Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

[MassillonBuckeye]

Unless I get in the water just perfectly, I have a gap at the bow stop when I pull out. Which wouldn't be a big deal if I could winch it the rest of the way but I can't unless I have someone pushing the boat onto the trailer from the stern. I don't think my winch is high enough? I'm also having an issue driving the boat on and having the keel drag across the main beam of the trailer. Should I add another keel roller? Was thinking how I could incorporate one of the Stolz self centering rollers and possibly cure both of my ails?

gap and angle of winch strap:

Winch post:

Main beam where keel drags:

Whole kit and kaboodle.

 

[Wind dog]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

I would guess that sense the winch is so low when you try to wench it on when dry you are pulling the bow down instead of forward, I'd raise the wench.
There are many on this board that have been around this stuff alot more then me, This is just my opinion.

 

[MassillonBuckeye]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

I would guess that sense the winch is so low when you try to wench it on when dry you are pulling the bow down instead of forward, I'd raise the wench.
There are mamy on this board that have been around this stuff alot more then me, This is just my opinion.

Yes, it does pull the boat down onto the keep roller. So I'd basically need a new winch post. I don't think I can raise it any with the current post.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

I suppose a guy could install another bow ring lower on the boat, giving the winch a different angle.

 

[MassillonBuckeye]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

I suppose a guy could install another bow ring lower on the boat, giving the winch a different angle.

Yeah I suppose. As you can see there the waterline is about 6-7 inches away Hmm. Hadn't thought of that. Not a huge fan of drilling more holes in boat though.. Hmm.

 

[Wind dog]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

My buddies boat loads like this also, Once you have it pulled out of the water, crank the winch up (Tight but not overly so, you'll break something) Then grap the bow & try to pick it up,It does not take much. When you do this the boat should come farward, repeat until you are tight on the bow stop.
Or just get rid of the whole rig, I'd be happy to dispose of it for you.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

Rotate your bow stop to catch the Bow.

Adding a Winch strap roller would change the angle of the pull.
A 1/2 inch bolt with a piece of PVC pipe over it would do.



And PLEASE add a Safety Chain to the bow.
If the strap goes, so does the whole boat!

 

[MassillonBuckeye]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

My buddies boat loads like this also, Once you have it pulled out of the water, crank the winch up (Tight but not overly so, you'll break something) Then grap the bow & try to pick it up,It does not take much. When you do this the boat should come farward, repeat until you are tight on the bow stop.
Or just get rid of the whole rig, I'd be happy to dispose of it for you.

Not getting rid of it! haha I can lift the bow but that doesn't mean I can crank the weight of the boat across the bunks. The boat is pretty heavy with a 70HP Merc, all those casting decks and 4 batteries.. I have lifted the bow a few times to get it centered on the front keel roller. I don't think that's going to help me winch it any more forward though. I'll play with that.

Rotate your bow stop to catch the Bow.

Adding a Winch strap roller would change the angle of the pull.
A 1/2 inch bolt with a piece of PVC pipe over it would do.

And PLEASE add a Safety Chain to the bow.
If the strap goes, so does the whole boat!

I'm not sure where you'd mount a roller? Do you have a picture or something? The bow stop rotates freely and when the bow makes contact it rotates up. The boat sits firmly on bunks with a strap over the stern so I was never real worried about it flying off the back. I've considered that though.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

... I can lift the bow but that doesn't mean I can crank the weight of the boat across the bunks. ... I have lifted the bow a few times to get it centered on the front keel roller...

...I'm not sure where you'd mount a roller? Do you have a picture or something? The bow stop rotates freely and when the bow makes contact it rotates up. The boat sits firmly on bunks with a strap over the stern so I was never real worried about it flying off the back. I've considered that though.

The Strap roller bracket is something that you would need to fabricate.
I can't suggest how to do it because all we have is a side view of the Bow stop strut.
What shape is it? U-Channel? Box tube?
What are the dimensions? Wider than the Strap?

If you can lift the Bow by hand, picture what would happen if the bow strap or winch failed at highway speeds and the wind starts to lift it!
The boat is going to do a back flip!
The Winch is for winching! It is mechanical and prone to failure.
The strap is fabric and prone to rot.
A safety chain is much simpler, more reliable and redundant.
You may go like this for 20 years like this without an issue.
You have just been lucky, not safe!
Murphy likes to hang around trailers.

I originally assumed you had transom straps. I now see the Gunnel strap.
This holds the boat down but not from sliding.

The way the boat is secured in the photos; If you were it have to make a Hard/Panic/Emergency Stop; The boat is going to slide Forward, It is not in the bow stop, it is not even aligned with the bow stop, the winch strap is going to go slack, the boat is going around the bow stop and past the winch, hopefully the winch strap stops the boat before it goes through your back window.

The bow needs to fully in the bow stop with the bow eye under it and touching it.
The bow stop is not a cosmetic item, it is a critical safety item.
The Safety chain is the insurance policy.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

Hard to really judge by the pictures you included though here is my take on what I can see.

