After frequent anchoring, the bow roller bolts eventually would begin to jam and not turn easily. The anchor then would not freely deploy when released, and this also was causing wear on the stainless cheek plates on either side of the roller. The solution is to lubricate the bolt, but doing so requires removing the roller and bolt: a hassle that also risks dropping parts into the water.
While we were in Auckland, we had Holton Marine install grease fittings on our two bow-roller bolts. They drilled a hole longitudinally through the center of the bolt, then radially to bring grease out to the friction surface, and put threads in the end to screw in a stainless steel marine grease fitting. With this solution, it’s easy to get a pump in there to lubricate the bolt. We now easily can grease the bow roller bolts without having to remove them and risk dropping parts in the water. And we’re finding that, because they take more grease, we don’t have to lubricate them as frequently. It’s so easy, we don’t mind, and so effective, we don’t have to.
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After 56 years of working on machinery (in the UK) I have never seen a grease pump like that. It’s just so much better for a boat than what we use at the moment, great big messy things that take full-seize cartridges. I searched online to buy one but because I don’t know what they are called I can’t find them. I bet you know the Amazon page for one like that. And the grease tubes (like a toothpaste tube) that fit into them.
I know what you mean Michael. I hate pretty much everything I’ve tried but this little unit from Mercury Marine is wondeful. This is the guy:
https://www.amazon.com/Mercury-quicksilver-Parts-Grease-Gun/dp/B000XBKK10
And this is the grease I use in it (also excellent):
https://www.amazon.com/Mercury-Quicksilver-802859Q-QUICKSILVER-LUBRICANT/dp/B002V3KD2O
What an elegant solution. Love reading your approach to challenges. Cheers!
Thanks for the blog feedback and we’re glad you like the bow roller solution. 10 years later, it’s still working great for us.