Centaur Winch

[Jim Schofield]

Looking at a 79 Centaur last week, I saw the starboard winch was not moving, at all. Is servicing it a big job ?
It also has the original Volvo MD11 diesel, but that's another story.

Jim

 

[JumbleDuck]

Looking at a 79 Centaur last week, I saw the starboard winch was not moving, at all. Is servicing it a big job ?

Underarm Gibb? No, dead easy. Remove the plug from the top, if it's there, undo the 1/4 BSW screw and remove the drum, using a band gripper if you need to. Once it's off everything is easy to deal with. Genuine parts are unobtainable but Harken (iirc) pawls and springs fit fine.

 

[Jim Schofield]

Thank you very much, the reasons for buying are piling up.

Jim

 

[andygc]

Underarm Gibb? No, dead easy. Remove the plug from the top, if it's there, undo the 1/4 BSW screw and remove the drum, using a band gripper if you need to. Once it's off everything is easy to deal with. Genuine parts are unobtainable but Harken (iirc) pawls and springs fit fine.

I don't have a Centaur, but I do have those Gibb winches. They are dead easy, but things can be gummed up enough to pull the pawls off and flip them onto the side deck or overboard. You can get new springs made. I couldn't find anything to fit. I sent samples to Airedale Springs and had a very small handful of each type made (three types, the ratchet spring on the top handle halyard winch was different). Wasn't expensive - much cheaper than buying new winches! One winch has been very stiff and the fix involved polishing the shaft down with emery cloth. I think the drum had been replaced and there was insufficient tolerance in the bore through the drum. When (not if) you lose the plastic bung from the top you can cut down an old-style Avon dinghy valve rubber plug to replace it.

 

[Poignard]

I had these on my Twister until I replaced them a couple of years ago with some Lewmar self-tailers. I'm not sure I did the right thing and I've kept the Gibbs in case I decide to refit them!

The problem with stiffness is, I think, caused by the plastic sleeve inside the drum. I'm not sure if they swell or whether corrosion between the plastic sleeve and the drum pushes the slevve into too close contact with the spindle. I improved matters by using a flap wheel (like this: http://www.airtekltd.com/abrasives_11.htm ) to increase the internal diameter of the plastic sleeve.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

When I still had the centaur I replaced the Gibbs with self-tailing Antals (which were on special offer from SeaTeach). The 'underarm' Gibbs went to the mast for use with the hallyards; that meant that there was no winch handle to go walkabout.

 

[andygc]

I had these on my Twister until I replaced them a couple of years ago with some Lewmar self-tailers. I'm not sure I did the right thing and I've kept the Gibbs in case I decide to refit them!

The problem with stiffness is, I think, caused by the plastic sleeve inside the drum. I'm not sure if they swell or whether corrosion between the plastic sleeve and the drum pushes the slevve into too close contact with the spindle. I improved matters by using a flap wheel (like this: http://www.airtekltd.com/abrasives_11.htm ) to increase the internal diameter of the plastic sleeve.

Ahh. Mine don't have plastic sleeves. They're metal to grease to metal. Perhaps a different generation of the same basic winch?

 

[Seajet]

I believe the normal term they used for ' underarm ' is actually ' bottom action ', though probably best be careful where you ask for that.

 

[Poignard]

Ahh. Mine don't have plastic sleeves. They're metal to grease to metal. Perhaps a different generation of the same basic winch?

That's interesting. I think my Gibbs are those the boat was fitted with when she was new, in 1967. If I could get replacement sleeves I might well refit those winches and sell the self-tailers.