The winch should be moved up. So that when winching on the strap is parallel to the trailer and not trying to pull the load up or down but even. Looks as though you could accomplish this by removing the bow stop bracket then raising the winch. Which ten you will have to remount the brackets for the bow stop.

Next from what I see is that the bow keel roller is too far forward and is making contact after the bow starts to rise instead of being under the bow and adding support and guideance to the keel, which is also compounded by the downward force of the winch.

Again this is just my take on what I've seen in the pictures provided. Everything is adjustable, it's just a matter of how hard are the adjustment going to be to make.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

Another quick observation would be to remove the winch then flip it 180 deg. and rewrap the winch strap in the opposite direction.

 

[smoedog]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.


What they mean with the winch roller is adding a roller for the strap to pass above so the strap is pulling the eye UP to the bowstop.

Red line is your setup. Blue line is with the strap roller

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

I think I'd start all over with a proper winch post. That's one odd rig you have there.

Also from here, it looks like the forward most keel roller is too far forward; slide it back to get under the keel before the bow curve. This will lift your bow some, too.

try bunk slicks to solve your hard cranking issue.

 

[MassillonBuckeye]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

I think I'd start all over with a proper winch post. That's one odd rig you have there.

Also from here, it looks like the forward most keel roller is too far forward; slide it back to get under the keel before the bow curve. This will lift your bow some, too.

try bunk slicks to solve your hard cranking issue.

Yeah I know bunk slicks would make it easier to winch but I also knew it wasn't quite setup right. My keel roller is pushed as far forward as it can go which doesn't look intentional, but could be I guess. When the boat is snugged up against the bow stop, the stern and rear roller are even.

So in other words, I'd have to cut the bow stop bracket and move the winch up or buy a new winch stand. I'll look into flipping the winch. I'll also look into adding chains to the bow. How do those then connect to the trailer? Drill and bolt? Haven't done much research that direction. Thanks for all the input folks. I appreciate it.

 

[MassillonBuckeye]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

I flipped the winch and the angle isn't as extreme. Not level or pulling up, but maybe more manageable when the trailer is level or when I'm retrieving the boat.

The bow stop strut is 3" C channel. Wider than strap. I suppose I can put a bolt through it with some skinny pvc like UncleWilly said. I'm not sure I want that much downward pressure on the bow stop strut though.
Here's the stern hanging over the aft rollers:

So when I'm up against the bow stop, I'm lined up perfectly at the stern.

Looking into safety chains now. Any recommendations?

 

[etracer68]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

Your bow stop is turned down, it should be turn up to fit the V of the bow, and also tight, not turned down like yours is now.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

The new winch position should help. Perfect would be level but it's still much better than it was.
Now I think you need to address your keel rollers. With keel rollers there should at no time ever be contact between the hull and the trailer. So either your spacing isn't correct or there are not enough rollers. Still believe the bow keel roller is too far forward.

 

[MassillonBuckeye]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

The new winch position should help. Perfect would be level but it's still much better than it was.
Now I think you need to address your keel rollers. With keel rollers there should at no time ever be contact between the hull and the trailer. So either your spacing isn't correct or there are not enough rollers. Still believe the bow keel roller is too far forward.

I agree. Is there any way to mount a 12" roller on the 3" beam? I'd like to add a second one in there or replace the small one even though I just bought it not too long ago. One of the big 12" self centering types seems like what I'd want to install there.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

Can't tell by the pictures but how many rollers are under this thing? How is the front roller under the bow mounted? Is the bracket welded or bolted? How easily could it be moved back? Is there room or a position that another roller could be added aft of that roller? Something like this. http://www.basspro.com/C-E-Smith-Adjustable-Keel-Roller-Bracket/product/9110/ . Sorry I couldn't locate them here in iboats store!

Don't think the 12" roller will add much help for you. I tried the 8" ones uder my Lund and they didn't help anything.

 

[MassillonBuckeye]

Re: Boat is hard to winch and keel scraping main beam.

q

Can't tell by the pictures but how many rollers are under this thing? How is the front roller under the bow mounted? Is the bracket welded or bolted? How easily could it be moved back? Is there room or a position that another roller could be added aft of that roller? Something like this. http://www.basspro.com/C-E-Smith-Adjustable-Keel-Roller-Bracket/product/9110/ . Sorry I couldn't locate them here in iboats store!

Don't think the 12" roller will add much help for you. I tried the 8" ones uder my Lund and they didn't help anything.

That's the bracket they used but they didn't angle it like that so any amount of force made it slide all the way forward. When installed at that angle in the pic, I don't think it will be able to move much. They kinda just installed it straight up.

I believe there are a total of 4 including the orange one. That bracket is bolted on so yeah I can slide it back. It'll just be a matter of keeping it in place. I think I know how those are supposed to be installed. The only problem I'm thinking of is if the boat is not centered and I can't see the keep roller since it'll be more under the boat, I may have trouble making it line up if I can't see it. I understand the bunks and everything are supposed to line the boat up but.. Maybe if I move it back, when I drive onto the trailer it'll just catch. I'll just have to try it. I'd REALLY like to add another set of bunks where that keel roller is and be done with it.