Electric Winch

Dodger1234

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 5, 2008
Messages
89
Has anyone tried an ATV winch bolted to your trailer and used it to winch on your boat. I have a 1000/lb 14' boat but I fish lakes with no boat ramps so I back the trailer in from shore. Also, I always have to manually winch the boat on over the back beam. I am always by myself so it gets tricky when there's a wind. I have looked at the marine winches but they all seem to have bad reviews compared to a Warn winch. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Dodger1234.
 

marlboro180

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jun 23, 2009
Messages
1,164
Re: Electric Winch

Never used an electric for a boat. But have for ATV use -Snowplow setups using the Warn. The switches were finicky, but that was due to a near constant barrage of salty water from operators gloves on them. Winches themselves last for a really long time in a very abusive situations.
 

mla2ofus

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Messages
571
Re: Electric Winch

I think you'd need a batt mounted on tlr tongue w/ a charge wire from the tow vehicle to get full power from the winch. Perhaps a tilt tlr would also help in your loading.
Mike
 

jeeperman

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
1,513
Re: Electric Winch

Has anyone tried an ATV winch bolted to your trailer and used it to winch on your boat. I have a 1000/lb 14' boat but I fish lakes with no boat ramps so I back the trailer in from shore. Also, I always have to manually winch the boat on over the back beam. I am always by myself so it gets tricky when there's a wind. I have looked at the marine winches but they all seem to have bad reviews compared to a Warn winch. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Dodger1234.

Sounds like you need a wireless atv winch.

LOL. wireless remote control that is.

You can use your tow vehicle battery, youjust need to add the proper size two pole plug assembly.
 

Dodger1234

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 5, 2008
Messages
89
Re: Electric Winch

The wire less remote was the reason I am thinking of an electric winch. I was thinking of a battery box on the trailer tongue hooked up to the winch. What is a "tir" mla2ofus?
Steve.
 

mla2ofus

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Messages
571
Re: Electric Winch

The wire less remote was the reason I am thinking of an electric winch. I was thinking of a battery box on the trailer tongue hooked up to the winch. What is a "tir" mla2ofus?
Steve.

TraiLeR. After re-reading my post I see I did spell it "t-l-r", not "t-i-r".
Mike
 

jeeperman

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
1,513
Re: Electric Winch

The wire less remote was the reason I am thinking of an electric winch. I was thinking of a battery box on the trailer tongue hooked up to the winch. What is a "tir" mla2ofus?
Steve.

Cheat by installing the winch on the bow of the boat instead and running it off your onboard battery. Now you have a remote wireless anchor winch too.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,752
Re: Electric Winch

I hope you realize how slowly those winches move.
 

Black Snow Slide

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 15, 2007
Messages
276
Re: Electric Winch

I am considering going to a Waren winch or Ramsey 4K LB winch for mine. I have been through 3 crap ones that I bought from West Marine. They may be slow but it is a great way of getting a 6 thousand pound boat onto a bunk trailer without power loading. Most times I can drive her right onto the trailer, hookup the hand winch, 5 cranks and I am on, But when thats not practicall a solid quaility winch is almost as good as a wife with a strong right arm.
 

Dodger1234

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 5, 2008
Messages
89
Re: Electric Winch

I am considering going to a Waren winch or Ramsey 4K LB winch for mine. I have been through 3 crap ones that I bought from West Marine. They may be slow but it is a great way of getting a 6 thousand pound boat onto a bunk trailer without power loading. Most times I can drive her right onto the trailer, hookup the hand winch, 5 cranks and I am on, But when thats not practicall a solid quaility winch is almost as good as a wife with a strong right arm.

X2 :D
Dodger.
 

Dodger1234

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 5, 2008
Messages
89
Re: Electric Winch

The idea of the winch on the Bow of the boat has me thinking now, seems like a reasonable option. As far as the winch being slow, you should see the amount of time spent pushing your boat sideways up wind of the trailer and racing back to the winch to start cranking before it drifts past the rear of the trailer. Even though this is good exercise for me !!

