Antal Manual Winches - Plain Top and Self-Tailing for Cruisers and Racers

by Kerri Robson 23 Feb 2021 01:00 PST

Antal Manual Winches © Antal

Since 1977, Italian manufacturer Antal have been designing, manufacturing and assembling sailboat hardware in-house, determined to achieve the highest degree of quality and safety. Over the years, their investment in patented technological innovation has established Antal in the world of sailing, with their winches popular with racers, large production builders, luxury boat builders and, of course, cruising sailors.

In their product portfolio, Antal have three manual winch ranges: their Standard range, and two self-tailing models, the XT Cruise and XT Race. In this article, we will help you understand the features and benefits of these winches.

Standard Winch (Plain Top)

Antal's non-self-tailing winches are lightweight and reliable, with heavy-duty gears made from corrosion-resistant materials. They are available from size 5 to 52, with either 1 or 2 speeds.

The smallest two sizes (5 & 6) are simple snubbing winches (no handle) made from a lightweight, durable resin material. One-speed models (size 7 & 8) are small and fast, ideal for boats up to 6-7m. The two-speed models, sizes 16, 30 and 42 have a first 1:1 gear for fast trim and one reduced gear which are suitable for boats up to 9-10m. From size 44 upwards, the two-speed models have two geared speeds, making them ideal for medium-large boats up to 12-13m. From size 8 up, the drums are available in both black aluminium or chrome.

Antal Manual Winches - photo © Antal

Resin - Available Sizes:

One Speed: 5, 6 (snubbing winch)

Black Aluminium - Available Sizes:

One Speed: 7, 8
Two Speed (Direct 1:1 & Geared): 16, 30, 42
Two Speed (Geared): 44, 48, 52

Chrome - Available Sizes:

One Speed: 8
Two Speed (Direct 1:1 & Geared): 16, 30, 42
Two Speed (Geared): 44, 48, 52

XT Cruise (Self-Tailing)

The XT Cruise is Antal's self-tailing (ST) offering for cruisers. With spring-loaded jaws, the ST system automatically adapts to a wide range of rope diameters. To protect the ST arm and avoid excess force, the line is automatically released if overloading occurs.

The task of maintenance and cleaning is simple, due to the upper ring which can be easily unscrewed to dismantle the winch. The base - CNC machined, thus lighter and stronger than normal castings - is also easily removed for maintenance.

The XT Cruise drum is available in two finishes: hard black aluminium (anodised, scratch-proof and hard-wearing) or chrome (highly polished, thickly nickel-plated and finished in chrome).

Models with an aluminium drum also benefit from a differentiated grip: minimum friction on the lower part of the drum, where loads are higher, and maximum friction on the top, where loads are minimal. This gives an even grip across the whole drum and minimises rope wear.

Antal Manual Winches - photo © Antal

Black Aluminium & Chrome - Available Range:

One Speed: 16, 30
Two Speed (Direct 1:1 & Geared): 16, 30
Two Speed (Geared): 40, 44, 48, 52, 62, 66, 70
Three Speed (Geared): 62, 66, 70, 80

XT Race (Self-Tailing)

The XT Race series is derived from the XT Cruise, and thus benefits from the same design advantages. Yet, significant effort has been made to reduce the weight on the XT Race, with weight savings made through the addition of an aluminium stem, resin roller bearings in the drum plus lightened gears and main shaft. The XT Race is available in black aluminium only.