----- Original Message -----
From: "kimberlite@... [amelyachtowners]"
Date: Thursday, January 29, 2015 1:56 am
Subject: [Amel Yacht Owners] Electric Winch Warning
To: amelyachtowners@...

>
>
>
> I awoke
>
> null about 500 miles offshore to a screeching noise forward of
> my cabin. Ijumped out of the bunk and as I passed the midships
> bunk the noise came fromabove the overhead.
>  
>
> I
>
> null off the circuit breaker for the starboard winch. When I
> opened up theinspection  panel for the winch motor, much to my
> surprise, the armatureof the drive motor was out of the motor housing.
>  
>
> I
>
> null remains of the motor housing electrically and removed it
> and the armatureleaving the gearbox still connected to the winch.
> The motor
>
> null slamming against the inside of the coaming and bent the
> negative stud forthe motor  and also sheared off the 61/2  inch
> long 1/4x 20 SAE boltsthat held the motor to the gearbox. The
> motor must be made in the USA.
>  
>
> Getting
>
> null off the shaft is as hard as getting the furling shaft out
> of theouthaul gearbox.
>  
>
>
> null occurred because there is a flange held into the base of
> theunderside of the winch attached with 5- 6 mm allen head cap
> screws whichsheared off. This flange keeps the motor
> gearbox from turning on itself. Thewinch  base has to be removed
> completely and the broken off screws have tobe removed.
> Then I had to
>
> null 6 ½ inch usathread 1/4x20 inch bolts. there is also a lip
> seal in the base of the winchwhich I replaced as well as a nylon
> insulating washer that is the diameter ofthe flange. I then
> purchased the shortest grade 12 screws . they were 20 mm long
> and need to be 12 mm long. i went through a number of cut off
> bladesshortening these very hard  cap screws, Instead of using
> locktite toreinstall these i used duralac as I find it holds
> better than locktite. Aligning the gearbox with the flange
> bolted to the base of the winch is aproject. I finally cut off
> the heads of two bolts and used these studs to
> alignthe gearbox to the flange and then had my girlfriend put in
> a few bolts thatheld the gearbox to the flange..
>  
>
> Getting the
>
> null (now lubricated with anti seize) aligned with the
> gearbox is just plaindifficult impinging on the occult. Bear in
> mind I think this assembly weights40 pounds and holding it over
> my head for literally hours is painful..
>  
>
> It all works now.!!!
>
>  
>
> Conclusion,
>
> null that when Amel attached the gearbox to the base of the
> winch they usednormal grade bolts and did not (for sure) use
>  thread locker. The shaftsalso need lubricating.
> I plan
>
> null the shaft from the other winch, changing the cap screws to
> a bettergrade and using threadlocker and anti seize in the shaft.
> I believe
>
> null check is to just get under the winch motor and see if there
> is any playbetween the flange and the gearbox or winch base.
>  http://www.p2marine.com/sailing-gear/lewmar/lewmar-winch-parts-
> 58est.shtml part 14 and 15 is what caused the problem.
>
> Fair winds,
>
> eric 
>
> sm 376 kimberlite
>