Sailboat winch

A sailboat winch comprising:

• a support configured to be mounted to a sailboat;
• a winch drum rotatable with respect to the support;
• a drive shaft rotatable with respect to the support and the winch drum;
• and
• a transmission mechanism operatively disposed between the drive shaft and the winch drum to transmit rotation from the drive shaft to the winch drum in a single output rotational direction, the transmission mechanism being configured to increase an output rotational speed of the winch drum with respect to an input rotational speed of the drive shaft as the drive shaft rotates in a first rotational direction, the transmission mechanism being further configured to decrease the output rotational speed of the winch drum with respect to the input rotational speed of the drive shaft as the drive shaft rotates in a second rotational direction, which is opposite the first rotational direction, and
• the transmission mechanism including
• a first gear set with a first planetary gear and a first one-way clutch,
• a second gear set with a second planetary gear and a second one-way clutch, and
• an output gear set operatively coupled to the first and second planetary gears via the first and second one-way clutches, respectively,
• the output gear set including a ring fixedly coupled to the winch drum, the ring gear transmitting rotation from the drive shaft to the winch drum as the drive shaft rotates in the first direction and as the drive shaft rotates in the second direction.