Be careful this is a family forum. I have 2 Lewmar #30 self tailing winches on the boat I bought last summer. They work ok but are somewhat "draggy". The boat was built in 1995 and I'm sure the winches have never been lubricated. I have instructions but it appears that there is no way that someone can do this work without some little part or spring taking a swim. The question: would it be easier to remove the winches, clean and lubricate them in the basement and then rebed/remount them or take them apart, on the boat,in the slip? Advice from anyone having serviced their own winches would be appreciated. I didn't find much in the archives. I'd also like to hear how dificult it is to remove and remount them. Thanx
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It is an easy task
The trick to servicing winches aboard your boat is to find a large well made box and cut a hole in the bottom the size of your largest winch. Place the box on the winch and slowly take the winch apart. If you have a digital camera, you can take a picture of each step so you can put things back together again. Clean parts with a machine parts cleaner and put into another box as you go along. Replace the parts and grease LIGHTLY with the proper grease for your winch. You can buy a lub kit from West Marine. If the winch is old, it might be a good move to replace the spring clips that push on the pawls. You should do this every other year unless you race and then you should do it every year. Good luck.
The trick to servicing winches aboard your boat is to find a large well made box and cut a hole in the bottom the size of your largest winch. Place the box on the winch and slowly take the winch apart. If you have a digital camera, you can take a picture of each step so you can put things back together again. Clean parts with a machine parts cleaner and put into another box as you go along. Replace the parts and grease LIGHTLY with the proper grease for your winch. You can buy a lub kit from West Marine. If the winch is old, it might be a good move to replace the spring clips that push on the pawls. You should do this every other year unless you race and then you should do it every year. Good luck.
Wicnhes - Servicing
Bill Les is right. A quick search on the forum archives under winches found a lot of hits, one that would also help you is on the related link. Stu
Bill Les is right. A quick search on the forum archives under winches found a lot of hits, one that would also help you is on the related link. Stu
Better than a box...
...and useful for a wide range of small jobs is a plastic dish drainer, or perhaps a cafeteria tray or similar. This can serve as a work surface for a wide array of hand jobs and is easily stowed since it's thin & pliable. It's only the split ring (around the top center post of the winch) that you'll need to be careful of if not surrounding the winch with a box. After that the entire winch is lifted up off its post and placed on the work surface. (Oh, you did put a wadded up paper towel in the nearest cockpit scupper if doing this in the cockpit, right?) Jack
...and useful for a wide range of small jobs is a plastic dish drainer, or perhaps a cafeteria tray or similar. This can serve as a work surface for a wide array of hand jobs and is easily stowed since it's thin & pliable. It's only the split ring (around the top center post of the winch) that you'll need to be careful of if not surrounding the winch with a box. After that the entire winch is lifted up off its post and placed on the work surface. (Oh, you did put a wadded up paper towel in the nearest cockpit scupper if doing this in the cockpit, right?) Jack
DO IT ON LAND
The obvious: It's easier to retrieve lost parts on the ground than from in the water.
The obvious: It's easier to retrieve lost parts on the ground than from in the water.
Nothing to it
Like you, I was concerned the first time I serviced my winches. I thought they would be full of intricate parts, and that I would loose something. For peace of mind, I bought a service kit from WM. That way, if something shot overboard while I tore the winches down, I would have a replacement. As it was, nothing shot orverboard, and I had them both cleaned and lubricated in under two hours time. If you take everything to dry land to fix it, as has been suggested, you will spend too much time working and too little time sailing.
Like you, I was concerned the first time I serviced my winches. I thought they would be full of intricate parts, and that I would loose something. For peace of mind, I bought a service kit from WM. That way, if something shot overboard while I tore the winches down, I would have a replacement. As it was, nothing shot orverboard, and I had them both cleaned and lubricated in under two hours time. If you take everything to dry land to fix it, as has been suggested, you will spend too much time working and too little time sailing.
Easy Service
Service the winches on the boat, its a lot less work then removing them. I think the link below will be quit helpfull. Hope all goes well.
Service the winches on the boat, its a lot less work then removing them. I think the link below will be quit helpfull. Hope all goes well.
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