S-L Windlass snag

[Grehan]

We've got a Simpson Lawrence Hyspeed 510 (manual) windlass. I know the company has departed this mortal coil.

Problem with it, or is it us?

Hauling up, no problem.
Letting out, no problem until the release clutch is tightened [to control or stop], which in itself also works fine.

Problem is then freeing the clutch, to let out some more cable.

Pulling the [clutch] lever back - supposedly to release it - just winds back up a bit of cable, does not 'free' the clutch.
Boatyard tells me the **** [pivoting thing that one engages into keyed ring to one side of gipsy itself] [sorry, can't think of the right word] . . . that the **** should also be capable of being used to stop the gipsy from rotating when one wants to free the clutch, but ours has become a bit damaged.
But I don't believe this and it doesn't look that damaged to me.

Any suggestions? - regarding it, or maybe it's our technique?

Thanks in advance.


PS
Hope everyone else had as good an Easter 'shakedown' as wot we did . . .

 

[Guest]

The "thingy" is called a "pawl".

On most windlasses it will lock the gypsy whilst the clutch is slackened off. This is needed if you have a "drum and gypsy" combination.

Usually anything "sticking" on an anchor winch is due to corrosion, salt, mud. sand etc getting into the gubbins.

Suggest you strip it down and see what the insides look like.

There was an article in PBO April 2001 about servicing windlasses. Suggest you dig it out and give it a whirl.

Best regards )

IanD

 

[howardclark]

I had one of these on my Westerley Berwick and experienced similar problems. Started to take it apart and phoned SL to ask final details for stripping down. They told me to stop and put it back together - seems when you tighten it up you are pushing two cones together - these then commonly stick. They suggested gentle persuasiuon with an iron bar or hammer which worked a treat. I slackened off with the iron bar which fits into the slots on the the shiny knobbly bit at the end ( did he say this is a 'pawl') and then 'persuaded' the gypsey to run. When its free regular use stops it binding up too much.

 

[Grehan]

sincere thanks folks

Strip it or hit it . . . I'm not sure which is the most appealing suggestion!
I think I have already tried the latter, although in frustrated annoyance rather than strict engineering methodology.

 

[kdf]

Call Lewmar and ask them. The S-L brand has died but the products are now handled and badged by Lewmar (all owned by Clyde engineering or something like that).