power winch

[Home Cookin']

Re: power winch

if you are making your own wiring harness be sure you have heavy enough wire. Do not confuse + and - or major damage may occur.

be sure to have the right breaker/fuses, too.

Which is why I like the ones that come with the winch.

I don't think a second battery is necessary; I pull my boats out with the engine off; never drained the battery so I couldn't start. But that's just in the last 30 years.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: power winch

That is the plug for the winch itself.

I would NOT use the cigarette lighter. I doubt the auto wiring for it is adequate and putting in a bigger fuse would be foolish. Besides, Even if it is already fused for 30 amps why have enclosed wiring when for only a couple of bucks you can have a completely separate system? If insulation starts to melt, just throw it away. I think most guys on the forum will agree about not using the lighter. Bad idea and possibly dangerous.

It is not any more convenient to use the lighter---You still need to open a door and plug it is vs. opening the hood

 

[iggyw1]

Re: power winch

That is the plug for the winch itself.

I would NOT use the cigarette lighter. I doubt the auto wiring for it is adequate and putting in a bigger fuse would be foolish. Besides, Even if it is already fused for 30 amps why have enclosed wiring when for only a couple of bucks you can have a completely separate system? If insulation starts to melt, just throw it away. I think most guys on the forum will agree about not using the lighter. Bad idea and possibly dangerous.

It is not any more convenient to use the lighter---You still need to open a door and plug it is vs. opening the hood[

 

[iggyw1]

Re: power winch

I was not planning to just add a bigger fuse to the existing wiring or cigerette lighter, and I agree putting in a bigger fuse would be foolish! If I go with a seperate line with the 12 volt supply to the rear of the truck. I would make sure the wiring is capable of withstanding the 30 amp fuse that I would put in line under the hood.

Addidng a seperate cigerette lighter to the rear of the truck would be a hell of a lot quicker when I'm at the ramp because I would not have to mess around under the hood of the truck while getting cussed out by the next guy who wants to load/unload their boat. At times here by Lake St Clair, we wait in line for an hour or so just to use the ramp and some guys patience are wearing thin after that long of a wait. Has to be quick!!! The wiring already at the rear of the SUV would solve that problem for sure. Probably would not have to worry about leaving the truck running either as I use the winch as I have a new truck and a new battery that won't go dead.

Or it may be just the safest and best to just run a plug (heavy duty) to the rear of the SUV right next to or along with my existing plug that I plug my boat trailer into. That would not be too difficult either. That I can fuse seperately and run a good heavy wire back there under the vehicle on top of the frame where it would not get damaged in any way.

 

[BOWTECH.JUSTICE]

Re: power winch

I have wanted to break down and and buy an electric winch for years now but never have because of the price. So here is what I have done around the home. I took the handle off my winch and put a socket on my cordless drill and go at it. I havent tried it to winch my boat yet but I used it with a pulley system to hoist 2 kayaks up to my garage ceiling and had no problems. Just keep the handle close in case the batteries go dead.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: power winch

Try it on the boat and get back to us. I'm not taking that bet.

As to wiring, here is what between my dad and I we have done for several vehicles:

hard wire the wiring harness by attaching the red power line to the battery, with the OEM breaker fuses at that point. Run the wiring under the car, zip tie to the frame, to the rear.
For a sedan or stawag, run the harness back into the trunk (sedan) or spare tire well (stawag). Ground the black wire nearby (some harnesses have the ground wire shorter for this purpose. Then when you need it, pop the trunk/tailgate, pull it out, plug it into the winch.
On my tahoe, I ran the cable under the vehicle but not back inside. Instead, I stuff the loose end with the plug into the square of the trailer hitch. At the ramp, I pull it out, plug into the winch, and go.
But if you have the "jumper cable" set-up, it doesn't take any time to clip onto the battery and you can do that while waiting your turn, and just gently close the hood.

It's not rocket surgery.

