Winch Service & Main halyard hoisting issues

britinusa · February 18, 2017, 05:20:47 PM

Just a heads up - If you haven't serviced your winches recently - then consider it's time.

We've owned Eximius for 20 months and done a lot of work on her while trying to get out and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Just over a week ago, I decided to bite the bullet and get down to service the Jib Sheet Winches.

They were pretty horrid inside, but no obvious wear and tear. So after a good cleaning and lubrication as per Lewmar's instructions, they're back in service and no longer squeak, grate, grind, or growl when we're using them.

Next I set to on the Main Halyard Winch (Stbd Cabin top) - not quite so lucky here. The Stainless Steel inner shaft had warped to the point that it took an hour to remove it from the winch.

After cleaning everything, it would not reinsert! Inspecting it with a mag glass, I realized that the splines had deformed and so left vertical grooves inside the brass (or is it bronze) winch mounting.

I realized that I was probably going to have to replace the winch and so risked taking a dremel to the stainless steel splines. It worked a treat, but I'll be looking out for a replacement winch when the budget allows.

I may have been able to avoid this excessive service by servicing them sooner. I have no idea when they were last serviced.

They are now in my Seasonal Service list.

Paul

KWKloeber · February 18, 2017, 05:25:42 PM

Paul

What model is that winch?

Footloose · February 20, 2017, 06:49:57 AM

Paul

I had a similar problem but on my port side cabin top winch. The spines were galled. Not sure how that happens. I had a friend turn it in his lathe and reassembled and have been using it for several years without problems. It does get very light used however. It raises the jib at the beginning of the season and it gets used to adjust halyard tension, but not as much as a secondary gets used. Before replacing it keep in mind that these get used at low speed, compared to an engine, and a relatively small irregularity will cause minimal wear over a years time at these loads and speeds.

Ron Hill · February 20, 2017, 03:04:47 PM

Paul : Look on the Lewmar web site, they have an instruction booklet on servicing your winches.

A thought

britinusa · February 24, 2017, 12:34:55 AM

We have tested the winch after servicing and it works fine.

I did get the servicing instructions from the Lewmar Website. The same instructions are used for several of the winch models.

http://www.lewmar.com/sites/default/files/winch%20service%20manual%20b2304%20iss6.pdf

Peggy has never been able to raise the main, so while at the Miami Strictly Sail Boat Show last week, I purchased a Winchrite Cordless Winch Handle.

She loves it! It's not as fast as when I grind the regular handle, but plenty fast enough. The main was fully raised a couple of times with just a firm grip on the Winchrite.

Paul

Noah · February 24, 2017, 09:57:27 AM

Paul, although it sounds like you solved your problem with your fancy powered winch handle, some other things to consider for you and/or others: It should not require heroic strength to raise the main:
1. If you are sufficiently head to wind.
3. Winch is operating properly
2. You have done your best to eliminate "friction points"-- which can be many on the C34 Mk1.
Friction points are: poorly turning sheaves (replace with ballbearings model and lube), friction on slides in sail track (lube with dry sailcoat spray) I solved sail friction "problem" by installing Tides Marine Strong track system (works great). Also, check/replace masthead sheaves with new ballbearing model and make sure halyard is correct size. All things to consider.

Stu Jackson · February 24, 2017, 10:25:25 AM

Paul,

One last input in addition to Noah's great points, and repeated regularly, usually around springtime when folks ask about raising the main:

Raise it 90% at the mast, grind the last 10% with the winch. This avoids a lot of the friction points.

britinusa · February 24, 2017, 10:55:15 AM

Thanks Noah, Stu, et.al.

Raising the main at the cabin top is a lot easier for the 1st heave ho. Although with the serviced winch, new halyard and now the Winchrite, it's no big deal for Peggy to raise it.

I've replaced the Cabin top deck organizers and the mast base sheave and the Line Clutches.

The mast head sheave is probably original = 30 years old and well weathered, that's next on the list.

Not sure if it's possible to replace that with the stick up or if I have to wait till we pull the mast out - not looking forward to that!

I have been up the mast a few times, no big deal to go up/down, but couldn't see how to replace that sheave.

Paul

Noah · February 24, 2017, 11:07:40 AM

Paul- unfortunately on our boats the masthead sheaves cannot be changed with the mast steppped. Unless someone has a magic solution I am not aware of? Also you mentioned raising the main from the cabintop. I do that frequently (called jumping the halyard) goes up really quick and easy, then I/we crank the last couple of feet. Gotta be careful with managing the halyard tailing aft when solo, or you can have a tangle. Sometimes I have cleated it at a the mast then cleaned it up, put it on the winch then uncleated at mast and then cranked it up. Kinda clumsy... but whatever works. LOL!

Stu Jackson · February 24, 2017, 01:18:19 PM

Quote from: Noah on February 24, 2017, 11:07:40 AM
Paul- unfortunately on our boats the masthead sheaves cannot be changed with the mast steppped. Unless someone has a magic solution I am not aware of? Also you mentioned raising the main from the cabintop. I do that frequently (called jumping the halyard) goes up really quick and easy, then I/we crank the last couple of feet. Gotta be careful with managing the halyard tailing aft when solo, or you can have a tangle. Sometimes I have cleated it at a the mast then cleaned it up, put it on the winch then uncleated at mast and then cranked it up. Kinda clumsy... but whatever works. LOL!

Noah's right, gotta pull the stick to do the halyard sheaves. Garhauer has them.

Agree about the halyard jumping, too. I have a small cleat on the mast and o that, even singlehanding. Rick Allen did one much better: put a cam cleat on the mast, raise it, go aft and pull (after clearing the line on the deck). Done. He posted a picture some time back, I forget if I put it in the 101 Topics, I'll go look. PS - Nope, not there. I have a flick somewhere, just give me time.

britinusa · February 24, 2017, 01:58:56 PM

I like that simple idea of a jamb cleat on the mast. If positioned just right, then tensioning the halyard when back at the cockpit would snap the halyard out of the cleat.

Very simple and very neat.

Will take a close look at that.

Thanks Stu.

Paul

Noah · February 24, 2017, 02:33:47 PM

Me too!

KWKloeber · February 24, 2017, 04:45:17 PM

Jams, clam(shell), and cams..... lotsa bastardization of those terms by manufacturers.

A lateral clam cleat might work nicely.... lower profile against the stick than a cam and if the edge of the shell was just on center of the pull it wouldn't tend to grab the line once released. Kinda depends on how the down haul blocks are located.

If the blocks tend to pull away from the stick a vertical open i.e. "V" clam just off center might work better.

Noah · February 24, 2017, 05:33:44 PM

Ha, Stu. Sitting here with scotch in hand...I beat you to it. See pic in thread. Ken- it is truly a cam cleat!
http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6055.msg39027.html#msg39027

Paulus · February 25, 2017, 06:06:03 AM

I have a cleat on the mast, have always used ii to raise the main. My cleat is not in the lineal path of the halyard.(it was there when I bought the boat, not sure of it's original function) Like most of you, it requires a couple of trips to the cabin top to raise the main. It works, but the idea of a cam cleat is a better solution. Would you off set this cam cleat? (so it is not in the lineal path of the halyard)
Paul