Windlass is a very critical equipment for anchoring and mooring purpose. It is exposed to heavy weather, sea water, humidity and various stresses. So, it must be maintained at all times and foundations checked.
Fig.: Windlass maintenance
Anchor windlass maintenance:
1. General maintenance
- Retighten electrical connections(starters remote control/ electrical motors)
- check for leakages in main system/ servo system
- send oil sample to oil company for analysis
- Cleaning and painting
- Brake drum should be free of oil, grease and other deposits. The brake drum should be cleaned periodically with a solvent prescribed by the maker
- The brake drum and the disk should be checked for wearing out or damage
- The foundation of the windlass should be checked
2. Windlasses/ cable lifter units