winch maintenance

[Don S/V ILLusion]

How often do you disassemble and clean your winches?I know the conventional wisdom is to do it annually but I just did a couple after not having touched them in 7 years and was surprised to see they both appeared "whistle clean", well lubed and not possible to improve upon. Should also mention they are never covered or otherwise protected.As there is no other indicator than visual inspection with which I am aware, am I missing something or just lucky?

 

[KorculaChris]

Don, my experience

is the same as yours! *bzzI now go by the feel and sound of the winches. I opened one after two years and it was as nice inside as the day I did it. I also don't cover them.

 

[Benny17441]

Every three years or whenever I feel one may not

be turning smoothly. I confirm the same experience as they are usually clean when inspected. We have two cabin top Lewmars and the one on starboard side gets most of the work as it handles the main halyard for helping raise the main and getting a 200 pounder up the mast besides the jib sheet on a port tack. We broke a dog on it and although it continued to operate it sounded different. I was aware that at least three line wraps are recommended when loading the winch but many times just did two for convenience. Never again.

 

[Ross]

I turn them by hand and listen to them

they should tick like a fine old watch. If they don't it is time to tend to them preferably in port on a very calm day.

 

[Patrick S/V Shangra-La]

Every other year on either...

a cold windless day, or a really hot windless day. Hell I can,t leave the dock any way I might as well get some work done. Gives me a reason to get away from....her. *666

 

[tweitz]

Question to Benny

Why would you think that wrapping it twice would increase the chance of damaging a pawl? It seems to me that the damage to a pawl would come from the amount of pressure and that wrapping it twice would make it more likely to slip and reduce the pressure on the pawl (or dog) not increase it. There are other good reasons to wrap three times, because it adds to the friction that is essential to make the winch do the work, but am I missing something?

 

[Warren Milberg]

There are too many "systems"

on an average inboard sailboat to maintain "according to the book." I just don't think the average sailor can do it -- and still get some sailing done. I try to "oil what squeaks" or just before it starts to squeak if I can figure that out. I cover my winches and have found they stay in pretty good shape internally for a number of years. Like a lot of you, I also use the "sound and feel" method to determine when it's time to strip the winches down for a complete overhaul. Since taking the drums off my Maxwells is easy, I usually start the season off by taking the drums off and just looking at the innards. In doing this, I sometimes have found that while a drum may turn nicely, and the pawls click like they should, the grease between the inside of the drum and the gear race is beginning to harden. I then know that sometime during the season, an overhaul is gonna happen....