upgrade winch
Printed From: myHanse.com
Category: Hints & Tips
Forum Name: 345/348
Forum Description: 345/348 Hints, Tips and News
URL: https://www.myhanse.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13369
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 03:41
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: upgrade winch
Posted By: FrankS
Subject: upgrade winch
Date Posted: 02 May 2022 at 14:38
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Hello all, I am planning to upgrade my Lewmar 40ST EVO winch to electric, using a conversion kit. Does anyone of you have experience in this ? Ideas, warnings, tips ? Anyone experience in performing the job yourself on an 345 ? Anxious about your reactions, greetz, Frank ------------- Hanse 345 2016 "STYX" |
Replies:
Posted By: Peter-Blake
Date Posted: 02 May 2022 at 17:19
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Sorry can´t help with the electric winch. But i do not know why you need a electric winch on a Hanse 345. On my Hanse 370 i do not have a electric winch. And i hope i will never need it. Two little tips: 1. Have you ever serviced your manual winches? It makes a huge diffrence if you service the winches after some years. Fresh serviced winches work like new, espeacially under load. So i would at first service the winches, and than you can decide wether you need it electric or not.... 2. If you need the winch for hoisting the mainsail, maybe it is better to check the mainsailsliders in the mast. Maybe you change to ballbearing sliders. This helps a lot...... I can hoist my main (heavy DCX fullbatten Mainsail With ballbearing sliders) without a winch nearly up to 1-2m before the masttop. Only the last 1-2m i need the winch. ------------- Blake 370 
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Posted By: Carlosailfan
Date Posted: 03 May 2022 at 07:53
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Hi Frank, i did it on our 385 STB side. Nice job, took a little time to make it the good way, means installing the fuses and putting the cables in place and completely out of sight. I made also the connection to the main power-board, so you need to investigate a bit the wiring diagram of yours to see if it fits or not. The most complex part is, when the conversion kit is in place under the 40ST EVO you have to connect / Install the heavy electro-motor. Not all the bolts are that reachable and this takes time to fix it correctly seen the place to access is very limited. I am very satisfied with the upgrade so good decision to install. If you need additional info don't hesitate to contact me. Best regards, Carlo ------------- Best regards /C |
Posted By: Fendant
Date Posted: 03 May 2022 at 10:53
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Frank, we have ordered this an an option when we bought the boat on both sides. My wife and myself would not want to miss it. Especially when you get older the winches become more and more useful. The motor is on our boat accessible from the aft cabin though a maintenance opening. Therefore the mechanical fitting job looks ok for me. The posting above mentions certain difficulties, this seems to be normal on retrofits on modern production boats. I would be more concerned about the electrical part. Our wiring is on the main board under the nav table. The winches are supplied from the 330 Ah house bank Good Luck, at least you will learn some new bad words if you have a helper f  or the installation------------- Frank |
Posted By: 415 Singapore
Date Posted: 03 May 2022 at 12:40
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Hi, we had two electric winches installed by Hanse when we ordered Night Train and are very happy that we did. Although I would agree with Peter that you should check if the winches have been serviced properly and that the sliders on the main are in good condition. We can pull our main up to within a couple of metres before needing the winch. On the 415 when you ordered electric winches Hanse doubled the service battery bank to 330 Ah as part of the option, so you may need to look at where you can put the additional batteries. Under load the winches use a lot of power. All the best paul ------------- Paul - Night Train - 415 #136 |
Posted By: 415 Singapore
Date Posted: 03 May 2022 at 12:46
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Sorry forgot to add my other thought, it might be easier and cheaper to buy an electric winch handle like an E-Wincher, then you can use it on any winch? Paul
------------- Paul - Night Train - 415 #136 |
Posted By: Carlosailfan
Date Posted: 03 May 2022 at 19:32
E Winch on H385  ------------- Best regards /C |
Posted By: Carlosailfan
Date Posted: 03 May 2022 at 19:35
  
------------- Best regards /C |
Posted By: johanlavenius
Date Posted: 04 May 2022 at 15:29
| I did this on my 348 this spring. You don't need electric winches on a 345/348 but it's really nice to have. |
Posted By: FrankS
Date Posted: 05 May 2022 at 08:37
