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Muir Windlass Cougar Not Working-gctid397966

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    Muir Windlass Cougar Not Working-gctid397966

    We were out crabing yesterday. Went to put anchor down . Turned on windlass went on bow nothing. Tryed a few things turnning off and on still nothing. The light on the anchor switch is on. My Question what do I look for first. Could it be as easy as fuse in engine room? Bad Grounds? or what... Oh 38ft 1987 MY.

    Thanks for any help

    Zinker

    #2
    ZINKER wrote:
    We were out crabing yesterday. Went to put anchor down . Turned on windlass went on bow nothing. Tryed a few things turnning off and on still nothing. The light on the anchor switch is on. My Question what do I look for first. Could it be as easy as fuse in engine room? Bad Grounds? or what... Oh 38ft 1987 MY.

    Thanks for any help

    Zinker
    There is a master breaker for this windless, but if light is on the control panel, that would seem to indicate you have power to there. If I recall correctly the master breaker is on the same panel as the battery switches in the bilge and not too easy to reset. Could be a bad foot switch, will it neither go in or out? If one way works, then it could be a foot switch. Next I would check the power at the windless just under the deck. Have a helper on deck to step on one of the up/down switches and see if you have any power going to the windless. If you have power there and windless still does not work, then it is likely the windless itself. Most likely culprit would be brushes, which can get worn or stuck in up position. Any good motor repair shop should be able to repair if necessary.
    Started boating 1965
    Bayliners owned: 26 Victoria, 28 Bounty, 32, 38, and 47 since 1996

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      #3
      Jim,

      Sounds like the down switch is corroded.

      Take the chain off of the windlass, unlock the windlass and try the up switch.If it works, you probably have a corroded down switch. These are a simple contact switch. You can remove and clean the contacts.

      Good Luck
      Richard
      1988 3870 Bayliner

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        #4
        Hey thanks, I went down today. Released the chain tension LT RET said, hit both switches a few times. And guess what it worked. Now do I need to worry about motor,switches,or what ever. Do I need to clean contacts were it's connected to switch? Just Happy it's working we like to anchor more then going to dock... Thanks Richard....

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          #5
          We have had one switch failure and one terminal failure on the winches of the two 4588s we have had. Not sure, but I think this may be the same winch as you have. The switches seem pitiful to me. The connections need to be very tight. Pretty sure a loose connection caused our first failure where the terminal melted completely off. Second failure on a second boat was just nasty contact surfaces on the switch itself. I would replace both switches, as the contact area seems awfully small for the amps these things draw. Even dressed up with a file I am not sure you get back up to 100% contact area.

          When our anchor winch failed we were in a bay I did not want to anchor in, with another boat rafted up to us. When we began to drag....arrrrgh the winch failed when the ancor was part way up, but still on the ground. Rising seas and wind, and a defensless (properly anchored) boat we were dragging towards. That was some stress. Motored straight home and got two new switches and a spare!

          Cheers steve

          Comment


            #6
            had this same problem this week lucky for me I delt with this problem on a different boat a while ago but the fix is take the motor out and clean the brushes there is four of them and they do not slide down to the comutator with the springs just wack the Muir and it works for a little while the winch comes apart real easy clean up the brush holder and brushes and it will work just fine mine quite on the first night of a 6 day trip Roy SE Alaska
            1988 3818
            EH 700
            Custom hard top enclosed

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