MacGregorSailors.com

Hi Folks,

This is my first post about my first problem on my first boat, a 1985 MacGregor 25. I sailed her once with the previous owner, so I know this to be a new problem (due, perhaps, to my own ignorance?)

I successfully raised the keel to lift it from the trailer and got her safely moored, but now cannot lower the keel. The winch handle is stuck hard and won't turn counterclockwise. The manual implies that winch handle should turn easily. I don't see any mention of a locking mechanism.... As I said, there was no problem turning the handle clockwise to raise the keel. I've searched this forum and can't find any mention of this problem. Any ideas would be very much appreciated!

Would very much like to go sailing...

Mark

The winch has a friction brake. It stops the winch from free wheeling and dropping the keel too fast. When I bought mine it was kind of stuck. You CANNOT oil it. It can be cleaned. If you hit it with your hand in a jerking motion you can get it moving and then it will lower if it is still operational. It sounds like yours will still work. You just have to overcome the brake on the winch.

This was all new to me when I bought mine and I had the same problem. It was the first time I saw this type of winch.

I've hit it with my hand, jerked it, tapped it with a hammer and the brake is stuck hard, as if it were working too hard to keep the keel from lowering. Hmm....

Sounds like you might need a new winch. Brake may be shot. Fair Winds And Full Sails....

There could be a toggling lever to the gears. You need to slightly twist handle in up direction to reduce pressure, then shift the toggle and wind away the other direction.

Most keel winches are of the brake type and not the ratchet type. With the brake type, you just need to reverse direction. Sounds like his is bound up.

~Rich

Hamin' X wrote:Most keel winches are of the brake type and not the ratchet type. With the brake type, you just need to reverse direction. Sounds like his is bound up.

~Rich

True, but I looked at a few Venture's last year and 2 had keel winch replaced with standard ratchet winches. Thought that might be the case here as well.

It feels and sounds like a ratchet type, but I don't see a way to lift the latch (as it were) and move the winch in the opposite direction. I managed to lower the keel, but definitely did not follow any standard or sensible protocol. Lying on my back I was able to get in behind the winch with a screwdriver to lift the latch that creates the ratcheting brake (while keeping the winch handle under control with my foot). Please don't tell my wife. But this can't be the way the winch was intended to be used.

Good to hear that you got it freed up. I'd recommend buying a new brake winch....they run anywhere between $50 and $85, depending on what you want. I got a Dutton-Lainson 1200Lb brake winch for my M25; with tax, it came to about $72.

If you replace your winch, try to stick with the same brand as you currently have installed; you might have to re-use the old handle. Often times, the new handles aren't angled enough from the base to be able to allow the handle to rotate without hitting the bulkhead. I had to re-use the old winch handle on my M25.