Legendary quality combined with state of the art technology ensures Lewmar’s new EVO winch range is the most advanced yet.

Legendary quality combined with state of the art technology ensures Lewmar’s new EVO winch range is the most advanced yet.

It’s been almost 20-years since Lewmar introduced its last, industry leading, winch range. Its much-anticipated new winch, the EVO, was unveiled to the trade at METS (Marine Equipment Trade Show) last week. Built on its safe, reliable and easy to service winch platform, EVO features new styling, easier installation, new sizes and new finishes, all backed by an impressive 7-year warranty.

EVO has been designed without compromise. Material choice, quality engineering and integrity of design are all evident; each winch has been machined to provide the maximum efficiency, durability and strength to weight ratio using the very latest FEA (Finite Stress Analysis) software.

The new logical range comprises seven self-tailing winches: size 15, 30, 40, 45, 50, 55, 65, available in single speed (size 15 only) and two speed combinations. Electric versions of the winch are offered from size 40. Conversion kits and pre-wired motor gearboxes* are available to adapt the manual winch to powered on size 40 up to 65.

A pre-wired motor gearbox (above) is available for size 40, 45 and 50 to make installation easier; battery cables and a deck switch just need to be connected to the pre-wired motor.

Many tried and trusted features are retained in Lewmar’s new winch design. Builders and owners can be assured of a solid bronze centre stem and gears; a needle peened drum, for a reliable and predictable grip; easy strip from the top servicing without tools and Lewmar’s innovative sprung wave-grip jaw.

So what’s new?

Safety is key in any new development. Lewmar has designed in some simple safety features to make sailing safer for the entire family. The feeder arm contains a winch direction arrow to ensure users understand which way the winch turns and first gear is always clockwise on all EVO winches, a very helpful feature when short handed or with inexperienced crew.

To speed up installation, the winch can be fitted either in the conventional manner, or Lewmar’s FastFit stud fixings can be used to enable one person to fit the winch without having to remove the drum. There are no plastic parts to snap off, just select the correct size stud, wind it into the strong bronze centre stem and mount the winch in the pre-drilled holes.

Lewmar's new EVO winch range speeds up installation

Sleek new styling has been combined with a selection of new finishes. Drums are available in black or grey alloy and chrome bronze. The integrated investment cast stainless feeder arm provides the most obvious change in style; this cleverly covers the winch and does not create a rope trap above the adjustable WaveSpring jaw.

“For Lewmar customers, there is no such thing as ‘just a winch,’ explains Ian Stevenson, Lewmar’s product and marketing director. “Inside every one of our winches you will find materials perfected over many years, designed using the latest techniques and machined using the most up to date CNC equipment.

“Because of our aggressive in house testing program, Lewmar winches have proven themselves time and again in the roughest conditions and on the toughest race courses, this is why we have introduced an industry leading 7-year warranty on all EVO winches,” concludes Stevenson.

Lewmar believes in evolution not revolution – it has been evolving and improving winch technology for almost half a century.

In the early 90’s Lewmar launched the Ocean Winch range – recognised as the most successful OEM winch range ever, Ocean was in turn an evolution of its predecessor. With EVO, again Lewmar has used it knowledge and engineering integrity to introduce a new era of winches using the latest technology and styling to provide builders and customers with a winch that will stand the test of time.

In the last few years Lewmar’s Havant plant was updated with the most hi tech machinery in the industry. Its plant is capable of building hundreds of winches every day; it is able to control quality, finish and variants all on the same machines. Its quality control procedures and processes are renowned throughout the industry.