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I can raise the mast with the winch set-up; however, I cannot seem to lower it. The winch just stays locked in the reverse direction. Am I missing something - a lever, etc? When I go in the reverse direction to let the mast down, the handle simply unsrews. I bought this boat used so maybe its not even the correct winch. 2003 26M.

Any insight would be helpful.

I have to do this on my keel brake winch periodically so it will release . I just spray some lube on the mechanismfrom both sides

Look over the Mac manual. I use the kit to raise and lower mine and have zero problems. Just make sure you have your lines running correctly. It can get tricky.

JJ,

I recall having the same problem. Since my boat is in my driveway for a few more weeks, I have to go by memory

I last used the mast moving system in October. Anyway, as I was saying, I recall having to use a screwdriver to release a lever. I would hold the lever away ( with the screwdriver) from the gear which prevents the crank from working. That worked. There isn't any lever release that I have found on my system either. I'm sure it's not supposed to work that way, but I raise and lower the mast so little that I just persevere

Ray

There is no lever on mine. I can pull line in without a load, but I can't let it out without load. I have to pull on the line to let it out.

Its a friction clutch thing. It works fine, but you gotta have a load on the winch for it to work right...

Our 2006M does the same thing you describe. I've had to use a wrench to keep it from unscrewing. If it keeps up, I may ask the dealer about it.

That sounds strange. Never had any problems with mine, up or down.

G

I would hold the lever away ( with the screwdriver) from the gear which prevents the crank from working.

I went through the same exercise as Ray when I first got our in May '05 -- even called the dealer because I thought I must have the wrong winch. The secret, as DLT has noted, is that there must be a load on the line when you reverse the winch.

Yes- I too have to use a screwdriver to release the holding lever from the gear. I have tried it under load and no load...no difference. Seems to me that something needs to release the lever locking arm automatically. Does anyone have a manual for these things, or can someone tell me what releases the locking arm?

I wonder if I just need to jam the cranking arm on with a lot of torque so that when I do try reverse it will somwhow engage?

The locking arm is technically a "pawl", a mechanical device that permits motion in one direction only. The ratchet part of the winch is the wheel with slanting teeth. The pawl is the lever tangential to the wheel with one end resting on the teeth. When the wheel rotates one way, the pawl slides over the teeth; when the wheel tries to rotate the other way, the pawl catches in the teeth.

When you manually "unwind" the winch by the handle to lower the mast, a friction clutch is released that allows the winch drum around which the line is wound to turn independently of the ratchet wheel - which remains fixed by the pawl. "Winding" the winch again to raise the mast tightens up the friction clutch so that the drum and the ratchet wheel turn again as one - and the end of the pawl "clicks" over each tooth in the ratchet wheel, but acts as a brake to prevent unwinding.

Again, this was not obvious to me at first. I experienced the "handle unscrewing" alarm, after which I used the screwdriver approach. Since I've figured it out - it works correctly every time.

I have to do this on my keel brake winch periodically so it will release . I just spray some lube on the mechanismfrom both sides

Since there is a friction clutch involved, is this a good idea, getting lube on the clutch?

Since there is a friction clutch involved, is this a good idea, getting lube on the clutch?

Hmmmmmmmmmm

Kinda reminds me of the time my girlfriend (at the time - not my wife) was real concerned about the surface rust on her disk brakes and asked me if she should spray some WD-40 on them...

She wasn't real happy with the uncontrolled gut bursting laugh, nor the laughter when I relayed the story to her Dad...

Reminds me when one of my colleagues at work got pitched by her mechanic that she should replace the air in her tires with summer air in the spring....she knew it didnt sound kosher but hadnt been around cars enough to know for certain - she caught some h*** at work for that.

Lo and behold, the other day I read an article on people pitching putting Nitrogen in tires vs air, at $10 a tire - I think this made it onto this board too at one point.

Parrothead- you're exactly right. I looked the thing over yesterday and came to the same conclusion. Looks like the friction disk may need a cleaning as it looks pretty rusted over. It looks like it is not allopwing any movement. Hence, somone mentioned using some oil to break it free. I hope to take it apart today and clean it..hopefully that will solve my problem.