I have just noticed on my recently acquired Parker 21 that one of the cockpit winch bases/plates (looks like a wooden wedge underneath the winch) has gone soft/rotted or something. Anyone else had this - with ideas to fix?

Peter White

On my 21 (No 30) the winches are bolted straight on to the top of the coaming. The port one works fine but the starboard one used to jam due to the lead from the genoa car and the fact that the winches are a bit wide for the top of the coaming leaving a "nip". It may be that your previous owner found another solution but used unsuitable material.

I stuck a wedge outboard of the winch to guide the sheet up over the bell of the winch so it didn't get stuck. I'll take a pic tomorrow when the tide comes in and email it to you. Don't think this system allows pics.

Geoff

Geoff Harwood

I have the same problem of starting to rot wooden bases for the cockpit winches on my 21 (48). They were origionally coated in gelcoat. The problem is th at water comes down the windch handle hole and drains over the bases. There is very little gelcoat on top of the bases - looks like poorly finsihed off My solution will be to treat the soft wood with harderner and then paint or fill the top part of the base to stop furtherwater penetration. This is plan A.

If any ones interested - reason for taking off winches is to bolt plates underneeth so i can fit clam cleats. Gib sheats from winch to jamming cleats don't work for me

Chris Brown