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Solved problems · Deck · Crew answer

Why is my winch slipping or hard to turn?

A winch that turns backward, skips or feels gritty usually needs cleaning: pawls gummed with grease, worn springs or dry bearings. Strip, clean, oil the pawls and grease the gears.

Symptom

The winch drum slips back under load, turns both ways, clicks unevenly, or feels stiff or gritty when cranking.

Likely cause

Inside a winch, small spring-loaded pawls stop the drum running backward. If they're packed with old grease or salt, or their springs are broken, they don't snap into place, so the drum slips or turns both ways. Gears and roller bearings that have dried out or collected grit make the winch stiff.

Stop now if

A winch slips under a heavily loaded sheet or halyard. Take the load off with a stopper or another winch before working on it, and keep fingers clear of a loaded drum.

The fix, in short

  1. Take the load off. Ease the line and move it to another winch or clutch before taking anything apart.

  2. Strip the winch. Follow the maker's service guide, and work over a towel so small parts can't fall overboard.

  3. Clean everything. Wash old grease and salt from the gears, bearings, pawls and drum with a degreaser, then dry the parts.

  4. Oil the pawls, grease the gears. Harken's guide is clear: grease gears and roller bearings with winch grease, but use only light oil on pawls and springs. Grease on pawls is a common cause of a winch that turns both ways.

  5. Replace worn springs and pawls. Replace any spring that's broken or weak and any pawl that's chipped or worn.

  6. Reassemble and test. Reassemble and check that the drum turns freely one way and locks the other before loading it.

Written by Sailor Cruiser crew. General guidance, not an inspection of your boat.

Equipment involved

  • Deck hardware: Sheet, halyard and primary winches, pawls, springs, gears and roller bearings

Related guides

Sources

Background reading we checked while writing this answer. The wording above is our own.

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