Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

[gpfishingdude]

When I bought the deck mate anchor winch I noticed right away that there were a few things about the design and engineering of it that made it look like the folks from Minn Kota had never actually used one. Yesterday I cranked up the anchor line only to find the clevis at the end of the chain haul without the clevis pin or the anchor. This was a 25 pound Richter anchor that costs over $100 from Bass Pro-- lost somewhere in the thick weeds at the bottom of the lake. I have anchored the pontoon boat 35-50 times with the deck hand and never had the slightest idea that the clevis pin would come loose from the clevis by itself. So this is just another design failure by Minn Kota as far as I am concerned and thought that I would warn the rest of you not to trust the tiny clevis supplied with the deck hand to hold your anchor alone. Now I am trying to decide on if I want to remove the chain haul altogether and just tie the next anchor on or to try to find something more positive than the clevis to attach with.

 

[The Woo Woo Kid]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

With the clevis's pin screwed all the way in, put a piece of wire or a zip tie through the hole in the end of the pin and secure it so it can not spin out. You could also lock-tite it.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

Funny that they don't mention it in their instructions, but it is normal to safety wire a shackle when used in a semi permanent application. Should look something like this:

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

About the only thing you can do is add it to the list of things the water gods demanded for a sacrifice, and be happy it wasn't a lower unit.

 

[muskiemike12]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

I have had no problem with mine. Got it as tight as I could with a pliers and it has not loosened in 2 years. I do check it periodically to see if it has loosened. Lesson learned for you.

 

[Malibu Rudder]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

I have my MinnKota deck hand set up just as Old Jeep has illustrated. Always a good thing to do for safety as well.

 

[MRS]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

Yup always wire all mine.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

You absolutely need to safety wire them if you don't want to lose it eventually. Its the temperature variations that cause them to work themselves lose. It goes from baking in the sun at 90 degrees and then cools instantly to water temp at 50, then back to baking when you pull it out. (the threads tighten up when cold, but the bigger problem is the clevis itself shrinks a little when cold, so the distance between the 2 contact points for the pin is reduced.)

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

I don't see how this has anything to do with Minn Kota. A loose clevis pin is the fault of the owner, not the maker/provider of that clevis. Just saying. They are removeable for a reason. You can buy a new clevis for many purposes but if the pin isn't tight/secure-beware.

Sorry about your loss. Lesson learned.

 

[gpfishingdude]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

I bought the next size bigger cleavis at a farm supply store and I will tie a safety wire on the pin this time. This cleavis is 1/4" size and is about twice as big as the original. Just wondering now if I should use single strand copper wire so that it don't rust in two and lose the pin again. I'm thinking about hooking a safety cable to the anchor this time to make sure that I don't lose another one. Just seems like there should be a better way.

 

[MRS]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

I use bailing wire never lost anything from coming loose. Have lost stuff but not from clevis coming loose.

 

[The Woo Woo Kid]

Re: Not very happy with MinnKota right now.

Stainless steel wire is a possiblity