| Just returned from a few days sailing on the yacht of | | | | go and place in the bucket. |
| a good friend of mine. First day out we noticed that | | | | Take a Allen key the right size and undo the three or |
| one of the main winches was a tad stiff and revolving | | | | four screws at the base of the gears unit. From here |
| none too smoothly. | | | | you take each piece(cogs and spindles) and place |
| We decided to strip it down, clean it, re-grease and | | | | them into the bucket as you go, noting carefully the |
| re-assemble it. This sounds a daunting task if you have | | | | order in which they come apart. Be careful not to |
| never done it before, but in fact it is really quite simple | | | | dislodge the pawls and springs as they tend to fly |
| and any sailor can do it easily with the few simple | | | | away in directions you would rather they didn't! |
| tools required and a little patience and care. It is a good | | | | Wash all parts thoroughly in the diesel with your brush |
| exercise and one that should be included in your | | | | and then wipe clean with the rag. Lay them out in |
| general maintenance programme from time to time. | | | | order on your cockpit seat as shown. |
| Take a look at the illustration and you can see what | | | | Wipe a thin coating of the grease on spindles, inner |
| you need. Some winch manufacturers supply a key | | | | surfaces and flat surface of the base. Grease the |
| for unlocking the top inner ring, but in the absence of | | | | bearing races well and ensure they run well. Dob |
| that, Allen keys, a hammer(hard rubber preferred), | | | | liberally into and onto gears and cogs. It is good to |
| brush, tube of winch grease, rags and a bucket with a | | | | have them well coated but don't overdo it - too much |
| goodly depth of diesel fuel in it. I prefer to use diesel as | | | | grease and the surplus tends to dry out and go hard |
| it is readily available(from your tank if you are in a far | | | | over time. |
| away place), but kerosene is ok too. | | | | Re-assemble taking care that every part goes in in the |
| Insert the key in one of the holes in the top plate and | | | | correct order and fits properly. Check that you have |
| tap it anti clockwise until it revolves. Once freed it | | | | not left any stray bits in the bottom of the bucket. |
| should undo four to six revolutions quite freely. Always | | | | Refit the top ring, polish with your rag and you will have |
| be super careful as you lift it off so that if it slips or | | | | a shiny new winch again. |
| falls, it drops inboard not outboard. | | | | Spin it a couple of times and you will hear the |
| Gently prise off the main cover - usually done by | | | | satisfying way it revolves freely with the muted clicking |
| standing astride the winch, one foot in the cockpit and | | | | of a newly greased winch - you will be most pleased |
| the other on the deck and working it upward until it | | | | with yourself. |
| comes free. If it hasn't been off for sometime and dry | | | | Allow yourself a couple of hours for the first winch - |
| inside, it could take some effort to move it and then | | | | after that it will be cinch. |
| come suddenly. Once again ensure that you have | | | | We carried out this operation and the winch sounded |
| some ready hands outboard in case a loose part pops | | | | so good that we stripped down all the others on the |
| out unexpectedly. Remove the self tailing piece as you | | | | boat the following day - great fun! |