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Old 08-24-2017, 05:23 PM   #1
koliver
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City: Saltspring Island
Vessel Name: Retreat
Vessel Model: C&L 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,663
Lofrans Tigres rewinding

Last year my windlass still worked OK.
This year not so much. I got anything from nothing at all to a half hearted pull when I pressed the button to hoist.
In poking around under the windlass, cleaning prior to some varnishing, I put my finger through the power cable just where it penetrates the decking, heading down to the anchor locker, where the solenoids reside. That led immediately to a full replacement of the three cables, up, down and ground. Surprisingly, when I took the cover off the motor, everything looked like it was brand new.
Nope, nothing changed.
Next on the hit list were the rusty solenoids. Here I went to a local marine store (doubles as a Husqvarna dealer, so I wasn't expecting much). His cheapest solenoids were $75 each. Off to the Auto Parts store, 2/$75.
Again, nothing changed.
Took the windlass off, upended it, unbolted the motor from the windlass, lifted it out of the gear case. The oil in the gear case looks like it was put in yesterday, though I suspect it dates from 1980. The worm gear looks like it has never been used. I have lifted far more with this windlass than it was ever designed to lift, including a 20' car trailer that fouled my anchor in Ruxton Passage several years ago.
I called the Lofrans dealer in Vancouver. He told me that a new motor is $800.
I took it in to the local Auto Parts store, who sent it to a motor shop in Victoria. Their quote for a full rewind and brushes, which they say is necessary, is $490.00.
I don't know how much a whole new windlass would be, though I have been following ASD's windlass replacement in Ketchikan, so I know it would cost me at least a boat buck more.
The turn around time should see mine back in use before the long weekend.

Removing the motor from the gear case vertically wasn't something I would necessarily have done, but since I did it that way, I avoided losing any of the oil. Had I unbolted the motor in place, I am sure I would have lost at least a cupful and would have had a mess to clean up. Good luck, not good management. In my installation, the motor cover is pressed against the samson post, so the whole windlass had to be removed before that could be undone.
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