Jump to content
Print your own personalised forum logo

Winch For 17' Boat

smitch6
 Share

Recommended Posts

smitch6

smitch6

Posted
Posted

Hiya

I have a 17' weekender it's similar to a shetland 2+2 

i have a 15hp  4 stroke outboard yamaha

and it hasn't much stuff inside, portaloo, seating in the back area 2 batteries fuel tank

 

what i would like to know is does anyone know of what size hand winch to get pls?

my old one has no rating and does it ok it's just quite stiff and the cable is rusty now so i want to replace it for a new one with a strap

 

thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites
thingamybob

thingamybob

Posted
Posted

Hi Smitch.

Winches are usually rated on pulling power. If the winch you already have is still in good condition,( just because it is rusty and stiff does not mean that it cannot be stripped, greased and reassembled), but not quite doing the job then you could think about doubling its power (in theory discounting friction) by putting a substantial pulley on the hook end where it connects to the boat and doubling the length of the rope. I use this method and have also increased the length of the handle by welding a bit of an extension into it which gives extra leverage. The set up works very well for me.

Please please please, if you go down this route do not use steel cable. it can give way without warning, lash back and cause serious injury. Use a good quality polyester rope of the smooth type of probably 600 to 800 lb breaking strain. even then, do not stand directly behind the winch when winching (safety first!).

I use this system on my break back trailer where the boat is physically dragged out of the water onto the rollers and not floated onto the trailer and it works very well.

If you go down the route of buying a new winch then I suggest you Google "Towrite" and they may be able to help.

Hope this helps, let us know how you get on.

Regards.

 

Thingy.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
thingamybob

thingamybob

Posted
Posted

Hi again.

I just googled Towrite and they do not seem the sort of company they used to be and now seem to only want to sell new trailers.

However, I googled "trailer winches" and found a company called Machine Mart who seem to supply what you want, give them a try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
thingamybob

thingamybob

Posted
Posted

I have just taken a couple of pictures of my set up. The polyester rope is around 600 lbs. breaking strain and fits neatly onto the winch spool. When doubled around the pulley it gives a maximum safe pull of 1000 lbs.

the winch gives a pull of around 800 lbs. so doubled around the pulley gives a maximum pull of 1600 lbs.

You will note that I am using a washing line pulley, it is however an old cast steel pulley which is quite robust. I do not recommend the newer washing line pulleys as they seem to be made of an inferior metal.

 

 

100_1127.JPG

100_1128.JPG

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
smitch6

smitch6

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Brill thanks for that, that all makes sense now i can see it.

I went down my boat yard today and looked at a similar size boat to mine and they had rating of 750 and the winch was about the same size with webbing strap, so i think mine is prob the same rating.

I now know what sort of thing i'm after.

Thanks for the help

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bound2Please

Bound2Please

Posted
Posted

If the winch you have is ok why replace it.Just replace the wire with a strap. Winches under 1000kg all have similar drum sizes, and will take a strap. (Trailer laws are quite complex) I personally feel that all boat trailers should be braked. (Just my opinion from the damaged boats and trailers we saw when we had the trailer firm)

Charlie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
thingamybob

thingamybob

Posted
Posted
15 hours ago, Bound2Please said:

If the winch you have is ok why replace it.Just replace the wire with a strap. Winches under 1000kg all have similar drum sizes, and will take a strap. (Trailer laws are quite complex) I personally feel that all boat trailers should be braked. (Just my opinion from the damaged boats and trailers we saw when we had the trailer firm)

Charlie.

For some reason, don't ask me why because I don't know, it is not recommended to have brakes on trailers for small boats such as Smitche's and mine. When trailing you just have to bear this in mind and keep a sensible distance from the vehicle in front and take particular care in wet weather. Using a big heavy car does help and the ABS works wonders if you do mess up. Personally I have never triggered the ABS but it is nice to know it is there if you have to slam everything on.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
thingamybob

thingamybob

Posted
Posted
On ‎31‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 8:46 AM, Bound2Please said:

In all the years we was trailer making and repairing them, I have never heard of that recommendation. Is this due to the many thousands of people that never have then serviced so the brakes seize up ?....

Charlie

I really do not know where the recommendation came from. When I built my trailer from Indispension parts the shop staff that supplied the parts told me that I could not get a braked suspension for that weight of suspension as it was not recommended to have brakes on that weight of trailer. The trailer is well within my car's towing capacity and the car has big wide tyres and as I said it has ABS. I consider myself a very experienced trailer driver and I don't push my luck and drive according to road conditions and as I said, I keep well back from the vehicle in front.

With regards to trailer maintenance I check my bearings and indeed, the whole trailer, at the end of the season for play and adjust when necessary. I replaced them last Autumn as a couple of times the previous year water got into the bearings due to accidental dunking and they were sounding a bit rough when I spun the wheels. My trailer is a break back design so usually the bearings are not wetted but accidents do happen. Even if bearings are regularly wetted they are so cheap nowadays on fleabay they can be changed at the end of each season for peanuts if you do the job yourself. Just tap the old ones out with a punch and push the new ones in with a vice. Make sure you push the outer rings in right to the shoulder in the hub. Whatever you do, do not try to wind the bearings in with the retaining nut as the new bearing will be damaged.

Being a bit of a belt and braces bod I would much rather do a couple of hours maintenance each Autumn on my driveway than be a hazard parked on the side of a motorway with a sick or dead trailer.

 

Thingy. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Sponsors

    Norfolk Broads Network is run by volunteers - You can help us run it by making a donation

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

For details of our Guidelines, please take a look at the Terms of Use here.

  I accept