit over the paddle shafty thing too!)

 

ah ha - if you are going to do that - you might as well just use those windlasses with two square holes in! One uses the large square, and the other uses the smaller square! Two windlasses on one paddle!

[Rich]

The measurement from the centre of the location hole to the end of the arm in the straight position is 18" /457mm. To the centre of a hand using it it is probably about 16". None of our normal "L" shaped handles approach that. In its extended state it is slow to use but sometimes circumstances mean that it makes a difficult task easy and occasionally an impossible task possible.

 

I would not imagine that these handles are aimed at the boating public at large but for some they are just plain great.

 

Only the user can judge whether or not it is worth the money. Ours is.

[MtB]

 

They are heavy, so my wife uses hers only when she is struggling. Otherwise it is kept at the back of the boat ready to be handed over when required.

 

I'm sure all the girls here will be touched by your gallantry in having the long windlass always at the ready, to be handed over whenever your wife is struggling...

 

 

 

MtB

[bottle]

Possibly but I wonder if Rich is unable to assist, although he may want to.

[Rich]

Possibly but I wonder if Rich is unable to assist, although he may want to.

Thank you Bottle.

 

Unfortunately Mike the Broilerman has again demonstrated his need to be an amusing fellow before engaging his brain. He has no idea of my state of health but why give it any thought when an amusing remark can be made at someone's expense.

 

Please do not suspect me of prevarication when I say that I do hope that he never has the misfortune to suffer from any seriously debilitating illnesses.

 

[MtB]

Thank you Bottle.

 

Unfortunately Mike the Broilerman has again demonstrated his need to be an amusing fellow before engaging his brain. He has no idea of my state of health but why give it any thought when an amusing remark can be made at someone's expense.

 

Please do not suspect me of prevarication when I say that I do hope that he never has the misfortune to suffer from any seriously debilitating illnesses.

 

 

 

My apologies.

 

I didn't realise you were so ill as to be unable to operate paddle gear.

 

MtB

[Hawkmoth]

There are men out there whose other half will not steer the boat under any circumstances. Cath saw the problem very early on and decided to steer.

Bob

[Rich]

 

 

My apologies.

 

I didn't realise you were so ill as to be unable to operate paddle gear.

 

MtB

 

You didn't realise that I was ill at all, you just saw an opportunity to make a smart remark at my expense.

 

I am not so ill as to be unable to operate paddle gear but I am unable to safely climb lock ladders. When in an empty lock and my wife is struggling with the paddle gear what would you suggest I do?

[steven wilkinson]

so - back to this ratchet windlass! I wonder if its any better than my carbon fibre one?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(That should do the trick! )

[Semitrad]

So what constitutes the perfect windlass?

 

Fits every spindle

Ratchet action

Extendible for max leverage

Light to carry

Floats/magnetic

Cheap to buy

Attractive design

 

Did I miss anything ?

[Drayke]

Hi all

 

I'm considering buying a ratchet-type windlass to ease the operation of stiff paddle gear. One type is described here

 

Does anyone have any practical experience of these - do they do what it says on the tin and what about value for money?

 

Your thoughts and comments very welcome.

 

Cheers

 

S23.

 

 

 

 

A couple of years ago the lock keeper at the first lock going from the Thames to the river Wey had one, said he found it very handy opening the paddle gear, I think he had some sort of health problem.