| Sailboat Winch Maintenance is Greasy and Messy | | | | Place gears and bearings in the small can. Add the |
| If you're like most sailboat owners, you haven't | | | | mineral spirits to the can and allow to soak. |
| serviced your winches since you owned the boat. | | | | Take the gears and bearings and place them in a |
| Every year you say this is going to be the year | | | | small can. Cover the parts with mineral spirits and |
| you clean and grease the winches, but something | | | | soak. |
| more important always comes along. | | | | After soaking, take the small brush and work off |
| Servicing sailboat winches is a greasy, messy job | | | | any old grease from the winch component. Don't |
| that intimidates even the most boat-savvy | | | | forget to clean the winch gear ring on the inside |
| person. However, winches need to be greased | | | | of the drum. |
| because they are among the most expensive | | | | Now that you've removed the grease and grime, |
| items on the sailboat! | | | | rinse the parts in hot water to remove the |
| The Sailboat Winch Jigsaw | | | | mineral spirits. If the spirits are left on, it breaks |
| Every winch is different, so there's no good way | | | | down the grease. |
| to memorize how a winch goes back together. | | | | Dry the parts with a clean rag or paper towel. |
| However, a sailboat winch can not be put | | | | Reassembly of Sailboat Winch |
| together wrong because the parts only fit | | | | As you put the gears back into place, take a |
| together the right way - with the exception of | | | | close look at how the pawls are working. If they |
| maybe getting a washer in the wrong place. | | | | don't open and close smoothly, then the drum |
| Before you start with Servicing a Sailboat Winch | | | | could spin backwards. |
| It's a good idea to have everything handy before | | | | If there's any question that the pawls are not |
| you begin because you'll be too greasy to dig | | | | working properly, it is much easier to replace |
| around your clean boat for needed items: plenty | | | | them and the little springs. It is very important |
| of paper towels, mineral spirits, small can to wash | | | | NOT to grease the pawls because grease causes |
| greasy parts in, small paint brush, winch grease, | | | | them to stick. And if they stick, the gears won't |
| tools including metric Allen wrenches and access | | | | engage. To lubricate your pawls, use any light oil |
| to hot water. | | | | that might be on hand; something like a 3 & |
| The paper towels let you keep sailboat winch | | | | 1 oil. |
| dissassembly mess under control. Pour the mineral | | | | The final step is to place all the sailboat winch |
| spirits into the small can and use to clean parts | | | | parts back into the base where they belong. If |
| with the small paintbrush (after cleaning, rinse all | | | | you do end up with extra parts, you'll have to go |
| the parts in hot water). | | | | back through each part and play detective until its |
| Disassembly of Sailboat Winch | | | | home is discovered. |
| To disassemble, remove the drum from the base | | | | Also, it's not a bad idea to periodically give the |
| of the winch using the screw at the bottom of | | | | shaft and gears a spin to make sure you are on |
| the winch handle socket. Simply unscrew it, pull | | | | the right path. |
| the socket out, and the drum will lift off. | | | | Remember, in most cases sailboat winches are |
| As you lift the drum, be aware the winch roller | | | | used in pairs. Clean one winch at a time. If you |
| bearing cages may momentarily stick inside the | | | | become confused as to where a part goes, you |
| drum and could unexpectedly drop out. Make sure | | | | can look at its mate for the answer. |
| they don't bounce off the deck into the water. | | | | Final Touches to the Winch |
| Now you can remove all the winch gears and | | | | Lightly brush on clean winch grease. Do not |
| bearings for cleaning. Even though the sailboat | | | | overpack. |
| winch only goes back together one way, it won't | | | | Once you are certain the sailboat winch is |
| hurt to take a good look at everything. | | | | reassembled correctly, lightly brush on some clean |
| Most importantly, remember where the washers | | | | winch grease. Some owners think that because |
| and other little items go in the winch. It's hard to | | | | they won't get around to servicing their winches |
| figure out their location. Don't waste time | | | | for a long time, the smart strategy is to pack |
| worrying about the larger winch gears and drive | | | | them with so much grease they will last for |
| shaft. It's easy to find their homes. | | | | years. This is a bad idea and only makes a big |
| Pulling the gears and bearings out is actually quite | | | | mess down the road. |
| simple and doesn't require any sailboat winch tools | | | | Now that the gears and bearings are all in place |
| or skill. They just slip over the gear shaft. | | | | with new grease, all that needs to be done is to |
| Cleaning the Sailboat Winch Components | | | | remount the drum. |