SailStar Conquest Winch removal

[ejhigg]

I am renovating my 1969 20 ft. Sail Star Conquest and would like to replace the jib winches with something a little meatier. They are some type of aluminum material and stamped with "marinium". There is a slot on top, but no obvious lock for a winch handle.
I can't seem to get them off! Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[SamLust]

I believe that "Marinium" is on the list of specialty metals right next to a material the factory motorcycle and car racers knew as "Unobtanium".

I believe what you have are actualy "snubbers" . The drums turn only clockwise. When you wrap the line on them and pull they turn much like a winch but will not turn backwards, thus helping to hold the pressure on the line. Snubbers were also made out of phenolic plastic, by if I recall, Race-Lite in England.

The slot you see is probably the top of a broad headed, fine threaded screw. You might be able to get some penetrating oil in there but most likely the method of last resort will be brute power. Preferred is a hand impact driver. You might be able to get it by tapping on a screw driver fitted into the slot screw slot as you turn. If all else fails, drill through the center of the screw. The drum should then lift off.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

Marininium is an aluminum alloy very close to almag 35 that was patented by the Gorum (sp?) Company mainly because of the curing and finishing process. There isn't anything wrong with the material for marine uses because it is also used for cleats and other fittings. The winches you described were made by several companies to a design originally by Merriman Bros., such as South Coast Wilcox, Crittinton, and others. They all take a straight handle which slides into the slot. The part that slides in has a small lever in a slot that has a hook on the end opposite the lever end that grabs the inside of the top to lock it in place.

As to getting them off; there should be a very large screw head visible in the center of the top with a wide slot. The wide slot was made that way so you could use the end of the handle as a screwdriver. It's a right handed screw, so unscrew it and just lift the drum off. Take care not to lose the 2 pawls (one on each side) in a pocket milled into the base. The pawls are cast stainless each with a slot and a small spring in them and may be hard to replace.

Good luck

Joe S

 

[bffatcat]

Old winches

Listen to Joe shirley He knows what hes talking about. Now about these old winches.
You really didnt give us enough information. Do they work? This means do they do the job
they were intended for? If they are in working condition but you dont have the handles I
recommend you go to a metal fabrication shop and have them make up a pair of handles
out of aluminum bar stock Make sure they are the proper thickness to slide into the slots
they dont have to have the retractable knob on top that Mr Shirley described. Nor do they
have to have a wooden handle to crank them all you need is a flat bar with some tape on the end. Sure beats spending $400 or so for a new pair of harken or lewmar`s when what you have will do the job. IF THEY WORK they will be fine for a 20' boat

 

[Ross]

Do they look like this? This one is bronze from my '68 Islander there is a flat bronze handle with a wooden crank and a blade catch in it. But my handle is on the boat and not here.

 

[ejhigg]

Thanks for the feedback

Do they look like this? This one is bronze from my '68 Islander there is a flat bronze handle with a wooden crank and a blade catch in it. But my handle is on the boat and not here.

The winches do look somewhat like this photo, although the center is not retracted as far as the one shown, but is flush with the top of the cylinder. I'll try again to use brute force to unscrew the nut. I'd love to see a picture of the winch handle. If you can post that I'd appreciate it.

 

[hvonletkemann]

Marinium winches

Hi- I have the same Marinium winches on my Sailstar Corinthian (19 1/2') and I think they are the greatest. You can get a replacement Marinium winch handle from Rigrite, and that would probably be cheaper than new winches. The winch handle also works as a giant screwdriver that unscrews the top section of the winch so you can lubricate it.
H. Von Letkemann