Winch maintenance Harken

[Moodymike]

Tips welcome on winch maintenance. I have a B32 2003 with 40st sheet winches. The design’s seem to vary over the years mainly on how to get access to the main shaft. I understand that Lewmar winches are easier to dismantle.

[Yngmar]

The Harken winch service is not difficult. You can find the manuals here: https://www.harken.com/article.aspx?id=18795

Yours are probably under the "Manual Classic" tab, then pick appropriate era/look. The instructions include a exploded view of the winch, with that it's no problem.

The exact process varies a bit from between models and sizes. Try and be careful when lifting the drum off so nothing gets lost in the water.

Degrease and clean everything - the goal is to remove old gunky grease and debris, then oil the pawls and grease the rest lightly. Check for stress cracks in the body.

[geoff]

Harken winch  are very tolerant of poor maintenance . I noticed that my sheet winches did not spin very freely last year, then realised that I had never taken them to bits in nearly 20 years. Job now done spinning free. Geoff

[Stevie H]

I did all 4 of my winches last year for the first time. With the manuals referenced by Yngmar plus viewing of a couple of You Tube videos on line it was quire simple. The key is to carefully remove all the old grease and to not over oil or grease part as appropriate.

[Moodymike]

Thanks for the replies, still confused as to how the main shaft comes out without demounting from the deck? Seems to vary with different models and year of manufacture.

[Yngmar]

We've got two different sizes, on the 44.2st the main shaft comes out by undoing a couple bolts, which splits the center stem from the base. On the smaller 40.2st, the entire winch is unbolted from the deck. Either way, should be obvious from looking at it once the drum is off.

Unbolting from deck is easily done, thanks to the bolts being threaded into glassed in aluminium plates, so you don't need a second person to hold nuts and backing plates inside the boat or remove ceiling panels. Apply a bit of grease on the mounting bolts so they don't corrode and come out easy next time.

[Moodymike]

Thanks for the prompt reply

[Mirror45184]

A trick to avoid the "ping plop" moment when dismantling the winches is to get a bucket and cut a hole in the bottom that will sit over the winch. This provides a good catcher for any springing bits that want to join Neptune's legions and sunglasses below the berth/mooring!

Cheers

[Salty]

A trick to avoid the "ping plop" moment when dismantling the winches is to get a bucket and cut a hole in the bottom that will sit over the winch. This provides a good catcher for any springing bits that want to join Neptune's legions and sunglasses below the berth/mooring!

Cheers

Yes, it’s surprising just how far even the unsprung bits can travel when you least expect it.
Some ten years back I was helping out a friend who had just purchased a Bavaria 37 to move it from Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland to the Isle of Man. We had gone into the marina at Portaferry on the north shore of the narrow channel that leads out to sea from the Lough to wait for the high water slack next afternoon. On our way ashore that evening to the local “Fish and Chip” takeaway I’d noticed a shiny stainless metal pin laying on the pontoon.
Next morning when we all got up one of us with a glum face pointed out that the bottom end of the kicker was now laying on the cabin top and the pin that normally secured it in place was missing. A quick visit to the pontoon moments later and by sheer coincidence I had found the exact right pin for the job !!

[Mirror45184]

Actually used to be a "mind trick" on the start line in dingy racing to toss a shackle pin into someones mainsail. The sound of a shackle pin hitting the deck is enough to distract even the most focused sailors!