What Way Do You Wrap A Sailing Winch?

Captain Dave is using a two-speed, self-tailing winch, which makes it easier to sail shorthanded. To ensure safety, wrap the winch clockwise from a sitting up position and place the shoulder of the winch on the shoulder. The way sailboat winches load can affect the amount of wraps, and with sheets moving at high speed, it is crucial to have self-tailing winches that wrap the tail in a round jam cleat on the top of the drum.

The most common mistake in winch safety is not having enough wraps around the drum, which can cause numerous problems. Proper winch etiquette is essential for every sailor sailing sailboat. In this video, Lou covers different types of winches on sailboats and how to handle them safely and efficiently.

When winching by yourself, use one hand to hold the rope and the other to winch. The winch should be wrapped from the bottom up in a clockwise direction, but custom-built handed winches may be clockwise on one side. Wraps should always be clockwise, and it is essential not to over-tighten the sail.

To begin, wrap the rope around the barrel of the winch in a clockwise direction and wind the rope around the drum three or four times.