"Unscrew (276)" the manual says....

J

jwilson

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It has taken me 3 hours over 4 days to unscrew bloody (276), including buying a can of Plus-gas and some serious brute force. If you have a Lofrans Airon windlass, I recommend following their instructions to dismantle the gipsy section every six months to stop it all seizing together. My fault - last did it several years ago.......
 
Isn't it called Haynes Law? "The complexity of the actual job is inversely proportional to the complexity of the instructions."

I recall some part of a car manual:
Park car
Apply handbrake
Open bonnet and prop it safely
Disconnect battery terminals
Undo clamp and lift out battery
Went on for ages in a similar vein, and then
Remove gearbox WTF!!!!
 
It might be of some use to the rest of us if you described what a 276 is...
Also, does the windlass spend most of it's life under a cover or is it open to the elements?
 
Billjratt said:
It might be of some use to the rest of us if you described what a 276 is...
Also, does the windlass spend most of it's life under a cover or is it open to the elements?
Click to expand...

Actually it was (273), the clutch release which is the bit you put a winch-type handle into on top of the drum - see http://www.lofrans.it/old/images/pag8.jpg

Now I have it off there's still more dismantling, but it started to pour with rain/hail. Reading the Lofrans manual it's pretty clear they they EXPECT corrosion, hence the instructions to "... at least once every six months, to disassemble" and ".... separate, at least once every year, the windlass from the deck"

As long as your windlass motor works you probably never need to release the clutch or wind the drum by hand. On mine it is open to the elements. Tried to release the clutch to let out chain to the ground when boat came ashore in October and batteries taken off, jammed. Put on mental jobs list, got round to it this week.
 
MountingOperationAndMaintenanceInstructions-Airon_Page_1_zps24498b55.jpg


MountingOperationAndMaintenanceInstructions-Airon_Page_2_zpsa97a0c47.jpg


There, that should make it clear
 
Thanks both, now we can imagine the problem
Due to where they live on the foredeck, I've always made a cover for my windlass and it has paid off handsomely.
I like to tailor something that may (or not!) be admired, but a simple bag with drawstrings will suffice to keep off the worst of the greenies and rain. It also covers the chain hawse,and certainly lowers the maintenance overhead.
I hope you get your Lofrans fixed, as it looks like spares may become an issue. (I've got one too - different shaped bag though...)
 
Billjratt said:
Thanks both, now we can imagine the problem
Due to where they live on the foredeck, I've always made a cover for my windlass and it has paid off handsomely.
I like to tailor something that may (or not!) be admired, but a simple bag with drawstrings will suffice to keep off the worst of the greenies and rain. It also covers the chain hawse,and certainly lowers the maintenance overhead.
I hope you get your Lofrans fixed, as it looks like spares may becomeD an issue. (I've got one too - different shaped bag though...)
Click to expand...

Don't make it too attractive, I've had two knicked! Thought the first had blown off but the second had it's own lanyard so was definitely swiped!
 
I made a sexy blue cover for my windlass (a couple hours of sewing) but found that it actually retained moisture (enevitable up on the bow) and led to discoloration and potentially corrosion etc - mine is much better off without a cover (its now at home). May I suggest you check your manufacturer. Cheers Andrew.
 
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