We’ve had rain for the past week or so here in Seattle, so I took advantage of the now enclosed cabin and installed the centerboard winch.

These old Lightnings use an interesting setup to gain the mechanical advantage needed to lift the honkin big swing centerboard keel. It’s a winch, but not your typical sailboat winch. A 1″ stainless steel tube turns in holes bored in the mast to deck support. A dyneema line is wound and unwound on this shaft to raise or lower the centerboard. the power to turn this shaft is provided by a line would around a drum attached to the shaft.

The larger drum is about 10-12″ across, so it gives about a 10:1 mechanical advantage, yet does it with only the friction from one revolving part, not multiple sheaves. Even with the goofy angle and extreme leverage when the centerboard is almost fully up it raises smoothly.

I had to cut the notch in the bracing as I misjudged how the board would swing up, but once I clean that up and paint it this will all be done and good to go.