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Thanks for all your input so far ! @ Frank (Fendant) : do you mean the existing maintenance opening on the stern side or did you have to create a new one ? If so, do you have a picture to determine the right place ? (just to diminish the amount of new learned bad words..  )------------- Hanse 345 2016 "STYX" |
Posted By: S&J
Date Posted: 05 May 2022 at 13:24
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I added electric motor to the starboard winch of my 458 last year. The electrical work was straightforward but getting the motor to mount onto the winch was all but impossible. We managed eventually but in my case the access was through the shallow cockpit locker. The problem was the weight of the motor which took one hand and the awkward contortions required to get to the mounting bolts. It may be on other boats access would be easier. Certainly on my single aft cabin 385 access from the deep starboard cockpit locker would be much easier. Take a good look at the access you have for mounting the motor. It I was to do this again I would probably cut an access panel from the locker to the cabin. The cabin has a screwed on liner and there is a template for cutting the (large) access hole so I'm sure this is what was intended. ------------- H458 #159 Primal Mediterranean cruising |
Posted By: Ratbasher
Date Posted: 05 May 2022 at 18:18
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I agree with Paul about getting an ewincher. I got concerned about the amount of power being taken out of the battery every time we used our (one) electric winch that I got an Ewincher at the start of last season. One of the best investments ever; the missus can now handle all the sheets effortlessly from any winch, with a single charge lasting a few days. The spinnaker sheets are handled in record time and it's made getting someone up the mast so easy. Much cheaper than an electric conversion kit but also most importantly, the ewincher provides feedback on the load just like a manual, removing the potential for damage. ------------- H400 (2008) 'Wight Leopard' Gosport, UK |
Posted By: johanlavenius
Date Posted: 05 May 2022 at 22:10
| I took a large diameter threaded rod thru the deck fitting and motor. This way i could turn the nut a bit to move the motor and then rest. This made the motor installment go from impossible to quite easy. After the motor was installed I installed the winch. |
Posted By: Mike58
Date Posted: 04 June 2022 at 13:44
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We thought of upgrading to electric winch but opened for an ewincher - electric winch handle - instead. It has been fantastic. it is expensive - but equates to a single electric winch and provides more options. ------------- Mike L |
Posted By: High Time
Date Posted: 05 June 2022 at 14:33
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Alternatively, look at Winchrite. I have owned one for years and it is great. Best point is that it can be used on any winch, not just the halyard winch! ------------- Roger High Time (415 #038) |
Posted By: Mike58
Date Posted: 31 July 2022 at 17:40
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We also considered upgrading to electric winches but opted for an eWincher which is about the cost of a single winch. I have been very happy with this and it has worked exceptionally well. ------------- Mike L |
Posted By: FrankS
Date Posted: 16 December 2022 at 10:51
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Hello all, Having purchased the upgrade set for my starboard winch, I have made an extra access port in the ceiling of the starboard cabin, beneath the winch, just as in the pictures from Carlosailfan. The question that arises now is what the best route is for the thick feeding cables between batteries and winch (Johan/Carlo ?). I would be over the moon when one of you could help me with that, eventually clarifying pictures would be great, if possible.. ------------- Hanse 345 2016 "STYX" |
Posted By: lide
Date Posted: 04 December 2024 at 08:08
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In the bottom 2 pictures I’m trying to figure out how the motor attaches to the shaft. I have electric winches on my 385 and trying to disable it to get the motor out as it works in reverse but not forward. Having removed all screws the motor Is not dropping of the shaft.
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Carlosailfan wrote:Posted By: Carlosailfan
Date Posted: 05 December 2024 at 06:59
Hello, there is a way. on the upper part there are several allen bots well hidden. red arrows who have to be removed. The blue arrow is a plate fixed to the external part, thouhout this plate there are several allen bolts who hold the gear in place. not easy to install, i remember my installation and for sure not easy to remove. Fingers crossed there is not much corrosion.  ood luck !
------------- Best regards /C |
Posted By: Ggerrit
Date Posted: 05 December 2024 at 07:55
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Hi, Why don.t you change the electric connecton? The motor will turn in the other direction. much easyer. ------------- H400 2008 2 cabin |