The Simpson Lawrence 555 Seatiger is about 30 years old. Bryan repacked the grease in La Paz in 2012. All looked good. End of last season these were grease leaks from the operating bushes, so time to refurb.

July 2019

Originally purchased summer of 1991 ( we think ). Serial number 494004. Rope chain Gypsy is RCB70 for 5/16” hi test.

Prep
Found 2 schematics online, a bit of difference between the 2.
• SL Spare’s http://slspares.co.uk/pdf/Website%20Manuals/Diagrams%20Only/Seatiger.pdf
• And what looks like the original user’s manual we got when we purchased the windlass https://www.fujiyachts.net/manuals/S-L%20Seatiger555.pdf

Notice: part 58, the ratchet spacer washer is a set of one in SL Spares list and 2 in the original. Also SL Spares has grouped some of the parts into kits.

Order replacement parts from SL Spares at http://www.slspares.co.uk/, allow a week or so for delivery.
Ref no & Description
23 - Bottom gasket
25a,b,c - Ratchet bushes with springs
31 - springs (extra as many say these can wear, though we have not experienced this)
30 - Operating spindle bushes (4)
32,33 - Main shaft bushes
34 - grease nipple
42 - headed bushes (4)
43,45,46 - o rings
60 - idler shaft seals (2)
61 - ratchet shaft seals (4)

Check delivered parts to ensure no damage. One of our ratchet bushes was damaged. SL Spares quickly replaced at no additional cost, but a further delay of 5 days for shipping.

Tools needed
1. Tub to clean parts
2. Box and or socket wrenches: 19mm, 17mm, 10mm and small crescent wrench for grease nipple
3. Rubber mallet and wood blocks
4. Large C clamp
5. Screw driver: small slot and Phillips bits for the ratchet springs
6. Stick (old chop stick worked well) to get grease into corners
7. Long paint stir stick (for removing and adding grease)
8. Grease gun

8 Containers to hold parts including their keys, fasteners etc as you disassemble:
1. Deck fasteners (for Copernicus- 4 x 5 in bolts with washers and lock nuts)
2. Bottom cover
3. Locking pawl and rope chain stripper
4. Main shaft including gypsy and drum
5. Idler shaft
6. Ratchet and shafts
7. High speed operating spindle
8. Low speed operating spindle

Consumables:
1. Cloths
2. Paper towels
3. Mineral spirits
4. Latex or plastic gloves
5. Marine grade grease, I like the reddish colour, easier to see any metal bit or dirt.
6. Etching primer for aluminum
7. Aluminum paint
8. Penetrating lube
9. Painters tape
10. Anti seize paste

Review youtube vid on reassembling Sea Tiger 555 manual windlass. https://youtu.be/ v8SCciSG8VE. Good tips and reversed order for disassembling.

Dismount windlass from deck.

Disassembling (Remove, clean and inspect)
1. Remove gypsy, rope chain stripper and drum
2. Remove locking pawl
3. Remove bottom plate and bottom gasket.
4. Scoop out and dispose of old grease. Slosh mineral spirits around the inside and drain.
5. Remove mainshaft. Did not take clutch cone off.
6. Remove High speed operating spindle (had to get metal shop help)
7. Remove Idler shaft, did not remove gear from bush.
8. Remove Ratchet shafts
9. Remove Low speed operating spindle, again had to get metal shop to remove
10. Remove operating spindle and mainshaft Tufnol bushes (the brown ones, had to cut out to remove). Low and high speed operating spindles were leaking grease. Will replace the main bushes even though they were not leaking.
11. Remove headed bushes

Upon close inspection:
1. All metal parts were bright and sharp. No wear or corrosion. Tip: compare old to replacement parts to note how part worn.
2. Nylon ratchet bushes (all 4) were cracked where the screws entered the bush. Springs looked fine, though will be replaced.
3. Special note 1: old ratchet bushes on short arm end had been shaped to fit the case without jamming. The replacement bushes had to be filed down or else it jammed and did not allow gypsy and drum to rotate on the counter-clockwise crank of the operating spindles.

Reassembling
Tip: For each spindle or shaft, line up parts in order, making sure of port starboard orientation of parts. All spindles or shafts install from starboard side, except the high speed operating spindle which installs from port. Operating and main spindles and their gears are tapered. Starboard side of case has the hoss.

1. Prep, prime and paint case. Let cure for at least a day.
2. Protect case with painter’s tape. Cover working surface with cardboard or cloth to limit nicks and scratches.
3. Install operating spindle and mainshaft bushes. Very tight fit, no need for teflon tape as per video. Had to use lube oil on mainshaft bushes to aid installation.
4. Install low speed operating spindle.
5. Install upper ratchet shaft. See special note 1 above. Install lower ratchet shaft. Do not tighten the lower ratchet spindle yet.
6. Install idler shaft. Vid talks about a thin spacer washer on starboard side. None on our windlass and can not find in either parts list.
7. Install high speed operating spindle, need to drop the lower ratchet shaft to make room to install the large gear. Reinstall and tighten lower ratchet shaft. Notice that you can see both short and long arms of ratchet when viewing from bottom forward end.
8. Install mainshaft.
9. Install locking pawl, using anti seize on the SS bolt and aluminum case.
10. Install gypsy with rope chain stripper, use anti seize between the SS stripper and aluminum case.
11. Install drum
12. Test to ensure rotation of drum and gypsy when cranking on low and high speed spindles in both directions.
13. Fill with grease about inch or so from bottom, working grease into all corners and nooks, taking care to not damage springs.
14. Install bottom gasket and cover. Put anti seize between SS bolts and aluminum case.
15. Grease main shaft via the grease nipple.
16. Install headed bushes on base of case.
17. Mount windlass on deck.