Asahi St30/35 Winches

[Loco Gato]

Anyone know where I can get rebuild kits?

[Tantinet]

Dear Lynn,

Thanks for your reply!

The part I need is exactly the self tailer shaft!!! It seems to be a
bad design, and one of them cracked open and jammed the winch. OK,
that is after 23 years of usage and 2 circumnavigations so not exactly
that bad a design, but let's say its weak point!

I also asked for a quote from a machine shop to make 2 new ones in
stainless instead of aluminum. They do the work with a robot, so the
first part (in fact the Cad drawings takes some time) will be
expensive but the others fairly cheap. How expensive was it to get
this machined for you ?

I would also like to find a set of journal bearings as a spare. I
found a matching size bearing but it is not stainless. Will be used in
case of emergency anyway. I wrote to a few winch manufacturers with
the dimensions and still waiting for some reply. Any ideas ?

Beside that the rest of the winches seems in perfect shape! I have 7
asahi winches but the others, smaller ones are of a different design
and are not used as aggressively.

I'll keep you posted with the info I find and the cost of getting
these made of SS.

Thanks.

[GordMay]

Is this it/them?
➥ Automatically meshing sheet winch

[Tantinet]

Dear Gord May,

They look like what is described in this patent. I did find that on the web but it was not of much help as there are no dimensions.

I am still searching for what company bought them out so as to find parts. I need the needle bearings and can't find anything of that size in bearing shops.

Thanks for your input!

Jacques

[Loco Gato]

Sorry for the delay,been getting ready for the Baja Ha Ha then over to San Blas to haul out.
The machine shop I went to could not make a replacement part that fit properly plus the metal was so thin it cracked just by dropping it on their table! Keep me posted as to your endeavors. Yesterday I just cleaned and re-packed the crap out of them, especially the 30 and the 35 that have broken tailers, so maybe they'll hold together for a bit longer. Figured if one goes completely south, I could just use the opposite one!
Good luck and keep me posted.
Lynn

[Tantinet]

Dear Lynn.

I took the broken part (but enough of it is there to take measurements) to the "doctor" and they are making drawings of it. They may be able to get these machined !! Won't be cheap, but cheaper than new winches for sure. I'll keep you posted, and will send you pictures of the final product. I could get some machined for you if they work out to be good! Mine are the ST30 model. Don't know if the 35 would share this component ?

I did not find a good replacement for the bearings yet. Seems to be unusual size. Might have to turn the drum or the post to fit an existing bearing with some insert in there. Hum, if my time is worth nothing then it is cheaper than getting new winches !

As they say : "Sailing is the art of slowly going nowhere, at great expenses"! Unfortunately, there are great expenses even while not going at all!

Jacques