[C320-list] Winch Rebuild

Tue Feb 19 05:17:41 PST 2019

Lots of good advice. This last fall I took the winches apart and put the
parts to be cleaned in a big zip lock bag-marked to which winch and brought
them home to soak and clean. I will put them back together if and when it
gets warmer here in the Great Lakes. I didn't bring big drums home but will
clean the inside of them this spring.  Don't forget to do that - many of
the instructions don't mention that part. I use light sewing machine oil on
the paws.

I found that a tooth brush is not firm enough to clean the grime in the
gears so I bought a brass electric wire brush at Lowes for under $2 that is
soft enough not to scratch the brass gears but firm enough to get the black
grim off.

The first time I cleaned and greased the winches I used way too much grease
and the winches were sluggish. The second time I cleaned and greased I used
less but still too much. As other wrote and as I found out DON'T over
grease. Grease can collect dirt. How dirt gets in is beyond me but could
come in with water. I hope to have winch covers soon.

I have extra paws and springs on hand but have not needed to use them yet.

John Meyers
#406 1997
WInd Chime
Muskegon, MI

On Mon, Feb 18, 2019 at 2:43 PM Tom Grass <tgrass462 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks!
>
> On Mon, Feb 18, 2019 at 1:38 PM John morrison <sail-ability at sympatico.ca>
> wrote:
>
> > If the springs and pawls are in good shape and they rotate back and forth
> > like they need to do, there is no performance enhancement. What the pawls
> > do is enable the winch drum to rotate in one direction only so that you
> do
> > not wind up with an overwrap, which can be very difficult to undo. The
> > other way in which an overwrap can occur, on our winches, is for the
> > stripper ring to break, which I talked about below. The other big no no,
> is
> > to put grease on the springs and pawls, what is required is a very light
> > machine oil which will allow the pawls to rotate easily.
> > JEM
> > 1999#574
> > > On Feb 18, 2019, at 1:35 PM, jackbrennan <jackbrennan at bellsouth.net>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I'm wondering whether there is a performance difference in replacing
> > springs and pawls that aren't broken. Or is it more preventive
> maintenance?
> > > I passed on the kits after disassembling the winches and seeing that
> all
> > appeared to be in good shape.
> > > The machine oil made a ton of difference.
> > > Jack BrennanSonas, 1998 Catalina 320, no. 528Tierra Verde, Fl.Dolphin
> > Cruising Club of Tampa Bay
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
> > >
> > >  On Mon, Feb 18, 2019 at 10:01 AM, John morrison<
> > sail-ability at sympatico.ca> wrote:   I guess good preventive
> > maintenance….All for the want of a horseshoe nail!!
> > > The only thing that ever broke on my winches was the stripper ring on
> > the 44 Self Tailing winches. this is a real bummer if you’re single
> > handing! I carry a spare one now.
> > > JEM
> > >> On Feb 18, 2019, at 11:49 AM, Christian <ccaper at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> Everything I've read said to service every year and to replace springs
> > >> every service and inspect pawls, including the Crowley's winch rebuild
> > >> class I took at Chicago sail show a few years ago.  When I finally got
> > the
> > >> time to service my winches after a year of owning, and not know
> previous
> > >> owner's service history, I found 2 pawls with broken springs, and two
> > >> others very rusted, on a Lake Michigan only operated boat.
> > >>
> > >> For the price of the spring, I just plan on replacing them every
> > service.
> > >> -Christian
> > >>
> > >> On Mon, Feb 18, 2019 at 10:39 AM John morrison <
> > sail-ability at sympatico.ca>
> > >> wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> Why are you replacing the pawl springs? I’ve never had one fail and
> the
> > >>> boat is a 1999 which I’ve owned since 2010. I service the winches
> > every 3
> > >>> years since I sail on Lake Ontario in fresh water so no corrosion
> > issues
> > >>> here. I clean the pawls and springs and add a drop of 3in1 oil, no
> > grease
> > >>> here as those pawls need to be fast acting.
> > >>> Cheers
> > >>> JEM
> > >>> 1999#574
> > >>>> On Feb 18, 2019, at 11:32 AM, Christian <ccaper at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Tom,
> > >>>> I rebuilt all 4 of mine last year.  I bought the rebuild kits from
> > >>>> Defender.  The rebuild kit was defender item #608878 (
> > >>>> https://search.defender.com/?expression=608878&x=0&y=0).  The
> grease
> > is
> > >>>> defender item #606875 (
> > >>>> https://search.defender.com/?expression=606875&x=0&y=0).
> > >>>>
> > >>>> I didn't know when my winches had last been rebuilt, so I replaced
> > >>>> everything.  The rebuild kits will come with some plastic bushings,
