Trailer Winch, whats good for bigger boats?

Nodrog

Nodrog

New Member
Feb 12, 2013
57
Eastern Shore Maryland
Boat Info
1999 Sea Ray 270 Sundancer Kohler 5kw Genset, Garmin GPSMAP 440s
2001 Ford F350 Super Duty Super C
Engines
454 Mercruiser MPI w/Bravo III Drive
I have a 99 270DA on a bunk trailer. Trailer is only year and half old, but the winch was underside for the weight of this boat. Cable Has broken a couple times already.. What kind of winch do you use? What's good? What's should I stay away from? I pull the boat out about six times in the season for maintenance or alternate launch points to save on fuel consumption.

Thanks for any info

Gordon
 
Unless the trailer was custom built for a prior boat, I would suspect that the winch is sized right for the boat it was designed to carry. I would be concerned that the trailer was overloaded. On the other hand, it could just be that an upgraded cable will solve the problem.
 
src said:
Unless the trailer was custom built for a prior boat, I would suspect that the winch is sized right for the boat it was designed to carry. I would be concerned that the trailer was overloaded. On the other hand, it could just be that an upgraded cable will solve the problem.
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Depending on manufacturer of the trailer, some will put lighter duty parts to make price points on new trailers.

MM
 
MonacoMike said:
Depending on manufacturer of the trailer, some will put lighter duty parts to make price points on new trailers.

MM
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True, but I do think the actual capacity of the trailer should be investigated before slapping a new winch on there. If he's already done that, then great, but at this point we would be assuming facts not in evidence.
 
From what I've seen, bunks are float on with the last couple of feet winched. Are you trying to winch it all the way?

If the winch is properly sized, Have you you considered a block and tackle arrangement to reduce the load.
 
dpmulvey said:
From what I've seen, bunks are float on with the last couple of feet winched. Are you trying to winch it all the way?
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+1 on this.....we float on our bunk trailer up to around 2 ft from the bow stop roller and 'power load' the rest of the way until the bow hits the roller.....then we use the winch to snug the bow up to the roller......the only thing the winch does really is snug the bow into position against the roller and hold it there....maybe play with how far you back the trailer in the water to see how far you can float onto the trailer before the winch is needed....

if you are having to actually winch your 270 onto your trailer any significant distance that has to be a LOT of hard work and will require quite a powerful winch and strong strap/cable......you can double the power of a winch by using a single pulley connected to the bow eye on the boat and doubling back the winch cable to a secure point back at winch stand (see pic below for the idea)...it cuts the speed of retrieval in half but doubles the pulling power....as was mentioned before look into a 'block and tackle' set up to see how a single pulley can be incorporated....guys that go '4 wheelin' and get stuck in the mud use this all the time........you can also increase the power of a winch by keeping the diameter of the drum and wrapped cable as small as possible.....in other words only wrap as much cable around the winch drum as needed to do the job...as the diameter of the winch drum and cable increases the effective pulling power of the winch decreases (with the same amount of force applied to the winch handle)....i believe the ratings for winches are derived by having only 1 wrap of cable/strap around the drum....so the actuall pulling power of a winch with a full load of cable/strap around the drum will actually be less than the published rated power if you only use the outer layers of the cable/strap to do the job at hand......also wet your bunks by dunking them in the water before you start winching....the water will provide some lubrication between the bunks and the boat hull....

cliff

IMAG0687.jpg
 
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Thanks for the info guys. The trailer is a tidewater trailer, I bought new from the Sea Ray Dealer made for my 270 DA. The winch is a Dutton-Lainson DL3200A. I do float the boat on about 2ft from the bow stop. The last two feet at the ramp isn't bad with the winch, but when the boat is pulled off the ramp due to the angle of the ramp it will come off the bow stop about 8 to 10 inches. That is where the cable started breaking this year. The cable does seam thin for pulling this heavy a boat. Maybe a heavier cable will fix the problem.
 
Go with a strap and block and tackle as shown. Literally, "grease the skids" on the trailer. Spray liberally with store brand "PAM". It works wonders. Do this every time you launch prior to parking the trailer for the days outing, or just before you retrieve. You'll be amazed at the difference.
 
Nodrog said:
Thanks for the info guys. The trailer is a tidewater trailer, I bought new from the Sea Ray Dealer made for my 270 DA. The winch is a Dutton-Lainson DL3200A. I do float the boat on about 2ft from the bow stop. The last two feet at the ramp isn't bad with the winch, but when the boat is pulled off the ramp due to the angle of the ramp it will come off the bow stop about 8 to 10 inches. That is where the cable started breaking this year. The cable does seam thin for pulling this heavy a boat. Maybe a heavier cable will fix the problem.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying things. That explains the problem - I doubt that the winch/cable is designed to pull the full weight of the boat across the bunks, even 10 inches. Perhaps you can winch it up, pull forward a few feet (so part of the boat is still in the water, but it has slid back) and winch it tight. Frankly, once the bow is winched up all the way, the only way it will slide back is if the cable is wrapped loosely and the slack slips out. Try to keep the cable wound as tight as possible, and tighten up before the boat is completely out of the water.
 
