Winch Service

Pink and blue are so passé. Cooking vs engine overhauling, sewing vs unclogging the head—it’s all purple to us. Who am I kidding? Nobody who knows us, that’s for sure. We fall into traditional roles more often than I’d like to admit, but this week, I went rogue. 

Of course, any girl can service a winch. She just can’t multitask while doing it. Start by laying out all your supplies: flat head screwdriver, Allen wrench, cleaning brush, paper towels, gloves, mineral spirits, vinegar, grease, Tef Gel, and oil. Then, cut a winch-sized hole in the bottom of a cardboard box. Slip the box over the winch to prevent anything from falling into the water, and you’re ready to begin.

Now, take the winch apart, clean all the pieces in the mineral spirits (soak copper gears in vinegar if necessary), grease the gears, oil the pawls, and put the winch back together. What’s that? You can’t remember how the pieces fit together? Hahahahahahaha! 

So there’s a diagram for that.

And when that irreplaceable screw falls, bounces three times on the deck, and rolls into the water, don’t cry. Curse yourself because you forgot to use your trusty cardboard box catchment bin, and immediately order a new screw, shipped to the nearest UPS pick-up point. Then steal a screw from a less critical winch and move on. 

When you’re done, tell yourself you’re fabulous (because nobody else will), and if you have Tef Gel in your hair, you can now cry.

Last Remarks

• Our time in Queens Creek would not have been the same without Chris and Bill Burry. The Burry’s are Ocean Cruising Club [OCC] Port Captains whom we first met when we began our voyage in 2020. They were wonderful hosts then and now. Sitting around their table with Chris, Bill, Don, D, Russel, and Lynn was such fun, and it was a treat for us to share our experience in The Gambia at the OCC Southern Chesapeake Bay Dinner. Thank you, Chris and Bill!

• Speaking of The Gambia, Thank you to our generous donors for helping us to add a fresh coat of paint to The Bombally Cycle School.

• We’re still learning this boat, as evident during our sail from Annapolis to Solomon’s when Gerty’s preventer broke and knocked loose a grill support. She also sustained a small tear in her asymmetrical spinnaker. So, after repairs, Michael went on to bigger and better things. I’m happy to report that the installation of our new Feruno Satellite compass, as well as our new and improved port side-engine hatch cover, is complete.