Furling drums and swivels, sheet and halyard winches...the moving parts on deck..what recommendations do you have for winterizing in cold climates. Can you just rinse them with fresh water and leave them for the winter...or should you completely strip them down and grease, oil, lubricate (or whatever) now. I was wondering what happens to the lubricants in very cold weather over an entire winter. Won't you just have to redo the whole process in the spring anyway? If the parts are "clean and dry" for the winter do you still have to worry about corrosion? I guess what I'm asking is if there is any "disadvantage" to waiting until spring to do the lubricating.
Setsail728@aol.com
Moving parts - winterizing
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Larry DeMers
Re: Moving parts - winterizing
I sail in Superior, so have no experience with saltwater problems. But some of what we have learned would be applicable because of the extreme cold weather we experience.
I have a Hood LD Roller/Furler, and we shoot the bearings with water by raising the assembly top off the furler drum and just rinse it clean, then replace the assembly and retighten.
Check carefully with the maintenance instructions for your furler, especially about lubrication requirements.
We wait until spring before relubricating moving parts and that has worked well for us so far. I do however, make a list of work to be done in the spring, and then place a copy of it on the boat for spring, and also take a copy home with us, for planning purposes.
You folks with salt concerns should rinse the boat and moving parts carefully I would expect, and allow to dry. I would use a very light oil on moving parts, like WD40 if any at all, as dust and dirt still fly around over the shut down time..4-6 mn. worth. That stuff will just accumulate on freshly lubricated surfaces that are exposed to the elements, so nothing has been gained.
Cheers!
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
demers@sgi.com
I have a Hood LD Roller/Furler, and we shoot the bearings with water by raising the assembly top off the furler drum and just rinse it clean, then replace the assembly and retighten.
Check carefully with the maintenance instructions for your furler, especially about lubrication requirements.
We wait until spring before relubricating moving parts and that has worked well for us so far. I do however, make a list of work to be done in the spring, and then place a copy of it on the boat for spring, and also take a copy home with us, for planning purposes.
You folks with salt concerns should rinse the boat and moving parts carefully I would expect, and allow to dry. I would use a very light oil on moving parts, like WD40 if any at all, as dust and dirt still fly around over the shut down time..4-6 mn. worth. That stuff will just accumulate on freshly lubricated surfaces that are exposed to the elements, so nothing has been gained.
Cheers!
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
Warren Kaplan wrote: Furling drums and swivels, sheet and halyard winches...the moving parts on deck..what recommendations do you have for winterizing in cold climates. Can you just rinse them with fresh water and leave them for the winter...or should you completely strip them down and grease, oil, lubricate (or whatever) now. I was wondering what happens to the lubricants in very cold weather over an entire winter. Won't you just have to redo the whole process in the spring anyway? If the parts are "clean and dry" for the winter do you still have to worry about corrosion? I guess what I'm asking is if there is any "disadvantage" to waiting until spring to do the lubricating.
demers@sgi.com