there's oil in them thar winches?

[Pat]

After a heavy rain last night...and a windy sail today, returned to slip with
black oil? headed down from the cabin top winch....barlow 15 or something...not a big winch....not self tailing....does anyone have any
experience with this issue? Thanks for everyone's help. I should say, this winch has not been serviced since it's installation on our 272 in 1986...it works like a champ though.

 

[agprice22]

Yeah, many winches don't get serviced. They eventually contain a mixture of dirt, cobwebs, small animals, remnants of past picnics... pretty much everything. I tore down my Barlow winches on my 272 today... Whew! Almost 30 years old! It took 1/2 gallon of mineral spirits to scrub all the dried grease off! If I had gotten water in them before the cleaning, they would have run black, dirty water into my boat too.

Overhaul them! It took me 30 minutes to tear them down and scrub them clean. Just be careful not to lose the springs on the pawls.

Thanks!

Andrew Price

 

[Pat]

this is the little cabin top barlow by the line stoppers...ir ran down the outside of the cabin top by the O'day decal...easily washed off with a little dawn....I suppose the rain standing inside the winch soaked on down to the inside..hence the black run-off. Pat

 

[agprice22]

Yes, I have the Barlow 15 on the cabin-top. That one comes apart with a 3/16 allen key. It is a simple winch, but be careful not to lose the little, wire springs inside the pawls! They do get full of dirt. Kind of odd to get water in them while sailing. The grease gets dirty, dries out, and will streak dirty water down the cabin-top. Could it be that the drain hole in the base is clogged or pointed inboard? There is a gap in the base to allow water to drain, and if it is clogged or pointed inboard, the center of the base could get water in it but not drain. Perhaps if you heeled over far enough to port, the water could leak out?
Oh, this assumes your winch is mounted on the starboard side of the cabin-top.

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[Pat]

The cottonwood trees have been leaving an incredible amount of cotton - floating everywhere on the slips...and my boat was no exception..like snow falling- could that be the culprit stopping the drainage on the bottom? Thanks, I will clean it this week...I found my barlow winch instructions today in the O'Day manual. thank you for your help...Pat

 

[agprice22]

The cottonwood trees have been leaving an incredible amount of cotton - floating everywhere on the slips...and my boat was no exception..like snow falling- could that be the culprit stopping the drainage on the bottom? Thanks, I will clean it this week...I found my barlow winch instructions today in the O'Day manual. thank you for your help...Pat

Sure, but make certain the base is aligned to put the drain to outboard, so the water will flow downhill.

Thanks,

Andrew.

 

[Pat]

I didn't know there is a drain hole..will I see the opening? Pat

 

[agprice22]

I didn't know there is a drain hole..will I see the opening? Pat

Yes. If it is there. My Barlow 15 has a slot in the base. I can only assume it is for water to drain out. The design of the base is like a volcano. Water could splash into center, but if there was no opening in the base, the water would not escape easily. Likely, your grease has mixed with dirt and dried out. The grease in mine was so dirty, it was crusted. I had to scrape it off with a razor even after brushing it with mineral spirits!

Thanks,

Andrew