Moving up the mast to the winches: These winches can be considered part of the standing rigging. What this means is that a winch that holds a cable furling system or a flying jib can also stand all season long or longer without inspection. It may be a hassle to drop the system but it should be done at least twice a year.
Don't forget that the winch is a vital part of the standing rigging. The system should be inspected for wear and tear, corrosion, frayed wire/rope and most importantly the fasteners holding the winch to the mast. If the halyard is wire/rope spliced, be sure to inspect the splice very carefully and the cable for frays. Inspect any cleats that are used to cleat the tail of this halyard. Some modern sailboats use line clutches or line stoppers to hold this line fast. Close inspection of these stoppers or line clutches is standard. Check for wear and tear, corrosion and proper operation.
Remove the winch head and be sure the winch is well lubricated and the gears are clean. Clean and re-grease if necessary making sure the winch operates freely. Make sure not to lose the small springs or clutch dogs overboard. I am speaking from personal experience, this makes for a bad day.
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