Double checking my retrieval procedure

[jhogle]

Everything has been going really well with my first boat so far except for taking the boat out of the water. On one occasion, I had a winch strap break when pulling the boat up the ramp. Luckily a backup chain caught the boat and I was able to replace the strap no big deal. This last weekend when taking the boat out, the winch handle slipped when pulling up the ramp, the backup chain snapped entirely. Luckily the winch somehow held in place the rest of the way up the ramp. So I am going to replace the old winch entirely, and get the most serious backup chain I can find to replace my broken one.

In the meantime, I just want to double check that I am not missing something when I am taking out the boat. I am currently:

1. Guiding the boat onto the trailer.
2. Attaching the winch hook to the winch hook connecterator-thingy majig on the bow of the boat.
3. Cranking the boat up on the trailer with the winch handle until the bow of the boat is up on the roller and secure against the rubber pad on the trailer.
4. Attaching my safety chain, and hauling the boat up the ramp

With this method, the winch / winch strap are what is holding the boat securely on the trailer as I pull up the ramp. Is there any step I am missing such that the weight of the boat is not entirely on the winch? Or should the winch / strap be what is holding the weight of the boat as I pull up the ramp?

Side note: When looking to purchase a winch, are there any advantages to winches with straps vs steel cables?

 

[njlarry]

Straps will not cut your hands, kink, rust, or be hard to grasp. Sounds like a trailer extender would help you float the boat on.

 

[LakeShark]

Looks like you have a wing keel like me. I back in until the front edge of the bunks is just above the water, crank up the boat, check the winch is locked in place and pull away. The weight of the boat should largely be on the keel and it should not slide. In fact the trailer bunks must go completely under for me to get my boat off even with the wench disconnected. Perhaps your bunks are to high and there is not enough weight on the keel? Otherwise it sounds like your doing everything right. However if you need 1 more layer of protection you could use a piece of rope to secure the wench handle against turning.

 

[Leeward Rail]

The weight of the boat should largely be on the keel and it should not slide.

+1

Unlike a lightweight fishign boat, you float the boat completely on the trailer. You don't pull it on/up the bunks with the winch.
The winch strap/cable is to simply stop the boat from sliding backwards and hold it against the the bow stop/pad, not to pull it onto the trailer.

When we load heavy boats like the C22, either my wife or I holds the boat in position, against the bow stop/pad, with the outboard idling in gear. The other person then attaches the winch and tightens it up, then attaches the backup safety chain.
As we pull it out, we check to make sure the boat is sitting in the correct position. If not, we back up a bit and reposition it,before hauling it out all the way.
On the C22, we then lower the keel to sit on the keel support/bunk.

Straps are somewhat nicer. No rusting. Easier on the hands. Less chance of it tangling on the drum. Unfortunately less durable.

 

[watercolors II]

Years ago Catalina Direct offered a heavy duty bow eye because owners would weaken the factory setup trying to winch the hull up onto the trailer like a fishing boat that has a flat or straight bottom. I now see Catalina Direct offers a number of eye setups for those that continue to winch the hull onto the trailer.



As these fellows say, the hull must be floated onto the trailer and use the winch for the last couple of feet for final positioning.



To float the hull onto the trailer, the trailer must be in deep enough for the front of the bunks to be just under the water so you can still see them in darkish water. A extension to the trailer tongue may be required to get the trailer that deep in the water.



A bow roller placed one third the distance from the front of the bunks to the winch will help lift the bow up above the front ends of the bunks to help reduce the friction caused by the bunks untill the hull is in its proper position on the trailer.



Keel guides on the trailer will help center the hull to the trailer so repositioning the boat is not needed.



Once the trailer is pulled just a little ways out of the water the friction of the bunks will carry the weight of the hull so no extra stress is placed onto this eye on the ramp.

 

[Daveinet]

You forgot the bump stop - where when you pull the boat out of the water, you stomp the brakes to get the boat to slide forward on the trailer...

 

[AWalker]

Replace the winch with one that works well. Then replace the chain, just make sure there is not too much slack in the chain, just loose enough to get it on the bow eye. If your chain is too long and the boat slides down the trailer you don't want it to get up much momentum before the chain tightens.

 

[DAVA390]

Although not winch related,always use trailer safety chains on the hitch even if you are just running around the yard in the marina, I found out the hard way about that one!

 

[Doug4bass]

Tongue extension, tongue extension, tongue extension. .....and maybe waders.

 

[JimInPB]

...Straps are somewhat nicer. No rusting. Easier on the hands. Less chance of it tangling on the drum. Unfortunately less durable.

The straps usually get faded before they weaken to the point of giving you trouble. Normally, just the outer wrap on the drum and the short span of strap that goes from there to the bow eye are affected. After a year or two, I usually cut off the first foot or two from the strap & tie the fresh end back on to the snap hook. By the time that the strap is starting to get short, the whole winch is usually rusted out & in need of replacement. I also find straps much nicer to work with compared to cable.

 

[Milton.Audas]

I replaced the old trailer winch with this Fulton F2, with straps. 3200lb capacity. Maybe overkill but works a treat. We only pull in/out once per year but if you trailer launch every time then this is the winch I would recommend. Nice motion, 2 speed, easy selector switch.