• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Rope clutch recommendation

Alan Gomes

Sustaining Partner
I'm planning to reconfigure some of the lines on my boat and part of that will involve adding a triple rope clutch. I thought I'd solicit opinions on what you prefer.

I often like Garhauer products (I'm using their traveler, which is sweet), but I'm not a fan of their rope clutches, so I've already scratched them off the list. I'm tentatively thinking of Lewmar as a safe bet, but I know there's other options out there, so I thought I'd ask.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I believe that the Lewmar "falling rings" design is still the best choice for most of our boats. They have never chewed up my lines, and grip well. It's easy to bleed off some line increments.
 

Nick J

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Blogs Author
I just replaced our older lewmar double clutch with a new one. The biggest improvement was the direction you pull them to open is now opposite. When the old one would stick, you put your weight towards them and the winches which end up at about the same level as your teeth. Although the new one doesn't stick at all, if the ever get to that point, your effort would take you away from an expensive dentist trip. Luckily I only ended up with a fat lip before deciding the old one needed to go.

The new clutch performs well. There is a slight slip on my halyard when I first take it off the winch (I've heard Spinlock has less slip, but I haven't used one to verify). I haven't noticed the line slipping after the initial grab, so they work well for us and our needs.
 

Brad Johnson

Member III
Alan , I have had Lewmar for 10+ years and they are great, I would recommend that the higher diameter recommended line is sometime a little hard to thread thru . This is my second set a the first set failed after one season ,and was replaced under warranty. The tech guy at Lewmar must have wanted to get fired as he said they were junk and I should replace them with
something else. well I got the replacements under warranty and couldn't be happier.
 

Alan Gomes

Sustaining Partner
Thanks again for all the advice. I just now ordered two of the Lewmar DC1 double rope clutches through Defender. According to Lewmar's sizing chart, a DC1 is well within spec for my little boat. I ordered the one that accommodates 5/16"-3/8" line.
 

Mr. Scarlett

Member III
Thanks again for all the advice. I just now ordered two of the Lewmar DC1 double rope clutches through Defender. According to Lewmar's sizing chart, a DC1 is well within spec for my little boat. I ordered the one that accommodates 5/16"-3/8" line.
Have you been happy with the Lewmars? I'm going to free up at least one winch on the mast. I see people using these on deck, does anyone have any experience using these with halyards? I'm sure it's no different, but thought I'd ask.
 

Alan Gomes

Sustaining Partner
Have you been happy with the Lewmars? I'm going to free up at least one winch on the mast. I see people using these on deck, does anyone have any experience using these with halyards? I'm sure it's no different, but thought I'd ask.
It's amazing that your post came in when it did. I was just thinking this morning that I really need to get around to installing them! :rolleyes:

One other recent post just mentioned a maintenance "triage"--taking care of the most urgent things that crop up first. Between work commitments, my youngest son's wedding in Memphis, and a complete engine swap (with fresh water cooling conversion) due to developing a hole in my head (yeah, I know....), I simply haven't gotten around to this one.

This will be a nice improvement, and I'm looking forward to installing it. But improving things that work always takes a backseat to fixing busted stuff, alas. It won't be hard; I just need a few unmolested days to do it.

As I look at my calendar, I probably won't get to this until January! So ping me in February and I might be able to answer your question. :)
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
As I look at my calendar, I probably won't get to this until January! So ping me in February and I might be able to answer your question
Thank You! I have been experiencing some mutterings and regrets about so many damned things coming up this year and this summer. All of which are keeping me off the boat.
The "unfinished project club" is a grim little group that really should stop accepting new members... !
:(
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
I just need a few unmolested days to do it.
Relatable. I haven't had a single one this year, and it's not looking good for the foreseeable future. I guess I got the forced membership to the "unfinished project club" too!
 

Alan Gomes

Sustaining Partner
Relatable. I haven't had a single one this year, and it's not looking good for the foreseeable future. I guess I got the forced membership to the "unfinished project club" too!
Looks like our club already has 3 charter members! We need to rent a club house and sit around drinking beer and discussing our unfinished boat projects. Too bad we don't have time to do that....
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
Relatable. I haven't had a single one this year, and it's not looking good for the foreseeable future. I guess I got the forced membership to the "unfinished project club" too!
add me to the club. 60+hour weeks for most of the year, calmed down a little early in August, and is starting to ramp up again.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
How are people calculating halyard loads when choosing clutches?
Actually I just rely on the engineering and testing of the part builder. That and following comments and reviews over the years. Our last purchase of new Lewmar clutches was also based on our own good experience with their older same model (D2) for their clutch. It may be naive to depend on them, but the major builders seem to have few recorded failures. I note that Garhauer seems to have always relied on beefier sections and less on a huge R&D budget to pare down the last oz. I admit to being a fan of the Lewmar "falling rings" design; it holds well and does not abrade the line.
Further, one of the great features of an owner site like this is that "in use" reviews without hype are available for the asking with extensive archives to search on.
 

Mr. Scarlett

Member III
Actually I just rely on the engineering and testing of the part builder. That and following comments and reviews over the years. Our last purchase of new Lewmar clutches was also based on our own good experience with their older same model (D2) for their clutch. It may be naive to depend on them, but the major builders seem to have few recorded failures. I note that Garhauer seems to have always relied on beefier sections and less on a huge R&D budget to pare down the last oz. I admit to being a fan of the Lewmar "falling rings" design; it holds well and does not abrade the line.
Further, one of the great features of an owner site like this is that "in use" reviews without hype are available for the asking with extensive archives to search on.
Thanks Loren. I ended up ordering Spinlock XTS. Will report back once I've formed an opinion.
 

Mr. Scarlett

Member III
Never having to think about before, I hadn't noticed that the genoa halyard bears on the lower spreader on its way to the winch. In order to combat this, I would need to move the clutch aft to the rounded corner of the mast. This does not seem like a good idea. If I go with what's been working for over 40 years and just install the clutch on a flat section, the lead from above has a slight deflection - easily less than 3°. The literature says no more than 10° on the winch side of things but nothing on the load side.
Should I deflect the halyard on its path down the mast?
 
Top