 

[loose rivet]

Re: power winch

Sounds like you need a pair of guide poles on the rear of your trailer

I have to agree with bonz_d here, most of the ramps I use are too shallow to get even my 8" wheel trailer rims wet without first having the front wheels of my truck in the water. The ramps they keep building here are just too shallow. I was forced to go to roller trailers on all but my smallest boats, and then I had to add longer rear roller brackets to allow the boat to be able to climb up onto the trailer. Even at high tide I'm backed in to the end of the ramp most times and the rear cross member isn't even wet. Guide ons don't work if their not in the water as pictured above. There's 10 ramps in reasonable distance from me here, all are just as shallow, one is so shallow I can back my four door dually in till the front bumper is over water and my 8" rims aren't wet yet. The deepest part of the ramp at high water is often only 4 or 5 inches. I've learned to dump the tinny in over the grassy bank and skip the ramp all together.
In bigger water with my 16' boat, its on a Load Rite roller trailer set as low as it'll go and the boat is bone dry at all but one ramp with my front wheels in the water. The ramp is only 24" deep at the end of the ramp. Some of the ramps start to level off in the water, the ramp drops to the water then flattens out, who ever designed that one should be shot. One such ramp is cobble stone all the way done to the water, then it levels out to a 6' long shelf at the lower edge before dropping off suddenly into deeper water like a cliff. I've had the rear cross member of my trailer hit the level end of the ramp and have the boat trying to tip side to side off the first set of rollers trying to climb up the trailer. The wheels are barely wet, but the rear of the trailer is hitting the bottom of the ramp like a wall, and the boat don't have enough water to float to the trailer without the keel hitting the ramp's edge.
The bottom line is there's a lot of really, really bad ramps out there.

 

[iggyw1]

Re: power winch

We have the same problem in Mich at Lk St Clair. The ramps used to be good, but the water level of our lake is down about two ft right now from last summer. We had a problem last summer, so I can imagine what it will be like when I go to launch the boat next week!!! Launching is not too bad, but it's the retrievel wher I have to get into the water and get wet!! And cold this time of year. If I had an electric winch, I could stand on the dock and operate it with a remote control. I would not have to get into the cold water and crank a handle!!

 

[coastalrichard]

Re: power winch

Iggy...here's a pic of my setup. Heavy duty, plastic, lockable tool box mounted at the base of the winch post holds battery, power cord, tools and hand crank. Used the power cord that was included in the box...quick, easy install.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: power winch

while that's a nice looking set-up for the "second battery and box" tactic, it's still a whole lot more work, and more restrictive, than just hooking a wire up to the car. You have to charge that battery sometime; your car battery can't let you down unless you can't start the car.

If you use several different tow vehicles, maybe so, but an unattached harness solves that.

But one reason I lke hard-wired is that I use one vehicle but two boats w/ power winches at the same time.

 

[64osby]

Re: power winch

I use one vehicle but two boats w/ power winches at the same time.

I'd like a picture of that.

I'm reading and learning as I have the itch to get a power winch.

 

[iggyw1]

Re: power winch

Iggy...here's a pic of my setup. Heavy duty, plastic, lockable tool box mounted at the base of the winch post holds battery, power cord, tools and hand crank. Used the power cord that was included in the box...quick, easy install.

View attachment 185209

Thank you for the great idea. I like it a lot. It is no big deal for me to have to charge the battery every now and then. I am retired and have all day long to mess around in the garage. Looks sooooo much easier (& quicker) than having to mess around under the hood, and then having to wind the long cables up and try to store them in my SUV under the seats somewhere. I really plan on using your set-up!! It is very convenient to use. Everything is right at your finger tips! Thanks again.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: power winch

Guess I'll restate the reason I'm thinking of one. I spend a lot of time at ramps that have no pier and one with a wireless remote would allow me to float back to the trailer, attach bow hook and then winch me and the boat back on to the trailer. No getting wet in 35deg. water.

 

[coastalrichard]

Re: power winch

Thank you for the great idea. I like it a lot. It is no big deal for me to have to charge the battery every now and then. I am retired and have all day long to mess around in the garage. Looks sooooo much easier (& quicker) than having to mess around under the hood, and then having to wind the long cables up and try to store them in my SUV under the seats somewhere. I really plan on using your set-up!! It is very convenient to use. Everything is right at your finger tips! Thanks again.

Well, as other responses have indicated preferences, I chose this method because I only have one vehicle to tow my rig. If I went the hard-wire route, I would be limited to using that vehicle only. This way, the winch (and all it's needs) are with the boat and I can hook up any (capable) vehicle to tow and launch it.

