Winch Maintenance and Lubrication

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
The maintenance-related failure you need to prevent is sticking pawls. If they stick and the winch is loaded with the typical winch handle inserted...you can take a blow like Thor's hammer when the winch free-wheels in reverse.
 
May 12, 2004
1,502
Hunter Cherubini 30 New Port Richey
This might be a good place to mention this. If you are new at winch maintenance, get a cardboard box that's big enough to put over the winch and still work inside of. Cut a hole in the bottom (not necessarily in the middle) the size of the winch base. Slip this over the winch, empty side up, before you disassemble it and any errant parts will stay in the box instead of go swimming.
In addition to the hole in the bottom, I cut a section of the working side out so I can get at it from two angles.