Winches from Harken's Classic series are robust and widely used, but unfortunately they lose their grip over the decades. The result: the sheets slip and more and more wraps become necessary. At the latest when the entire drum is filled with rope, but the winch is still spinning, action is required. Until now, this usually meant that the winch had to be replaced. This is not only costly, but also not very sustainable due to the robust mechanics of the winches.
New support through new structure
Premiumropes has developed a specialised refit service for the aluminium Harken Classic series. The drum surface is machined to restore a secure and tightly gripping surface. The big advantage of this is that the winches do not need to be replaced. Only the drum is removed and sent in for refit.
More about winches
Winch refit, costs and processing time
The costs start at 200 euros per winch, which is significantly cheaper than buying a new winch. The processing time is around three weeks. It is therefore an ideal winter project that can be combined with the regular maintenance of the winches. The process is suitable for winch sizes from eight to 60. Even larger models can be processed on request. Further information on the winch refit can be found on the website of Premiumropes.
Even better with robust cordage
As far as you can see from the photo, the drums should be even rougher after the refit than when they were new. Problems with slipping ropes should therefore no longer occur. As the rough surface also leads to greater rope wear, it may still be worth replacing the existing lines with material with Technora or Vectran fibres in the cover. These fibres are not only more abrasion-resistant, they also provide additional hold in the selftailer, which is often also worn in older winches.
