Winches and winch placement

Building a 30' cruising cat and don't know much about sailing - so asking here for your seasoned advice.

The designer has given his how-to, but I'm altering the plans so need to do something different. I'll post a pic of another's similar boat (same design) in which he added a deckhouse, which I'm in the process of doing. So will need to redo winch placement and perhaps type/quantity. Original design calls for 6 winches, but this other boat looks like he used about 2.

Also, designer cautions against self-tailing winches for sheets in case of the need of quick release.. though I don't know much about winches yet to know the particulars.

So easy to put two like this first pic and assume they can do double duty, but if it would be wise I could also put a pair there on each side perhaps, and/or locate the spinnaker/genoa winches as per plan (the #4 winches on plan). I may not have a spinnaker for quite some time.. don't know yet.

I've got a couple older style aluminum 2-speed Lewmar #30's in stock, but will have to purchase anything else.

Thanks for any helpful thoughts.

Here's list of winches for plan:
1 Main Halyard winch Lewmar #24ST 1
note: aluminum
used for main halyard and headsail halyard
-----------------------------------------------------------------
2 Reefing winch Lewmar #16ST 1
note: aluminum, self tailing, for three reef lines
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3 Headsail Sheet winch Lewmar #16 2
note: aluminum, port and starboard
port accommodates sheet only
starboard accommodates sheet, spinnaker halyard
-----------------------------------------------------------------
4 Spinnaker Sheet winch Lewmar #40 2
note: aluminum, port and starboard
use for sheet & genoa

 

2 winches are enough, certainly for any multihull up to 35ft providing you have stoppers on halyards and work out the deck layout carefully. That is what I had on my personal 30ft Sagitta, 32ft Eclipse and 34ft Romany.

I would certainly go for the self tailers. The bigger the winch the easier it is. I'd use two 40ST

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

Great! Many thanks for the advice. I follow you - or at least read what you have to offer - on facebook on that multihull appreciation page. James Dory of Dory Design... ;-) (trying to get builder discounts..)

 

I agree with the need for halyard stoppers/clutches and the need for only 2 main winches. I would put a simple cleat behind each winch too.

With some simple geometry, one winch will also work with the foiler control line that can run around a block then forward to the winch. The other winch will be invaluable for use with a stern anchor if you ever need to kedge off a sandbar etc

Certainly not saying anything contrary to Richard who knows more about Cats than I ever will but aluminum winches can be a poor choice compared to bronze, and the difference in weight on a 30' boat is not that significant