Knowing how to maintain your anchor winch is a vital skill, as this crucial piece of safety equipment could save your boat from disaster in the event of an engine failure
Anchors aren’t just useful for lunch stops, they are also a vital piece of safety equipment that in the event of an engine failure could save your boat from being blown onto rocks. So knowing how to maintain and service your anchor winch is an important skill to have.
On a bigger boat, the rode is likely to be all chain, rather than a mixture of rope and chain, so always remember to wash it off after every use, preferably with fresh water, but if that’s not available, a good few buckets of sea water will suffice. This will at least remove all the dirt and sand deposited by the chain on the winch and gypsy – the part that rotates to move the chain and anchor.
I also recommend a yearly clean and lubrication of the winch parts above the deck. The one in our photos has a rope drum for hauling either anchor rope or mooring lines, and a chain gypsy below. These can work independently of each other or be locked together. Your anchor winch may just have the chain gypsy, in which case the clutch part works the same but just on the gypsy.
The first step is to insert the winch handle in the star drive mounted on the top. This controls the clutch, which is a really important but often forgotten part. The clutch consists of a pair of metal cones above and below the part that is being turned. When tightened down hard, the plates bind, and the motor shaft turns the whole thing. When loose, the chain gypsy is free to rotate on the shaft.
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On our winch, the rope drum is permanently driven by the motor, but the chain gypsy only turns when you tighten the clutch. If you loosen the clutch, the gypsy will rotate freely, allowing the anchor to fall to the sea bed (or the end of the chain). This is important to know, as it allows you to anchor even without electric power.
It’s also important to understand that the only thing holding the anchor against its rest is the two metal plates in the clutch, which is why I always insist on a safety line to keep the anchor in place should the clutch fail.
Most anchor winch designs are similar, but it’s worth checking your own winch’s operation manual first in case it’s different. Anchor winches are a service item and some parts will need replacing from time to time – especially the clutch plates.
Be sure to take care – winches can also cause serious injuries, and as many systems have both deck and helm switches, either isolate the breakers or turn the battery switches off before working on them. Also, make sure that you take the weight of the anchor off before you remove the chain, so it can’t slip or move on its own while you are working on it.
Safety measures
The first step is to remove the weight of the anchor and chain from the winch. Here, I have threaded a line through the chain and tied it off on a cleat. Now I turn the power off.
Remove cover
Now remove the chain pipe cover. The cover feeds the chain off the winch, through the deck and into the anchor locker, so you need to remove the cover before you can lift the chain off the gypsy.
Lift chain
Now lift the chain off the gypsy and inspect the chain for damage. It has a hard life and is prone to wear, especially where it’s regularly in contact with the gypsy. I use a cloth to protect the teak deck.
Remove stripper
Next take off the chain stripper, the metal finger lying face down in this image. Take care to lay out all the parts in the order you remove them. This makes reassembly much quicker and easier.
Remove drum
Next is the gypsy and drum. Undo the top and pull. You can see the clutch parts in the gypsy and the base plate. Use a toothbrush and a mild detergent to clean out any dirt and debris from the corners.
Lubricate and reassemble
Lubricate all parts that move, including the shaft, clutch plates, washers and all the bolts. Reassembly is just a reversal of dismantling. Lastly, replace the chain and test all the switches.
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