whats so special about marine grease?

[VicS]

Winch grease is very different to other greases and needs to be thin translucent stuff. When thick grease dries out it becomes sticky and is enough to hold pawls open and cause winch slip.

I thought only thin oil ( Harken suggest 3 in 1 ) should be used on the pawls.

 

[ostell]

Winch grease is very different to other greases and needs to be thin translucent stuff. When thick grease dries out it becomes sticky and is enough to hold pawls open and cause winch slip.

Pawls should not be greased, only oiled.

 

[vyv_cox]

Winch grease is very different to other greases and needs to be thin translucent stuff. When thick grease dries out it becomes sticky and is enough to hold pawls open and cause winch slip.

As the others have said, pawls should only be oiled. Grease comes in many grades, from 000 to 6, the lighter of which is not by any stretch of the imagination 'thick and sticky'. I have a tin of Grade 3 that needs a knife to cut it out, but Grade 1 is almost runny. Bearings should be greased with a light grade, for which NLGI 2 is probably most widely used.

 

[alant]

Winch grease is very different to other greases and needs to be thin translucent stuff. When thick grease dries out it becomes sticky and is enough to hold pawls open and cause winch slip.

You shouldn't grease the pawls anyway, use light oil!

Whoops, must read to the end before posting!