For the Grinder

With Dax, one touch is enough.

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You might recall a February 2007 Chandlery review of the Lewmar OneTouch winch handle. The handles inventer, Don Steiner, has come out with his own, updated, lighter weight version, the Dax OneTouch.

For the Grinder

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Steiner engineered the OneTouch and sold the license to Lewmar for the metal version, but his Dax OneTouch is made of 50 percent fiber-filled nylon, and all metal parts are high-grade aluminum or stainless. It also has a wider grab bar and higher operatng arc than the Lewmar.

The great thing about the OneTouchs innovative technology is that it eliminates the frustrations of using standard locking winch handles. The simple design uses a cam rod with two steel pins that retract into the octagon when the handles arm is squeezed, releasing the lock; they protract when the handle is released, engaging the lock. This means setting and removing the handle can be done with one hand, in one motion: Squeeze the bar and place it; squeeze the bar and remove it.

Another benefit of the Dax OneTouch is the spinning grip. Dual sets of Grade 1 Delrin ball bearings allow fast and easy grinding. And at 10 inches, the handle offers plenty of purchase.

Dax OneTouch

Practical Sailor

tested the Dax on several boats, from a Cape Dory 25 to a Pearson 39, under varying conditions, and found it easy to use every time we put our hand on it. The handle has become so popular among our local club racers that it has turned up in our competitors cockpits. The only negative thing about the handle&emdash;which we inadvertently discovered in the middle of Sarasota Bay&emdash;is that despite its light weight (1.24 pounds), it doesn’t float. The Dax OneTouch is sold online for $104.

CONTACTS:

Dax One Touch (Dax Labs)
203/846-1300,  onetouchhandle.com
 

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.