Revolutionary winch housing developed -- Sydney boat show 2012

Muir Windlasses Australia has used the Sydney International Boat Show to launch its latest composite fibre housing for its range of horizontal anchor winches.

Managing Director Matthew Johnston said the new housing for motor and gearbox assemblies, shafts and other components for pleasure craft replaced a traditional aluminium housing.

"The new composite fibre model is a significant improvement," he said. "It is lighter, stronger, eliminates the possibility of corrosion."

Muir’s Production Manager, Ian Stocks, said the design brief was to develop a one-size-fits-all housing. "We also needed to eliminate a number of issues regarding painting, the paint finish, corrosion and electrolysis in operation," he said.

"The composite fibre model we developed addressed these issues while maintaining the same strength and load-carrying capabilities of the original aluminium housing, which was obviously important.”

Mr Stocks said the housing was designed in 3D incorporating all of the identified design needs. "We produced a 3D printed model which allowed us to view, physically hold and assemble our new housing. This part of the design process was invaluable."

The company constructed a composite fibre prototype that featured a gel-coated finish that required no machining.
Mr Stocks said the company was able to load test this proto type housing. "We were impressed by its strength," he said. "It easily passed all tests to the point where the main windlass shaft was bending."

The new housing features a gel-coated finish (which means it is available in different colours). It is also three kilograms lighter than the original aluminium housing.
Mr Johnston described the new composite fibre housing as a "…revolutionary development that we are confident will be embraced by the boating fraternity, both domestically and globally."