View source for Sys Descript WINCHES

April 10, 2009

The winch project has been completed.  It was a dirty messy job -- the winches were loaded with flowing and heavily caked on grease.  Some were very hard to disassemble due to parts ("keys" "collets" and "plungers) being frozen in place - subsequent maintenance should be much easier.

Things I learned;

1) Force may be needed to disassemble due to caked on grease & grime
2) Force is never needed to reassemble - if it doesn't go together easily something is wrong - once I had a washer in the wrong place and the collet (split washer on top that holds gear unit in place on the 48ST)would not fit - I re-assembled correctly and they slide in place.  The other example is that I reassembled the port 48ST, checking that everything worked at every step and found that although the drum rotated smoothly the winch handle would not work - took the unit apart and everything seemed OK - and winch handle worked - reassembled and it did not work -- turns out that one of the top "pawl" bearings, which have a slight ridge to it,was up side down and when I tightened the base of the winch to the boat it froze the handle mechanism - reversed the bearing and everything was OK!
3) Things are much easier when a BOM and diagram are available - found them on a web search and are in file (with the original manual)
4) The winches are really elegant machines and are virtually indestructible - there is nothing that can break or were out except the "pawl springs" - manuals say that pawls themselves might be replaced - but they are machined steel and it what ever force would break them would destroy the boat long before the winces went. 
5) I think the our winches had not had a proper cleaning/maint. in a loooong time - perhaps never - I am sure the method used was to open them up slap some grease in and close them up. However even though grease was caked on and interfered w/ the pawl action - the winces did work for 30 some years They were "tight" and some did not rotate all that easily but ...  















' and being 


I (Kenn S) plan to clean the 7 Lemar winches on Nevermore and replace, where necessary, the springs & pauls. I will record my plans/observations on this page.  

Disclosure: Prior to Dec 08 I never saw the insides of a winch - however after reading the Nevermore's original Lewmar user manual, an internet search and taking apart & reassembling the keel winch I have come to the conclusion; "how hard can it be...?".  

Full disclosure: Lemar said that aside from some springs and pauls - there are no replacement parts for these winches - if a part is broken/lost they will gladly sell us a new winch!

I purchased the recommended Lewmar clean/rebuild kit and as soon as we get some warm(er) weekend days I will start.  Basic procedure will be to place a box (sans cover) over the winch (to prevent losing flying parts and to avoid getting the surrounding boat surfaces dirty), disassemble and clean according to Lewmar manual - and reassemble.  The 5 deck/boom/mast winches are relatively simple and I will start with these.  The 2 cockpit winches for the jib sheets are complicated - however by the time I get to them I should be an expert! If anyone has any insights or expertise let me know.

Kenn (781-439-7288)