All topics of this season start special:
Flash rust
Rust film is also frequently seen on high-quality stainless steels because the surface has become porous due to ageing, sunlight and salt. There are very good care products to combat flash rust, either directly from the fittings manufacturers or from specialist dealers, such as Collinite 850 Metal Wax from the USA, which is available from specialist dealers or online. This and a microfibre cloth can be used to polish all stainless steel surfaces such as railing supports or bow and stern baskets, weld seams or tensioners, making the surface smooth and preventing rust film from forming so easily. This can also be done on the side during the season.
Winch maintenance
Winches should be maintained and serviced approximately every 10,000 nautical miles - but rather too much than too late. To do this, remove the drum and take out the gear parts, pawls and springs. Take photos of the individual steps so that you can reassemble everything later, as you often don't have the maintenance instructions to hand. Then remove the old grease and dirt from all the gears and pawls with petrol, paraffin or brake cleaner, i.e. a grease remover, and a toothbrush and cloth. Be careful not to get any grease splashes on the deck. You can also cover the area around the winch with rags or cloths. We use a plastic bowl to put all the parts in so that nothing rolls away or gets lost.
For winch maintenance, you should get the appropriate maintenance kit from a specialist dealer - it costs 30 to 40 euros per winch - and replace the parts it contains, especially the pawls and springs. This is done far too rarely; the more often, the better. This does your winch a world of good. Finally, carefully relubricate everything with high-quality winch grease, preferably from the manufacturer. Not "a lot helps a lot", but grease in moderation. Above all, the pawls must not become sticky with grease. By the way, we have the following for winch maintenance has written a detailed article.
Traveller rails
Traveller rails and trolleys as well as mast rails should be cleaned and sprayed with a Teflon dry lubricant. They will then run like new.
Latch stopper
Also check the function of the halyard stoppers to see if they still close properly or if something is broken somewhere. You can also treat them carefully with Teflon spray, but make sure that nothing gets onto the jaws, otherwise the rigging will slip. Check the blocks and clamps in the same way and clean them with clear, hot water in the sink using a root brush, leave to dry and spray with a little Teflon spray.
Fittings checklist
- Check and replace railing wire and supports
- Check all fittings for strength
- Winches service
- Clean and spray the traveller
- Clean and spray the blocks
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