Winch Grease + Elbow Grease = ?

A few weeks ago Shannon started on a quest. A quest of nearly epic proportions. After noticing some resistance in our winches while sailing, she decided it was time for some winch maintenance. This is one of those boat chores that needs to be done, is fairly easy in concept, but in reality is an epic adventure.

First was an inventory of what we have. We have six total winches on Nymeria. Two for the jib sheets, two on the mast for halyards, and two in front of the cockpit for staysail sheets and sometimes the main sheet. With those six winches, we have four different brands, and four different styles. Shannon spent several weeks scouring the deep corners of the internet to find instructions and parts for each of them. With three of the four brands no longer existing, this was a lot tougher than you would think.

Several internet orders and re-orders later, we seem to have the parts in hand. Now to get to work, right? Not so fast, seems we cant even get the first ones opened becasue the tool I thought I had was not what I thought. Now starts another adventure looking for “the part that opens the winches”. This nearly always results in failed internet searches, and blank stares from store clerks. After three stores and two failed tool purchases we finally found a “universal” device that worked on all our winches.

Now we can get after it. Starting early in the morning, before it gets unbearably hot, Shannon gets started. I still have to work, so I’m not able to help as much as I want, but when I check up on her a few hours later I find her covered in sweat and grease and parts spread all over. Who knows how long it has been since these last were serviced. The grease was so caked on and nasty full of debris, dust, and whatever that it had to bee scraped off with tools. Once she got the bulk of it off, she had to spend several more hours with a scrubbing brush and de-greaser to really clean all the gears.

That’s not even the fun part. These solidly built winches designed to handle thousands of pounds of force have many tiny springs and locking rings holding it all together. These springs and rings seems to be designed to pop off in random unknown directions (usually directly into the water) taking who knows how many secret parts with them.

Once its all apart and clean, then you have to put it all back together. Not until you lather on a ton more new winch grease though. If it was a puzzle to get apart, It another puzzle to get back together. Gears of similar, but different sizes, different directions. Some have pins, some have roller bearings. “Where the hell did this thing come from?”

Nearly nine hours of sweaty greasy heat and suffering, Shannon finally puts the housing back on and closes the locking nut. The relief and joy I got to see on her face as the winch turns smoothly and quietly, in the correct direction was worth it. (Especially since I spent the whole day inside in the AC 😉 )

Now to do the other five.