ANCHOR WINCH MAINTENANCE

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.

- Jon Mendez

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.