Bilbo
Youngstown, Ohio
Boat Name: Sea Dog
Model/Year: Catalina 22 1987
Hull No. 13971
Hailing Port: Andover, Ohio |
 03/13/2007 6:11 AM Pacific Time
Well,
Here's one way.
If the boat is moving the cable on the keel winch will start humming.
If the keel is down all the way and you winch the cable out a bit more, the cable will go slack and the hum will stop. No harm in that as long as the cable doesn't get out of place and jammed on the winch drum. Some like to hear the cable hum. It's an indication of how fast you are going. The higher and louder pitch means faster. Some don't like the noise and they make the cable go loose.
It is a good idea to count the number of winches that It takes to winch it up all the way. That way you don't winch the cable in too tight and damage something.
As an example, I know that my winch takes about 27 turns (yours may be totally different) to raise or lower it all the way. When I winch up the keel to about 24 turns, I slow down from then on.
Also, when you winch it down you will also know about where you are with that.
If you have just bought a used boat, I'd check the keel cable and all that eqipment to make sure everything is working properly. |
