CD28 Primary winches

[Rockinar]

I just bought a CD28. It has Barient 17ST primary winches on it which are gummed up and need to be rebuilt, at best. I was thinking of maybe just replacing them with some more modern 2 speed winches (maybe larger) for easier maintenance and easy to get parts replacement. What size winches do people use for primaries on their 28?? Do you find the 15/16/17 size winches are adequate for the CD28? My only experience is with a Catalina 28 that had Lewmar 30's on it. Not sure if a larger winch would even be able to mount on the 28 mounting plate?

Thoughts?

[Frenchy]

Before you think about new winches, how about disassembling and cleaning the ones you have and
trying them out? Defender sells a Barient winch kit by Lewmar, so with a good scrub down and new
pawls, you just might be fine. - Jean

[Rockinar]

Before you think about new winches, how about disassembling and cleaning the ones you have and
trying them out? Defender sells a Barient winch kit by Lewmar, so with a good scrub down and new
pawls, you just might be fine. - Jean

Yeah, was going to try that first, but Google search shows people complaining that the pawls in the rebuild kit that Lewmar sells are not the right size.

[Steve Laume]

The pawls are probably fine or the new ones will fit. You will not know until you take the winches apart. Even if you buy new winches, you will need to service them on a regular basis. Working on the ones you have will be good practice if nothing else.

You generally don't get rid of your car because it needs an oil change, Steve.

[BernieA]

I have Barlow 24s as my primary winches. When I bought the boat 2 years ago, they were pretty stiff. I disassembled, cleaned and reassembled and they are good. There was no significant wear on any parts. If I were you, I'd do the same and spend some time sailing with them to decide whether you feel its worth it to replace them with self tailing winches.

Bernie Armstrong
CD 28 S/V Pinafore
Sequim Bay WA

[Neil Gordon]

I agree with the notion of cleaning them first. Just be careful taking them apart... parts like to jump overboard!

[kerrydeare]

I just bought a CD28. It has Barient 17ST primary winches on it which are gummed up and need to be rebuilt ... I was thinking of maybe just replacing them ...

Winches are perhaps the most durable gear on a boat, and all that's really required is sensible maintenance. Get a repair kit, learn to take the winches apart (perhaps with a plastic bag around them so parts don't go swimming), and you will likely find they will outlast both you and the boat.

[Walter Hobbs]

I like to take a shallow cardboard box (like a beer case), cut an appropriate circle in the middle and drop it over the winch during disassembly. Then I can recover the pawl or spring that jumps out of my hand.

[Keith]

I like the way you think Walter!

Keith

[Rockinar]

Did not have the right tools to remove the whole winches, but was able to pull the caps off and pull the drum to have a look at the guts. Just gummed up with old grease. I'll pull them off this weekend and rebuild.

Any tips or tricks to getting off the old grease? I was thinking of hitting it with some engine degreaser.

[Frenchy]

Mineral spirits should work fine. As others have said, be careful with the pawls and springs;
sometimes the latter are broken. You shouldn't have to remove the winches. You can buy special
winch grease at Defender or West Marine. There
are several u-tube videos on winch maintenance. Good luck - Jean

[Keith]

just remember that the grease is only for the bearings! DO NOT grease the pawls, they take a light weight oil. This is the most common mistake that people make.

Keith

[Rockinar]

just remember that the grease is only for the bearings! DO NOT grease the pawls, they take a light weight oil. This is the most common mistake that people make.

Keith

What about the gears? Oil? grease? Nothing?

[Jim Walsh]

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just remember that the grease is only for the bearings! DO NOT grease the pawls, they take a light weight oil. This is the most common mistake that people make.

Keith

What about the gears? Oil? grease? Nothing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqCunPhQHw4&app=desktop

This is a link to a YouTube tutorial on servicing a Lewmar Ocean Series winch but is broadly applicable to servicing any brand winch.
Pawls and springs get a light machine oil and everything else gets a light coating of winch grease.

[House]

Give the winches a good servicing, but if you are still not satisfied, you can probably sell them to a marine consignment store for a few hundred dollars, at least. Case in point: Our 28 came with Lewmar #40 self-tailers mounted on what look to be the original winch bases. We found the original Barient winches in a box with some other gear and after a few years took them to a consignment shop near the marina. The store didn't pay cash, but if memory serves, they give us a $300.00 credit. (It may have been even more; I remember being shocked that 30 year old winches could fetch that amount!) Apparently the winches stayed on the shelf just a few days before someone snatched them up. The store owner said winches like those are still in high demand from shipwrights, collectors, and DIYers restoring old boats.

Good luck!

Richard