From the Route du Rhum to your boat: the Performa 55.3 superwinch from Harken

Performa 55.3 is the winch developed by Harken for installation on the latest generation of boats and ocean sailing. We first saw him at work aboard Allagrande Pirelli, Ambrogio Beccaria’s Class40 that completed the Route du Rhum in 14 days 7 hours 23 minutes 48 seconds, averaging 10.31 knots. But you can also have it aboard your boat.

Harken – Winch Performa 55.3

The starting point for the Performa 55.3 was the well-known 50.3 STP, Harken’s sophisticated three-speed winch, but with a number of optimizations designed around the needs of ocean sailors. In particular, the power ratio at the third speed has been revised (now no longer 50.4 but 55.2) a solution that will definitely make life on board Class 40s easier to handle the most important loads. A Kit will also be available for those who wish to upgrade the 50.3 already on board.

The first installation of the Performa 55.3 was aboard Allagrande, one of the most innovative and intriguing Class 40s of the latest generation, a design by Gianluca Guelfi for skipper Ambrogio Beccaria that did very well at the last Route du Rhum.

On Performa Winches, a limited number of turns is sufficient to handle high loads; on boats where continuous sail adjustment is needed, the crew is greatly facilitated and can work very quickly and with great sensitivity on gusts and wind shifts. That is why it was born from the needs of ocean sailors but is perfect for any sailor’s modern boat.

Winch Performa 55.3 – Its strengths

• It has the drum made of sandblasted aluminum for optimal grip even with the latest generation of small-diameter ropes
• It has a built-in “skirt”
• It is designed to handle high loads even with few packages;
• Composite roller bearings and bushings reduce friction under load and offer excellent corrosion resistance
• The pins and gears are made of high-strength 17-4PH stainless steel.

Technical Specs

Maximum load 1500 kg
Weight 6.7 kg
Height 220.5 mm
Base diameter 195 mm
Power ratio 4.3 (in first gear), 11.1 (in second gear) 55.2 (in third gear)
Gear Ratio: 1 (in first gear) 2.40 (in second gear) 11.85 (in third gear )
Grease lubrication
For ropes with a diameter of 8 to 14 mm

• Check out all the features of the Winch Performa 55.3 in Harken’s booth at Milan Yachting Week here