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 Keel Winch won't lower keel		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts
Initially Posted - 06/09/2004 :  10:40:43  Show Profile
I just installed a new keel winch. It worked nicely cranking the keel up, but when I turned the handle counterclock-wise to lower the keel again, nothing happened.
Did anyone experience this problem? And if so, what would be the remedy, if any?
Joerg
2002C250 WK "BerLyn"
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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts
Response Posted - 06/09/2004 :  13:23:22  Show Profile  Visit Frank Hopper's Homepage
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by JoergK</i>
<br />I just installed a new keel winch. It worked nicely cranking the keel up, but when I turned the handle counterclock-wise to lower the keel again, nothing happened.
Did anyone experience this problem? And if so, what would be the remedy, if any?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Where did you get it? Is it specific for our boat? DO you still have the old one? I have never heard of one doing that, your trouble shooting skills may educate us all to what is up. Pictures? Was clockwise the up?
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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts
Response Posted - 06/09/2004 :  14:34:15  Show Profile
I bought it from Catalina-Direct. Clock-wise worked fine, with ratchet, and brought the keel up. That's where it sits now. Turning counterclockwise - turns ok but no release. A one-way street,.
Catalina-Direct tech doesn't know why this could be.
I worry that if something is wrong with the brake/release mechanism it may suddenly give, anf the keel falls free. Scary.
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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts
Response Posted - 06/09/2004 :  23:00:26  Show Profile
The weight of the keel is what makes the winch 'unspool' Turning the handle counterclockwise is simply releasing a cleverly engineered brake mechanism. For some reason either 1) your keel is bound up (see below) or 2)the brake isn't releasing.

Check to make sure the outer wraps of the cable haven't slipped underneath the inner wraps.

This can trap the cable in a bind-like situation and it won't lower. This is a very common problem with cable winches in general when you don't have the initial load of the cable spooled on the drum very tightly.

If this has happened, you'll need to raise the aft end of the keel slightly with a jack and work the cable out of it's bind.

Fergawdsakes, watch your fingers! There's enough energy there to pinch them right off.

Then you'll have to re-spool the cable. Have somebody put as much load on the keel cable as they can while you do the initial spooling.
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Mark Rials
1st Mate

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USA
39 Posts
Response Posted - 06/10/2004 :  06:33:13  Show Profile
This happened to me once... the small pin used to hold the turning ball in the pipe dislodged and the turning ball jammed the cable. When retracting, the ball worked loose and allowed the keel to rise, but when lowering, the ball bound up the cable. What a mess....
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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts
Response Posted - 06/10/2004 :  09:30:53  Show Profile
Problem Solved !!!
I called the manufacturer of the winch - Fulton Performance Products. After some back-and-forth (eliminating other possible causes as described in above messages)they suggested that I jam a screwdriver between the small gear that drives the large gear on the drum assembly (the small gear is the second gear on the input shaft), thus essentially blocking the gear assembly), and then turning the winch handle CLOCK-WISE. It won't really turn because the jamming, BUT the force will "re-set" the brake. After that, it will function as designed i.e. turning counterclockwise will lower the keel again.
It worked like a charm and I am very grateful to the guru at Fulton.

P.S. you need to crawl into the aft berth, take off the lid to the bilge and dip your head into the cavity to be able to look upwards and spot where to insert the srewdriver. You nee a second pwerson of course, for cranking the handle.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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