Overhauling winches

[mm5aho]

Among the things on my "various things to do this winter" list is to overhaul the cockpit winches.
We have a genoa sheet winch each side and a furling winch, all on the cockpit coaming.
I'd noticed them getting a bit harder to use last summer, so thought to pull them apart and see whats up.
They're Gibb.
After pulling them off, and dismantling, I found them to be pretty "gummed up" with some kixture of salt, dirt and old grease.
The main ratchet gear looked like this..


and after cleaning up like this.


The winch body cleaned up like this


and the pawls themselves like this.


From the bottom, now ready to go back on the mounting post, they are like..


and turn much more freely, all three pawls work in each of the two ratchets, and I think these will be a sight easier to use next Summer.

Next job a Gibb 7STA self tailer for the genoa furler. That needs new shims on the main shaft. Got some shim material on eBay for £8, so should work out OK.

[Aja]

I find that the use of grease makes the 'gumming up' of the pawls etc. woese. For me I use 3-in-one oil and never have a problem with sticking springs or pawls.

Regards
Donald

[mm5aho]

That sounds sensible - it seemed to be the grease that had been the basis of the gunk fouling the whole works up.
How often do you oil the works then?

[DaveS]

I follow Mr. Lewmar's advice to lightly grease the gears and bearings and oil the pawls. I use Lewmar grease, because I can't find a cheaper equivalent with the same consistency, but their oil is very like 3 in 1 which I'm sure would be fine.