What do I do about rusty pawls?

J

JetLaggedChef

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Jul 9, 2018
65
Catalina 25 Lake Monroe
I just took apart a winch to service it. The PO did a lot of restoration work and it didn't seem to have hardly any lube at all. It appears maybe it was cleaned and put back together but not fully lubricated.

The whole thing was lightly brushed/cleaned with kerosene and is soaking overnight. I picked up the 3-in-1 oil for the pawls and white lithium grease for the other parts.

When I took it apart, I discovered that the pawls had some rust on them (pics attached). My question is - can I clean this with a steel brush or some kind of rust remover? Just oil them up and put them back? Or do I need to order replacement pawls? (The replacements are like $35. I don't mind replacing them if I need to, but I'm trying to be judicious about where I drop money on the boat.)
IMG_7121.JPG IMG_7120.JPG IMG_7123.JPG IMG_7122.JPG
 
BigEasy

BigEasy

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Jun 21, 2004
2,533
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Disagree. While you have the winches disassembled, why not replace the pawls & springs. The pawls are pitted and are going to rust again. If the winch jams or fails at a critical time , someone could get hurt. With new components installed, you can maintain them properly into the future.
 
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Joe

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,007
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
I second the first "agree"
 
Last edited:
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,418
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
Conventional pawl oils are very light. They evaporate in a few years, have poor wash off resistance and contribute little to corrosion resistance. Good for sewing machines, but may have contributed to this situation.

Unless you are sure you are going to service the winch at least annually, try Valvoline 80W/140 High Performance Gear Oil. This is NOT a random suggestion; it is based on side-by side corrosion testing and performance testing. I'm not suggesting packing them with grease, just that sewing machine oil does not last.

I hate the title of the article. The recommendations were hardly related to cost, since you use only a few drops each year. It's about what is best.
https://www.practical-sailor.com/issues/44_3/features/Penny-Pincher-Pawl-Lube_12373-1.html.
 
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Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Strange uneven wear on that one pawl. They’re done. Replace em and follow the maintenance specifications. Clean the rust out of the pawl pockets. Winches are bone breakers.
 
capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,776
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Of all the expenses on a boat relating to expensive equipment, pawls and springs are pretty cheap for their importance. And while you are at it buy the Lewmar grease and oil. They may be expensive compared to whatever else you find, but again, compared to the cost of a winch, as the proper lubricants, they are not.
However, all that aside, I would be really curious why and how those pawls rusted. The pawls on our boat were well over10 years old when I started changing them out (I bought a bag of 100 pawls and springs), with three crossings from the US to the Caribbean, countless voyages up and down the islands, with the last three years being charter trips. In other words, the pawls in our winches have probably been exposed to a significant amount of wind-driven water (both fresh and salt) and the occasional tropical wave, and not a single one pawl on any one of our 22 winches was rusty.
 
J

JetLaggedChef

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Jul 9, 2018
65
Catalina 25 Lake Monroe
I wondered the same thing about the rust. When I pull the boat, I'm going to check for the sacrificial zinc. I have this suspicion I may find they don't actually exist! Hah.
 
capta

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,776
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
JetLaggedChef said:
I wondered the same thing about the rust. When I pull the boat, I'm going to check for the sacrificial zinc. I have this suspicion I may find they don't actually exist! Hah.
Click to expand
Should not be any relation to your zincs, unless your winches are electric. I'm wondering if they are so worn out that they are no longer waterproof-ish. We can spray our winches with high-pressure water and no water will get into the internal mechanism.
 
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,418
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
I don't think it is that complicated. I think they were either not lubed or lubed with light oil and it evaporated. Then you have dissimilar metals and condensation. I've seen this sort of corrosion before. Winch oils are lighter distillates and they cook off in the sun in a year or so. That is why certain (not all) gear oils are better for most people.
 
dLj

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,430
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
Pawls and Springs are not expensive. You didn't show the springs, are they also in the same condition? From your photos, I'd actually be more concerned with the springs.

If you do wire brush them to clean them - do not use a steel or brass wire brush. Use a stainless steel wire brush.

After cleaning them, if they show pitting and/or wear, replace them. If the discoloration shown is really more discoloration than rust, you might be fine with cleaning and reusing. Your photos are a bit out of focus so it's hard to see if you actually have damage or not.

dj
 
jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,121
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Agree... Remove and replace... May be the last time you need to.

@thinwater knows his oils and greases. Good suggestion for the thrifty.

@capta suggests Lewmar Lube products. There too it will be likely the last time you purchase a tube unless of course you lend it out to a fellow sailor.

A little grease goes a long way if it is good product and the right product for the job. (Read the Practical Sailor report. Good info)

Go out and sail with your working like new winches. Give them the occasional fresh water rinse and decide on a maintenance schedule... Avoid the future rust by the occasional grease/oil treatment.
 
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