1. Don't Loose any of the little Pieces!
Peter: I lubed mine a few years ago, and if I remember correctly, it's not that big a deal. I have kept my winches covered when not in use, and they really don't seem to require much maintainence anymore. You should take some steps to assure that you don't drop any of the little pieces into the water, or into the grass if your boat is on land. I think that Barlow was from Australia, and may now be out of business. This could make getting replacement parts a real challenge. I really like the appearance of the Barlow winches, and think that they look better than any that are currently available. To take the winches apart, you remove the socket head cap screw that holds the drum onto the post with an Allen wrench. Then lift it off and look for the little pawls and springs. These little parts, and the inside of the drum are what I clean and lube. Special lubricants are sold for winches, but I probably just used some type of marine grease that I had on hand. If the winches are are covered, the grease won't wash out. Aldo