Where we launch power loading is "Strictly Prohibited". We use the winch to fully load the 270 on the trailer. We have the above noted winch setup and usually back the trailer down for initial lineup, connect the winch strap, and snug it up in high gear on the winch. We then back the trailer down a few more feet and snug again, then, depending on the ramp may need to do it again. The variable is the grade of the ramp, the steeper the harder to get on.

MM
 
if you must winch the boat in the last few inches due to it slipping back when the trailer/boat goes up the steep ramp are you trying to winch the last few incehes while the boat/trailer are still on the ramp?.....if so maybe if you winched the last few inches when the boat/trailer is at the top of the ramp and on fairly level ground the winching would go easier....winching the boat while it is on the ramp would mean you have to overcome the force of gravity as well as the friction caused by the bunks in order to move the boat on the trailer....

i have launched at a few steep ramps and have experinced the same problem you are experiencing.....what i have found is that the boat will tend to move itself forward on the trailer after the first couple of stop lights on the way home....then i just have to retighten the hold down straps at the stop lights....i am not suggesting this is the best or safest way to fully load the boat but it is an effective way to snug the bow up against the bow roller a few inches....always make sure the safety chain is connected if you decide to try this method.....

cliff
 
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The techniques for smaller boats don't work very well for boats near 10k pounds. A 270 does not move much on the road in my experience, I have never even been able to slide it forward on occasions it did not stay tight to the bow stop. One issue the OP may be experiencing in cable breakage is one I have seen a few times. The bow eye is snug to the bow stop but when the trailer is pulled up the ramp the bow pulls away from the stop an inch or two. If the cable is not up to the pull it will snap instead of stretch like my heavy duty straps do. I'm skeptical that one could break a cable by cranking the winch

MM
 
MonacoMike said:
The techniques for smaller boats don't work very well for boats near 10k pounds. A 270 does not move much on the road in my experience, I have never even been able to slide it forward on occasions it did not stay tight to the bow stop. One issue the OP may be experiencing in cable breakage is one I have seen a few times. The bow eye is snug to the bow stop but when the trailer is pulled up the ramp the bow pulls away from the stop an inch or two. If the cable is not up to the pull it will snap instead of stretch like my heavy duty straps do. I'm skeptical that one could break a cable by cranking the winch

MM
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I think there is something to this, it happens in the process of the boat settling down on the trailer when you first start pulling out...it's aggravated by the steepness of ramps, keel bunk boards that run up close to the bow of the boat, and a winch that is mounted too low compared to the height of the boat bow eye.
 
MM

When that cable breaks it sounds like a gunshot and scared the crap out of me. I do like the Idea of a heavy strap.. Did you put all 20 ft. of the strap on the winch or did you cut it shorter? Once the boat is on the trailer it wont move forwards with breaking, but I like it snug to the bow stop to prevent the bow from rocking when hitting bumps in the road.

Thanks for the info.

Gordon
 
I've got the same winch as MM does. I use the full 20' it came with but could get by with a lot less. When I load my boat I often slide all the way up to the stop, so little cranking needed.
 
Woody

I believe you are correct that the boat settles down onto the trailer causing the bow to pull away from the stop and the stepper the angle the further the bow will be away from the bow stop. I'm sure I will replace with a strap, that cable snap has put a little fear in me. I will try moving the position of the winch and bow stop to see if that will make a difference at the ramp this year. When the marina set up the trailer they put the boat on with the lift and I guess they just mounted the winch level with the bow eye.

Thanks

Gordon
 
Gordon, make sure the strap is rated for the heavy loads, my memory says 5k lbs.

When I was struggling over the anchor catching on the bow stop I worked up a model on paper and it was enlightening. Retrieving a little bow rider the rear bunks are only about 15 feet back and a foot or two lower than the water surface. On trailers our size it is more like 25 feet back and 3 to 5 feet below the surface. When we pull up the ramp the trailer also rises to meet the hull creating the separation we are discussing.

Woody, I think you are right as the separation did not start until I added forward keel bunks to help the anchor fouling issue.

MM
 
Nodrog said:
I'm sure I will replace with a strap, that cable snap has put a little fear in me.
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unfortunately there have been many people injured and/or killed by a cable snapping and whipping back towards the winch......we don't have to be afraid of cables but we all should be extremely careful when using them......

cliff
 
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