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Harken winches by family — Radial and Performa self-tailing and plain top winches, electric and hydraulic winches, handles, service kits and spares. This overview points you to the right collection for each. Click here to read more.

Harken Winches: Choose the Family, Then the Size, Speeds and Drive

This is the Harken winch overview. Harken winches are listed by type in the collections below, each with its full size range, finishes and speeds. Harken makes two drum families: Radial, whose drum has diagonal ribs instead of an abrasive surface to grip well and wear the line less, and Performa, with a sandblasted drum made for halyards and sheets in small-diameter, high-tech line. Self-tailing Performa winches use narrow composite jaws to hold that thin line.

Harken Winch Families and Where to Find Them
  • Self-tailing winches: Radial in sizes 15, 20, 35, 40, 46, 50, 60 and 70 (Aluminum Black, Chrome, Chrome All and Bronze All, depending on size), and Performa in sizes 20, 30, 35, 40, 46, 50, 55, 60 and 70 in Aluminum Black. Sizes 15 and 20 are one-speed, most mid-size winches are two-speed, and three-speed versions are listed for the Performa 50 and 55 and for Sizes 60 and 70. The Performa Quattro in Sizes 40 and 46 combines two drum diameters and four line speeds for boats that need fast winches for large asymmetric spinnakers and power to trim the genoa upwind. Line diameter grows with size: 6 to 10 mm on the Radial 15, 8 to 12 mm on the Radial 40 and 10 to 18 mm on the Radial 70. See Harken self-tailing winches, plus the Performa 50 three-speed and the Performa Quattro 40.
  • Plain top winches: no self-tailing jaw, so you tail by hand. Radial in Sizes 6 and 8 (one-speed) and in Sizes 20, 35, 40, 46 and 50 (two-speed, Chrome All or Bronze All), and Performa in Sizes 20, 35, 40, 46 and 50 in Aluminum Black. See Harken plain top winches, the small Radial 6 or the Performa 40.
  • Electric winches: self-tailing Harken winches with the motor built in, in several families and in 12V or 24V. The families, sizes, motor mounts and what you need to buy with them are on the Harken electric winches page.
  • Hydraulic winches: Radial and Performa in Sizes 46, 50, 60 and 70, two-speed, with three-speed versions of Sizes 60 and 70, for boats with a hydraulic system. See Harken hydraulic winches and the Performa 60 hydraulic.
  • Winch handles: 8 in and 10 in, locking and non-locking, in aluminum, chrome, bronze and carbo polymer, with single, speed, ball and double grips, plus handle holders and repair parts. See Harken winch handles and the 8 in aluminum locking handle.
  • Service kits and spares: winch grease, pawl oil, racing service kits, drum screws and a service case in the service kits collection, and the parts for rebuilding a winch you already own in Harken winch spares, for example the high performance winch grease.
  • SnubbAir: Harken says it mounts like a winch but defies classification as one. It was first designed for the J/70 deck, matches the bolt pattern of the B8A winch there and is listed with a 454 kg maximum holding load. See Harken winches - snubbers and how to choose a Harken SnubbAir.
  • Mooring winches: the Harken CLR 600 and CLR 1200 are listed in mooring winches in electric (12V or 24V) and hydraulic versions.
Choosing the Right Harken Winch
  • Read the power ratio, not just the size. The listings give the ratio in each gear: the Radial 40 two-speed is 13.5:1 and 39.9:1, and the Performa 50 three-speed adds a third gear at 4.6:1, 11.1:1 and 50.4:1.
  • Size a sheet winch from the foretriangle. Harken's rule of thumb is to multiply the foretriangle area in sq ft by 6 and divide by 35, which gives the low-gear ratio for about 35 lb of hand force; a 300 sq ft foretriangle works out to roughly 51:1. Size from the 100% headsail, since the highest load comes in strong wind with reduced sail.
  • Self-tailing or plain top: self-tailing leaves a hand free to trim; plain top suits lines you tail yourself or a crew tails.
  • Radial or Performa: Radial is the ribbed drum for grip with less line wear; Performa is for small-diameter, high-tech line on halyards and sheets.
  • Check the line size and the base: each listing gives minimum and maximum line diameter, drum and base diameter, height and fastener circle. Compare these with your deck before you order.

Our guides how to choose your Harken winches and two-speed vs. three-speed winches walk through the choice.

Who It's For

Owners replacing a winch with the same size and finish, adding self-tailing winches to a refit, fitting electric or hydraulic winches, and anyone servicing a Harken winch with the right grease, oil and kits. See how to service your Harken winch and how to find the correct spare part.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size Harken winch do I need?
Size it from the load on the line. For a primary sheet winch, use Harken's foretriangle formula above and pick a winch whose low-gear ratio meets the result. If the number falls between two sizes, take the larger one.

What is the difference between a Radial and a Performa winch?
Radial has diagonal ribs on the drum for grip with less line wear; Performa has a sandblasted drum optimized for small-diameter, high-tech line, and its self-tailing version uses narrow composite jaws.

Do I need a two-speed or three-speed winch?
A two-speed gives a fast gear for light loads and a powerful gear for heavy ones. A three-speed adds a third gear: the Performa 50 three-speed lists 4.6:1, 11.1:1 and 50.4:1. See two-speed vs. three-speed winches.

Can I make a manual Harken winch electric?
Often yes, with an electric conversion kit for your winch size, for example the kit for the Radial 46. A kit fits the same brand of winch. See the guide to electric winches and conversion kits.

What do I use to service a Harken winch?
Harken winch grease and pawl oil, with a service kit for your model. The service kits collection lists them, and the service guide shows the steps.

Part of our full selection of Harken sailboat & marine hardware.