How to adjust Simpson davits

[Garry & June 'Friendship']

Help needed please...we have Simpson Stainless steel davits...150kg manual winch davits on the back of our catamaran...the port side one has started playing up in that some times it wont hold and slips...Its intermittent and sometimes holds after one or two attempts...basically can someone advise how the hell you actually adjust these things as the manual doesn't tell you anything... they are starting to annoy me !!

 

[MAURICE]

Hi Gary and June
I have the same davits and a few years ago i needed to replace the wire. From memory if you take off the metal stainless plate which should be facing you on the inboard end. Held i think in place with two screws on the face and two underneath. You can then see the mechanical winch. It sounds as if the pawl which locks over the teeth needs cleaning and lightly smeared with grease.
This whole mechanical winch part can be pulled out with a little effort im pretty sure it was bolted in place by a couple of bolts.
Good luck it actually is pretty straight forward but just be careful with the small parts.
Maurice