Keith has been working crazytown hours this weekend giving a fire-breathing dragon a pair of wings. Because, of course, all fire-breathing dragons need wings! (And apparently they have huge ones) I’ve barely seen him at all this weekend, he left before I woke up this morning and I haven’t seen him yet-it’s about ten at night. Not exactly the long, three-day weekend most people were enjoying.
Since he has been slaving a way I thought I should do some work too, here on the waterfront. Today’s choice of project was the winches. They are supposed to be taken apart and serviced on a yearly basis. So how, in all my years of us owning boats, is it then that I have never even seen the inside of one our winches? On any of our boats?
I started with Google and YouTube, dug out the winch rebuild kits and grease (at least we had those on board already), and grabbed my camera (so I could see where all the pieces go). Turns out they are pretty easy to take apart, but gunk-omolly were they filthy!! The first one I tackled was a tiny one that we never use. Seemed like a good one to practice on. It took about four and a half hours (including my research time). No worries, I moved on to one of our our main cockpit winches next, figuring it would take me about an hour now that I had it all figured out. It still took me about four hours. The larger winch had a bunch more pieces and a bunch more dirt. Two out of seven done today, it’s a start. Besides, I learned a few things today: “white spirits” is UK speak for mineral spirits; just because it fits, doesn’t mean it’s right; and that the all-crucial piece for the winches is the teeny-tiny spring-see those four springs in the pieces pic? Crazy, I know.
Wright Away Sails Away 