I'm still trying different ways of getting the hook to the eye during loading (boat pole, throw line, etc.). So far, paying out enough cable to reach the bow (together with a switch cord), hanging it on the winch post and retrieving it with a hook pole seems to be working well. I nose the bow on the trailer, grab the hook, set it in the eye and pull the cord. VOILA...I'm loaded...hop off the bow and I'm pulling out...nice and dry!

I also got a 1 amp trickle charger that I leave the tender battery hooked to to keep it charged.

Never dread your retrievals again!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: power winch

...But one reason I lke hard-wired is that I use one vehicle but two boats w/ power winches at the same time.

I keep two boats on trailers at a private ramp, where I go out to an island hunting/fishing/beaching clubhouse. I use both boats (everyone I am involved with drives boats). So I use the one vehicle that got me there to launch and retrieve both boats. Each trailer has a power winch. So I have a harness hard-wired to my vehicle.

One of the two boats has 7 owners, so we also keep a loose harness with battery clips in the seat of the boat so anyone can pull it out with any vehicle.

 

[mrlassi1]

Re: power winch

This is the kind of discussion that makes iboats forums so useful. Living in GA and boating only in the non-winter months I get my feet wet to retrieve both my fishing boat (16' aluminum w/25hp outboard) or my runabout (19' fiberglass I/O - Liberty). Most of the ramps I frequent have a shallow incline, so the rear tires of my SUV are normally just in the water when launching/retrieving. Getting the 16' loaded using the manual winch is tolerable. Liberty's trailer has an electric winch. I haul a spare battery (one of my fishing trolling motor batteries) in the rear of my SUV when taking out Liberty.

Loading routine; 1) open the rear hatch and pull out the winch power cable and plug into the winch, 2) pull out the winch cable/with bow eye clip prior to backing down the ramp, 3) back down the ramp until the tops of my fenders are nearly under, 4) drive Liberty partially onto the trailer, 5) get out onto the dock taking off my shoes/socks, 6) wade into the lake to clip on the winch cable, 7) hold the winch switch on til Liberty is loaded and in place, 8) clip on the bow safety chain, 9) unplug the winch power cable and store it in its canvas bag inside the hatch of my SUV, 10) get the towel out and dry off my feet/legs, 11) pull the loaded rig over to the prep area to add the transom tie downs, pull the drain plugs and store things for the drive home.

After reading this thread I may add a catwalk to Liberty's trailer so I can keep my feet dry.

 

[LilRedNeckGirl]

Re: power winch

A power winch is nice. I have one and it saves a lot of hand cranking on a 25 foot Wellcraft with twin Mercruisers, BUT, the key to not getting wet, in respect to bigger boats where you just can not lean over the front and hook the strap/cable to the bow eye, lies in the simple addition to any trailer called, " A WALK BOARD". they sell some, others can be easily made, and basically , it allows you to step up ointo a walk plaqtform near the front hitch, then walk back to the winch instead of doing a balancing act on the trailer frame.....
Walking into the water isnt bad if the water is upwards of 70 degrees, and its warm & sunny out there, but for all other times, I just stay on the walk board to hook the strap, then twist the switch and let the winch finish the loading.

 

[64osby]

Re: power winch

^^^^^ Still need the power winch but here is the walk.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: power winch

I always drove my boat on and always had bunk trailers. For birthday #64 I bought myself an indoor dryslip. Now I call the marina and they put my boat in the water. When I return they tie my boat at the dock until I unload the few things brought. They rinse her off and flush the engine before putting her back inside. I use her a lot more now than ever before!

I have been debating an electric winch for the past few years for a number of reasons.
1. My own physical condition, bad shoulder, getting old.
2. Primary ramp is a shallow primative gravel one with no pier.
3. 90% of the time I'm by myself.

It's certainly getting more difficult retrieving by myself at this ramp. Especially in the early spring and late fall when the water is cold. Changing from a keel roller/bunk trailer to an all roller trailer has made it easier accept for the fact that there is nowhere to mount a catwalk to the back of the trailer on the roller trailer. Which almost dictates getting wet to get the bow strap on it and lining it up to the trailer. Sure wish the DNR would allow us to install a service pier but that's not going to happen!

What I've looked at are the electric winches with the wireless remote which would allow me to put the trailer into the water then board the beached boat and paddle to the back of the trailer, hook the strap and then ride the boat up the trailer.