limbo6.6 keel winch help

[Guest]

I cannot figure out how the winch mechanism "unlocks" the ratchet pawl to lower the keel.

On the end of the shaft with the winding handle there is a spring held on with a nut. However, when I took the spring off nothing seems to free up. The handle, ratchet cog, cog which drives the main drum and shaft all "appear" to be one unit. I have dowsed it in wd40 to see if that helps.

Any advice on how it should work would be appreciated.

 

[MUS]

Great! Another Limbo 6.6 owner. We're just starting our second season of ownership, so don't know everything about them yet, but it does sound like you've got the same winch as us.

You've just got to have faith with the winch. All you do is wind it one way to raise the keel and wind it the other way to lower it. There should be some initial inertia, but just push the winch handle with your foot, whilst still holding it with hands! You might then have to brake (with you hands) the handle until the keel is fully down.

What you are actually doing is unscrewing the handle off of the shaft. The spring and nut stops you going too far, so put it back on!

We have found that, whilst sailing, keeping a little tension on the cable, prevents the keel slaming against the box in choppy conditions.

Let me know how you get on with your new boat. You'll find she's tender and behaves like a big dinghy, but that's what make the Limbo so much fun!