> I
> > >>> used
> > >>>> them.  The kits are for more than the #44 and #30, but 4 of the kits
> > got
> > >>> me
> > >>>> all the springs, pawls, and bushings you'll need.  I had to mix and
> > match
> > >>>> from all 4 kits to get the bushings correct for #44 vs #30, you will
> > have
> > >>>> some parts left over when done from the kits.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Now that I know my winch service history, and the type of sailing I
> do
> > >>> (non
> > >>>> racing, short seasons on Lake Michigan), I plan to service every
> other
> > >>>> year, replace springs every service, replace pawls every other
> service
> > >>> (if
> > >>>> visually they look ok when skipping).
> > >>>>
> > >>>> That tube of grease should last about 3 services.  Over greasing is
> > not
> > >>>> good.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> My two cents.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> -Christian
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> On Mon, Feb 18, 2019 at 9:59 AM Tom Grass <tgrass462 at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >>>>
> > >>>>> Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Tom Grass
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> On Mon, Feb 18, 2019 at 6:55 AM Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com>
> > >>> wrote:
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>> If you're the kind who is prone to dropping things, you can take a
> > box,
> > >>>>>> cut a hole the size of the winch and set it over the winch during
> > your
> > >>>>>> assembly/disassembly.  Improves your chances of not dropping
> > something
> > >>>>>> would roll down the deck and off the boat.
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Every.single.thing I drop on board, bounces until it finds the
> edge
> > of
> > >>>>> the
> > >>>>>> boat and then jumps for freedom.  Doesn't seem to matter what it
> is.
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> -Jeff
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> -----Original Message-----
> > >>>>>> From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On
> > Behalf Of
> > >>>>>> Scott Lagerquist
> > >>>>>> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2019 12:19 AM
> > >>>>>> To: C320-List at catalina320.com
> > >>>>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Winch Rebuild
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Tom and Tracy,
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> I clean and lubricate the winches every two years.  You can
> download
> > >>>>>> instructions free from Lewmar.  I recommend one small tube of
> Lewmar
> > >>>>> winch
> > >>>>>> grease and getting a package of paw springs.  Defender sells these
> > >>>>>> separately or as a kit.  The kit also has machine oil but I use
> > >>> something
> > >>>>>> local like 3-2-1.  You’ll also need a Large container of
> > solvent,rags,
> > >>>>> and
> > >>>>>> an old tooth brush.  Disassemble and soak gears, bearings and
> other
> > >>> metal
> > >>>>>> parts in solvent.  Clean all old grease and dirt off each part
> with
> > the
> > >>>>>> toothbrush and wipe clean.  Everything should look new; this takes
> > >>> time.
> > >>>>>> Reassemble with new paw springs and lubricate as directed.
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Actually, there are several U-Tube videos that show all of this
> > step by
> > >>>>>> step.  Lewmar has a really good one.  Check them out if you
> haven’t
> > >>>>> already
> > >>>>>> done so.  Good luck.
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Scott Lagerquist
> > >>>>>> C-320, 1994, #39
> > >>>>>> Sea Esta
> > >>>>>> San Diego CA
> > >>>>>> Lgrqst at aol.com
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Sent from my iPad
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> On Feb 17, 2019, at 8:33 PM, Tom Grass <tgrass462 at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> I am planning on rebuilding our four winches on Bucket List this
> > >>>>> spring.
> > >>>>>>> Our 320 MK II has:
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> Primaries #44 Lewmar - Two Winches
> > >>>>>>> Halyard #30 Lewmar - Two Winches
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> Question - have other 320 owners purchased rebuild kits (Springs,
> > >>>>>>> Pawls,
> > >>>>>>> etc.) - or have you simply removed and cleaned and reinstalled
> > >>>>>> components?
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> IF you purchased rebuild kits - did you source them from
> Defender?
> > >>>>>>> West Marine?  Other?
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> Appreciate your assistance.
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> Tom & Tracy Grass
> > >>>>>>> Bucket List
> > >>>>>>> 2008 320 MK II
> > >>>>>>> #1135
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >
> >
> >
>