Swing keel winch and cable help

[Dave Tower]

New owner & new to sailing. Bought 1983 Catalina 22 in great condition. Can anyone help with winch and cable instructions to operate the swing keel? No instructions avail from Prev Owner. Cable looks okay but can't get to operate. Boat is fresh water and was out of water for 10-years.

 

[Tim Daley]

questions

Is your boat in the water now,or on the trailer? If its in the water you should be able to slowly crank the keel winch counterclockwise and the keel should slowly drop down into position. You might check under the forward port dinette seat to see of the keel tightening bolt is turned in. This would prevent the keel from dropping if it was tightened too much. If so, unscrew it a couple of turns (no more!).  How about a few more details about what and where ?

 

[Dave Tower]

Hi Tim: The boat was in the water when I tried to lower the keel. The Lock was loosened a couple of turns. Handle would let me crank up... not down. Did not try to force it. It looked like the cable direction could be changed using the winch handle, but keel sounded like it "topped out". Not anxious to crank it through the hull!Boat on trailer now. That's another story! Thanks.

 

[Tim Daley]

Swing keel

Dave,I assume you cranked the keel clockwise and it swung up okay from what you said. On my '87 I just start cranking in the other direction and gravity allows it to swing down freely. If you remove the fiberglass panel that hides the winch something might stand out but I don't remember my '83 swing keel arrangement being any different. Possibly I am missing something in the translation here.  By the way, they are fine boats

 

[Dave Tower]

Tim: I did crank clockwise. It allowed me one click and winch would not let me go further. I tried to crank counterclockwise but could not. I was under the impression (perhaps mistaken) that the winch handle 'clicks' somehow controls the direction the cable (and keel) travel? Apparently not as you can just crank it down with gravity assist.Thanks.

 

[john renfro]

winch

hello dave, on my 22 that had been out of water a few years i had the same problem. it would go up a " click "but not down unless i shifted the pawl with a screw driver. the fix was take the winch apart and free up the fiber friction clutch that had glued itself to the winch frame, also on the trailer, you have only an inch of freefall for gravity to lower the keel

 

[Tim Daley]

For Future Reference

Dave, I'm not sure if you are aware of this but try catalina.22.org. It is dedicated to this boat, has lots of ideas and shows you how to join the assn. and get their technical manual (really a compilation of owner stuff) that is worth it all by itself! By the way any luck with your winch problem?