• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Barient Winch Story

John Cyr

Member II
A Barient/Barlow winch story

In the late 80s - early 90s I had the very-very good fortune of crewing for a wonderful couple on an awesome classic Fife schooner out of Newport Beach, Ca named Astor. (www.astor.org) The owners would throw an annual holiday reception for the parade of lights in Newport Harbor. At one of those receptions they were hosting a very special guest who had sailed on the yacht in the 60s in Sydney, Australia where Astor had spent most of her life. I do not recall the gentleman's name but as he strolled the deck admiring the restoration and modifications which Richard (current owner) had done he stopped at the secondary winches (bronze Barient 32s) and asked if we new the story behind them. He went on to relay that after very good success for several years in the Sydney to Hopart race, they sailed the boat to the US to compete in the 1964 Transpac. While at the St Francis YC for a minor post transit refit prior to coming down to LA for the race itself, the owner popped for a brand new state of the art set of sheet winches from this new company "Barient". Upon return to Sydney after the race some of the then owner's engineer/yachtsmen friends while admiring the new winches insisted that after such a long grueling race and oceanic transit these wonderfully designed and engineered winches were surely in need of "servicing" So they disappeared for a few weeks.
. . .
Shortly thereafter, Barlow Australia appeared on the scene. In total compliance with the standardization mentioned in the previous article.

???
:egrin:
 

CaptDan

Member III
Hi Craig,

The part about Barient's start in San Francisco (on the Peninsula actually) is true. Baruna was one of the early members of the nacent SF Bay Master Mariners Benevolent Associaton - the classic woody sailboat club. Each year, the Baruna Cup is competed for in the Schooner Class in the annual MMBA Memorial Day Regatta. Orient I don't recollect much about - other than she was a venerable Sparkman Stephens design, if I recall correctly.

We were once members of the MMBA; had some fun, but with a few notable exceptions, the folks aren't as friendly as Ericson sailors. :egrin:

Capt Dan G>E35II "Kunu"
 

Lew Decker

Member III
"Orient" was hauled out in San Diego years ago after starring in the film "Lucky Lady" with Burt Reynolds, Gene Hackman, Liza Minelli, and a young Robbie Benson. I don't think the film ever made it to VHS or DVD. There was a lot of footage of Orient. Even though the plot was silly, the movie was enjoyable because of the cast and because Orient/Lucky Lady was drop-dead gorgeous. I wish I had a copy of the film.

The Barient story is true, I think. Orient was a test bed for the new line of winches, as was Baruna - so the story goes. I had Barients on Sun Flower and they performed flawlessly.

I don't know what became of Orient. After she was launched from the Kettenberg yard, she sailed off for other horizons. What a looker, though. They don't make 'em like that anymore.:esad:
 

footrope

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Thanks for filling in more of the story. I didn't really think the story wasn't true and I'm not sure why I posted it that way.

I've been pleased with my Barients - I have 6 of them on the boat, I think. I really need to clean and lube them. I did the primaries several years ago and found out how easy they are to service once the old, dried grease is chipped off and the correct amount of new grease is applied. They all work fine, but I need to spend a day with them and get the smaller ones cared for properly.

Cheers!
 

Rocinante33

Contributing Partner
"Orient" was hauled out in San Diego years ago after starring in the film "Lucky Lady"

Orient was a test bed for the new line of winches, as was Baruna - so the story goes.

I don't know what became of Orient. After she was launched from the Kettenberg yard, she sailed off for other horizons. What a looker, though. They don't make 'em like that anymore.:esad:

Orient is still a drop dead gorgeous boat. She was obviously lovingly refurbished at some point and the brightwork dazzles the eye. She often sails in the McNish Classic Regatta in our Channel Island Harbor in early August. She is just jaw dropping beautiful. Here is a blurb I found from a few years back.

I didn't know that the "ient" portion of Barient came fro "Orient," though.

https://secure.thelog.com/news/newsview.asp?c=2410
 
Top