Now I'm thinking that maybe one of those portable battery packs would be enough to get the boat on the trailer with an electric winch then when I get home I just plug it in for the next trip.

Steve.
 

Black Snow Slide

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 15, 2007
Messages
276
Re: Electric Winch

The power set up that I would use for the winch is power coming directly from the battery to big fuses going back to a 7 prong plug with cover off to the side of the hitch so it cant be mistakenly used for lights. It is also the oppisite (male female) then what the light plug is. Take the power cable and spice in a 7 prong male plug so it can be removed quickly from truck to the winch. It is a solid power supply and easily powered and removed.

Only problem I have had is finding a quality winch.
 

Dodger1234

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 5, 2008
Messages
89
Re: Electric Winch

The power set up that I would use for the winch is power coming directly from the battery to big fuses going back to a 7 prong plug with cover off to the side of the hitch so it cant be mistakenly used for lights. It is also the oppisite (male female) then what the light plug is. Take the power cable and spice in a 7 prong male plug so it can be removed quickly from truck to the winch. It is a solid power supply and easily powered and removed.

Only problem I have had is finding a quality winch.

I like this idea the best as my 7 prong plug is never used. But because I am as about as smart as a rock for doing anything electrical I would not be sure how the winch wiring to a 7 prong plug should be done :redface: As far as the " Quality Winch " goes that was why I was thinking of the Warn brand. I am even thinking of taking off the steel cable and putting on a 2" strap to avoid the possibility of a cable jam up. My advantage is I am only pulling a 1000/lbs.

Steve.
 

jeeperman

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
1,513
Re: Electric Winch

Warn winches can be had now with synthetic rope also. No rusting, very flexible, do not know about tangle resistance though.

You can also get a two wire quick disconnect wire harness that is properly sized for the winch from Warn.
 

xxxflhrci

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
637
Re: Electric Winch

Warn makes a good winch.
 

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TerryMSU

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
743
Re: Electric Winch

The power set up that I would use for the winch is power coming directly from the battery to big fuses going back to a 7 prong plug with cover off to the side of the hitch so it cant be mistakenly used for lights. It is also the oppisite (male female) then what the light plug is. Take the power cable and spice in a 7 prong male plug so it can be removed quickly from truck to the winch. It is a solid power supply and easily powered and removed.

Only problem I have had is finding a quality winch.

If I understand what you are saying, that is not a good idea. I think you mean that you will leave an electrically live pin hanging out in the breeze. If so, bad move. Even if it is protected by a fuse, you will still be blowing a lot of fuses. Instead use a different shape of connector. That will prevent tieing them together wrong.

TerryMSU
 

Black Snow Slide

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 15, 2007
Messages
276
Re: Electric Winch

I do use a 7 prong like the trailer plug but it is opposite of the 7 prong light plug. I would need to run out side and double check, but the light plug on the truck is a male end and the plug that is for the winch is female attached to the truck. If you try to plug trailer lights into power supply you are female to female. The 7 prung has the same cover as regular lights to kep the crap out of plug and to keep it dry. I have the center of the center plug as my ground and 2 of the other prongs as the positive with celinoids and fused going to an auxilery switch in the cab. Easy plug in easy unplug and solid power supply.
 

Black Snow Slide

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 15, 2007
Messages
276
Re: Electric Winch

The winch stolen? Drill a hole through through the mounting plate of the winch and the plate on the post and put a Master padlock through it. Or maybe screw the winch on and off with wing nuts and take it off that way. You can't make everything 100% fool proof or stolen proof but not to hard to make it not worth there while. Good Luck. I just ordered a winch from Sumit Racing.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
16,313
Re: Electric Winch

I hope you realize how slowly those winches move.

My Rule winch is rated for single cable pull, 4200 lbs. @ 21.6 feet per minute. If the tide is out I may have to winch at best 10' to get the boat on the trailer. So where talking less than 30 seconds and no effort to retrieve a #6,000 boat.

How long is it going to take you using a hand winch? I can feel the lower back pain setting in just thinking about it. ;)
 
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