Winch Cleaning Question

Celtic Lady · **Joined:** 05 Apr 2011 17:27 **Posts:** 66

I learned at the Chicago Strictly Sail seminar years ago how to clean my winches, although I have yet to clean my big Lewmar self-tailing primaries. I plan to do that perhaps next week as the boat is in heated storage. My question is this. I notice on newer boats that the winches go "click-click-click" when you spin them, while mine go "clink-clink-clink". I'm wondering if that is just due to the lack of grease from not cleaning them in a long time. I have cleaned my mast winches but really don't spin them enough like you do with a sheet winch to notice this difference in sound.

Any thoughts from forum members? Thanks for your help.

Mark

jvoelxen · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 15:36 **Posts:** 268

The clicking you hear are the pawls. They will sound differently based on whether they are dry, and the lubricant you use.

Jim

ByronH · **Joined:** 27 Aug 2008 09:24 **Posts:** 40

I clean my winches annually. I noticed you used the word "grease". I can't believe they suggested using grease on winches at the Chicago show. Grease attacts dirt. Use a very light oil and use is sparingly - just enough to coast the surface. Be very careful with the springs that you will find in the prawls - they have a tendency to leap through space. Most manufacturers have a website that give detailed instructions on how to clean them, you may want to look it up.

Celtic Lady · **Joined:** 05 Apr 2011 17:27 **Posts:** 66

If you look at the Lewmar service manual for winches, you will see that Lewmar does infact recommend their "gear grease" sparingly for "lubricating ratchet tracks, gear teeth and bearings". They also recommend finer oil for the pawls and springs, just as you said. I figure if Lewmar made the winches and mades this recommendation, then it is the correct way to lubricate a winch... after cleaning of course.

Mark

Celtic Lady · **Joined:** 05 Apr 2011 17:27 **Posts:** 66

I was just looking thru a recent copy of Cruising World which had an article on cleaning winches. That article too, recommended a winch grease on various parts (not the springs and pawls).

Tartan37.com

Winch Cleaning Question

Who is online