Cabin top winch starboard

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BillBerner
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Location: Hastings on Hudson, NY
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Cabin top winch starboard

Post by BillBerner »

Today I was installing a new rope clutch for an assym downhaul (tweaker). Intent was to remove the original
Jam cleat from the furling line, as I had rerun that along the stanchions to the helm some years back, and mount it in the clutch in the same place.
As a disgraced stand up comics routine used to go, “i told you that so i could tell you this -
I removed the access panel in the galley headliner that is under the starbpard canin top winchassuming it would help get access. It didnt.
But i told you that sp i could tell you this -
While the winch was held in place by 5 bolts, pnly two of them had nuts on them. The rest, nada. Imagine my surprise. I guess no harm no foul since the boats 2003 and has no evidence of any cracking in the area, but still.
Others might want to have a look at their installations.
Certainly easy to get at. I wish the same were true of the portside cabin top winch, so i could check that.
& if anybody wants
To buy a boat with a brand new spinlock rope clutch and 3 new 1/4” nuts and fender washers, you lnpw who to call

Bb
Spartina 2003 #66
Stamford CT
Bill Berner
#66, Stamford CT.
hperros
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Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 10:16 pm

Re: Cabin top winch starboard

Post by hperros »

I had the same question when I tried to replace the jam cleat that the previous owner used for the boom sheet with a rope clutch. The rope clutches in front of the starboard winch are not accessible through the small access panel in the galley unless you have extremely thin and long hands. But in fact, I discovered that there is a metal plate under the winches about 1/2 an inch under the fiberglass, and all I had to do is tap new holes for the machine screws. I am thinking that it is possible that there is a similar plate under the winch.
Harry Perros
Aegean
Hull #331
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BillBerner
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Re: Cabin top winch starboard

Post by BillBerner »

Interesting. My winches are due fora servicing, so while i have them apart I’ll do a little recon underneath.
Cant imagine why the 2 of the bolts had nuts if that was the case though.
Bill Berner
#66, Stamford CT.
Mark Sutherland
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Joined: Thu May 25, 2017 1:32 am

Re: Cabin top winch starboard

Post by Mark Sutherland »

Harry, you are correct that there's a metal plate under the rope clutches. As to whether the plate extends to the cabin top winch, I'd call Warren Pandy at Catalina, who clued me in about the plate under the clutches.
Mark Sutherland,
Dunrobin III
Hull #388 (2006)
Mark Sutherland
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Re: Cabin top winch starboard

Post by Mark Sutherland »

Bill, if you are going to service the port side jib sheet winch, I'm dying to know how you access the nuts on the underside of the winch as I've wanted to torque the nuts on the winches. I've looked and cannot find the underside of that port side winch. I'm starting to think I'll have to cut an access hole in the overhead liner in the aft cabin to access the underside of this winch? I may have to call Warren at Catalina.
Mark Sutherland,
Dunrobin III
Hull #388 (2006)
wolfe10
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Location: Ft Myers Florida

Re: Cabin top winch starboard

Post by wolfe10 »

Mark,

Pure speculation here, but, easy to verify:

Rather than using an oversize hole with bolts and nuts, the wench MAY have machine screws threaded into an embedded metal plate.

Verification: try to remove one of the bolts. If there is a nut on it, it will not come out. If threaded into a plate, it WILL AND, should also torque up. Worse case if it won't is to tap the plate to next larger diameter.
Last edited by wolfe10 on Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Brett Wolfe
C350 #180
"Vindaloo"
Ft Myers FL
Mark Sutherland
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Re: Cabin top winch starboard

Post by Mark Sutherland »

Yesssss! That totally makes sense. Thanks Brett!
Mark Sutherland,
Dunrobin III
Hull #388 (2006)
elk
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Re: Cabin top winch starboard

Post by elk »

Last weekend I serviced both cabin top winches. I was able to totally remove them from the mounting pads. They are held there with five long (~2.5"in.) machine screws. There must be a plate underneath the pad, I don't believe the screws alone could hold the witches in place.
Pretty straightforward job. I know they are strong enough because when I was finished I promptly sent my wife halfway up the mast to change a steaming light bulb. ;)
Last edited by elk on Mon Aug 05, 2019 7:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ed Kruzel
S/V Emily
Hull #399, 2006 C350
Cataumet, MA
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russp
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Re: Cabin top winch starboard

Post by russp »

I am in awe, you are a better man than I am Gunga Din! I couldn’t get my wife up the mast under any circumstance.
Russ Peel
Avalon #150
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