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Electric mainsail winch upgrade, wiring?

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Laro88dk View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Laro88dk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Electric mainsail winch upgrade, wiring?
    Posted: 25 December 2025 at 13:56
HI All.
Does anyone have a set of pictures or a good description for getting the 2 x 50mm2 cables up to the new electric main halyard winch that I am about to install?
I have a 370e with large kitchen and I can't find any obvious good way to get cables up to the winch - as hidden as possible to keep the wife happy.
Regards
Laro88


Edited by Laro88dk - 25 December 2025 at 13:59
Jes, DK, 370e #326
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H8jer View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote H8jer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 December 2025 at 08:21
Hi

My 370 has two electric winches, but they are the two aft.
I would recommed that you install the electric winchs there instead.
All my halyards are long enogh that can use the aft winches also.
(But I normally hoist the mainsail by hand, standing next to the mast, this is much faster).

With aft electric winches, you get the benefit for mainsheet and selftacker sheet also. I always sail with the sheets next to the helm and can adjust sails not leaving the wheel.
When my wife hoist me up the mast, we use the main halyard and it is just with a push of the button.
Wiring will be much easier also.


Edited by H8jer - 27 December 2025 at 08:25
Hanse 370#487 30HP 3-cabin
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Sailingjack View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sailingjack Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 December 2025 at 08:37
I had the same plan for my boat. Upgrade my roof top halyard winch to electric, but realised that cabling the winch would have been a tedious job.
What I ended up doing was upgrading my port side aft winch, which I can now use to hoist the main as well as the stern anchor + more. Installing the motor under the winch was easy, there is a lot of spece there. 

And without running heavy cables inside the boat:
I installed a car battery inside the port locker and used boat's excisiting wiring to power a 2 amps dc-dc charger to fill up the battery. Had this setup for ten years now and still on my first car battery.
I quess the installation was even cheaper than running heavy cabling around the boat. Car battery was 50 euros, charger + fusing + short thick cables and terminals etc. maybe another 50 e.

Great success!
Hanse 400#803 s/y Saara
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Ratbasher View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ratbasher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 December 2025 at 10:12
SailingJack's interesting solution shows the value of thinking about what effect you want to achieve rather than focusing on a particular solution.

Just to add to the sum of knowledge, although I've a powered winch in the cockpit I much prefer to use an EWincher2 (EWINCHER | Electric Winch & Winch Handle for Sailing Boats).  Unlike a powered winch it provides clear warning of a snag that could become a breakage and runs a full days sail on one charge including numerous main hoists/reefs.  While still less than many electric winches, at about £2000 its not cheap but it makes every winch 'powered' and there's a new less-powerful but less-costly version out now too.  In practice its size has never been an issue and it saves a huge amount of amps being taken from the bank as charging can be saved until when shore, alternator or solar power is available.  

Might not suit everyone's type of sailing but it works well for us as 'liveaboards' for 5-6 months in northern European waters.


Edited by Ratbasher - 27 December 2025 at 13:20
H400 (2008) 'Wight Leopard' Gosport, UK
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sgrhma2 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sgrhma2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 December 2025 at 13:27
I’m in agreement with Ratbasher. I’ve a WinchRite, which I got after a period of ill health to enable me to keep sailing (thankfully I only needed for half a season). Like the EWincher, having it made every winch an electrical one. But more importantly, it gives you feedback as to when there might be a snag or other winching load problem. I remember being told by a senior person from a yacht distributor about the problem of owners sitting on the winch button and ripping fittings out of decks and masts as they were completely unaware of the excess loads they were applying.
In my case I found the WinchRite very easy to use, turning every winch into an electrical one and importantly giving me the feedback not to overload fittings. Thankfully I’ve got my strength back these days, but I still use it to take the tedium out of using the endless furler for the asymmetric and code 0.

Hope this is useful 
Simon 
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Laro88dk View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Laro88dk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 December 2025 at 19:17
Do any of you (Sailingjack and H8jer - others) by any chance have some pictures of the installations of the aft winch motors underneath - I have a Lewmar evo 40 with the regular worm drive and motor so I would like to see how much room you have underneath with everything installed.
Where have you fitted the relay and activator button. I am considering putting it at the helm position but it might be awkward in some situations, and handy in other.

Jes, DK, 370e #326
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Captain Cook View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Captain Cook Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 December 2025 at 00:57
The electric winch fitted over the pantry from the Hanse yard has a cover in white fibreglass underneath. See photos:
Use "Advanced Search->Any Date" to see an installation to replace an aft winch.






Edited by Captain Cook - 29 December 2025 at 10:25
Freya H400 #27 (2006),2-cabin, 40HP 3JH4E, 3-blade Flexofold, Aries LiftUp Windvane, Exturn 300, Jefa DD1,Simrad NX40,Icom M603(VHF)+M802(SSB)
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Sailingjack View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sailingjack Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 January 2026 at 14:20
On Hanse 400 the port side lazarette is under the winch, so space is not a problem:

Hanse 400#803 s/y Saara
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