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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

swing keel winch

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pierrem
1st Mate

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64 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/04/2004 : 22:04:44

I had open heart surgery in April...no symptoms prior....51 years old...pretty good shape....anyhow starting to feel pretty good.

My swing keel winch leaves me out of breath....both raising and lowering. Should it be that hard? should I lubricate. This is the second season for me with this boat. New winch and cable by previous owner.

Pierre

Edited by - on

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2004 : 23:10:47

Pierre -

I like to think I'm in pretty decent shape but 28 cranks of that winch leaves me pretty winded too. I just assumed that's the way it is with such a heavy keel. Hopefully someone has a trick or two to make it easier. Wonder if anyone has ever attached an electric motor to their winch?

Sorry to hear about your heart surgery at such a young age.

Steve

Edited by - on

rclift
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2004 : 01:25:14

Good question. I've yet to hear of an easier way to raise the keel that doesn't compromise safety. Best advice is to put it down at the beginning of the season and raise it at the end just before going on the trailer.

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ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2004 : 09:31:55

You say "new winch" by previous owner. I was ready to give up on Orion (or get the wing) until I retrofitted the new winch last year. The new winch turns easier and also has a longer handle by about an inch, which does nothiung to reduce the number of turns but makes it possible for old weak moi to crank her up easily -- well, maybe not easily, exactly. If you actually HAVE the new model winch, the only thought I can offer is to get somebody to weld in an extension that enlarghes, lengthens, the handle. Good luck, ron srsk Orion in wet, windy Venice FL

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2004 : 11:42:29

"...both raising and lowering..."

Lowering shouldn't take much effort with either winch system.

Pierre... are you in a cardiac rehab program? Properly structured and supervised exercise will likely increase both your strength and endurance. The other answer regarding winching is to simply take your time raising/lowering. Do it halfway, then take a breather, come back and finish.

All that said I think an electric winch could be easily retrofitted by a mechanically competent person and have pondered doing the same myself.

If not in the existing winch space itself, a block could be fitted to the stairs and the winch located nearby... perhaps on the side of the sink structure (with appropriate reinforcement). An auto-stop mechanism would be needed to prevent over-hoisting the keel.

These winches aren't very expensive anymore. Northern Tool has a little 2,000 lb electric on sale for $69 right now. (Not that I'd recommend buying one that cheap.)

I've been pondering other issues regarding the boat and aging.

My back and shoulders are pretty worn out. The keel winch doesn't bother me too much, but I can see that wrestling the outboard up and down will be a real issue in a few years.

When I single hand, hoisting the sails in a hurry and hustling around to raise the motor and trim up the boat can leave me a little winded. Time to start a real exercise program.

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pierrem
1st Mate

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64 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2004 : 13:52:24

Actually health wise doing very well. I bike 2-3 times a week...used to do sprint triatholons etc. not a wimp....28 turns. ...wow..I will have to count them. anyone use wd 40 on the winch or silicone.

My probably is that at my dock the water is only about 3.5 ft. I must motor about 1/2 mile to get to 6' plus...many times the wind allows me to sail that far and than I have to drop the keel...such problems !!!!! I Have a roller furler AND Doyle Stack Pack...life should be so tuff. thanks for the input on the winch.

Pierre

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RoofRoof
Navigator

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USA
186 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2004 : 13:57:42

Installing a NEW winch from CD was one of the best things I've done to my 1979 SK. Tremendously easier to raise and lower, the handle doesn't slip off the cog, and now I can trust guests to handle it. Get the new winch, you'll be very happy you did.

I thought about an electric, but you'd need to fabricate some sort of stops so that it doesn't keep going after the keel is all the way up or down. Stick to manual.

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2004 : 16:47:10

Clam, I've always found that, because of the clutch, it's easier to raise the keel than to lower it. The new winch last year helped, but lowering was still more effort.

Brooke

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2004 : 09:09:52

Pierre,
It's been some time since I've had a swing winch but do remember that they employ friction discs to control the keels location. Lubricating the winch could compromise the discs.

Perhaps someone more familiar with the winches will jump in here and advise.

Val on Calista # 3936
Patchogue, N.Y.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2004 : 13:50:47

Yes, don't spray lube all over in there... you don't want oil on the clutch disks.

There are only a couple points in the winch that need lubrication... I'd disassemble the winch and apply (sparingly) grease to those points. I just came back from the boat, with my old style winch, lowering is way easier than raising... don't consider cranking either direction to be very 'hard'.

I wonder if the keel turning ball is worn out or frozen... causing extra friction?

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2004 : 21:53:39

Sell the boat, get one that works for you.

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damerel
Deckhand

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USA
6 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2004 : 15:52:07

I've been thinking about replacing the keel winch from a preventitive maintenance viewpoint. Can anyone tell me if the new winch from CD is different from the original other than the length of the handle? Is the design of the handle to winch connection the same ( mine slips off too easily .. probably due to some rounding of the female handle connection )?
George
Solemate

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ksaubier
Deckhand

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USA
15 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2004 : 15:05:32

I saw an electric "lug nut wrench" that a friend has, plugs in to a cigarette lighter in his car, and might have just the right amount of power to safely crank it up and down... but you'd have to modify a socket to fit it like the end of the crank handle. I thought about checking in to it more but haven't really needed to. I guess if that worked you wouldn't have to modify anything on the boat though, which to me makes it a better option than trying to mount an electric winch of some kind and you'll always be able to manually crank it up or down if your boat battery isn't hooked up or charged too.

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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2004 : 16:23:09

George, I had bought a new winch and handle last year. The winch is pretty much the same. However, the new handle "slipped" easily, so I just use the old handle which works fine. That indicates to me that it is the handle which is the culprit.

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