Winching: Steel cable or rope?

[N2outboards]

I've justed bolted on a winch type with steel cable. ,Is it better to spool the thing up with standard stranded steel cable or some kind of plastic/nylon cord?. Or switch over and spool it it up with another than steel.?

 

[180shabah]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

Not alot of details to work with here, but most "plastic/nylon cord" would be severely overloaded if shock loaded in an accident.

Wire rope or a strap would be the normal choices. What did the winch manufacturer suggest for your boats weight?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

poly strap... There are VERY few situations where that isn't the best option...

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

poly strap... There are VERY few situations where that isn't the best option...

X2... Strap feeds nicely 2nd choice would be rope. I myself wouldnt use wire rope [cable] The little wires start breaking and will seek out your flesh and blood. And snag ur clothes and scratch stuff. And cable or rope binds up on the winch doesnt feed on or off smoothly.. I M H O !!! Thats kind of a funky lookn set up ya got there with cable hooked so hi. Isnt there a lower bow eye, below the winch? [on the boat] That just doesnt look like a good/safe set up. Looks like your boat could easily roll a foot or two back.

 

[jstaz]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

"Strap feeds nicely"

I have strap on mine and I think that is the best option. When I had rope, it seemed no matter what I did it got bound up some how/where.
I never seen a bow eye that high before. Kinda looks like some kind of mod. Is it?

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

+1 on the strap. winds even and strong!

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

I think you will find that even vehicle mounted winches will be going to poly rope from the manufacturer over the next few years, it is far and away safer then wire rope, when we were competing in rockcrawling contests they made it mandatory to run the poly rope and I have to tell you it was great so I can firmly tell you I would use poly rope not wire rope

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

I think you will find that even vehicle mounted winches will be going to poly rope from the manufacturer over the next few years, it is far and away safer then wire rope, when we were competing in rockcrawling contests they made it mandatory to run the poly rope and I have to tell you it was great so I can firmly tell you I would use poly rope not wire rope

The only drawback is cost... Good no-stretch poly is $$$.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

Yes it is, but the rebound in wire rope is deadly in the case of the wire breaking, I know several utility companies that put winches on all their trucks, every one of them is rope now instead of wire which is a large reason why I think the winch manufacturers will make the change too, Liability is a dangerous thing, $100 is cheap, last time I priced wire rope versus poly, that was the difference, but thats been several years too.

 

[DonHof]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

2" wide strap, it stronger then cable!

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

2" wide strap, it stronger then cable!

stronger than metal cable... 3/8th amsteel poly cable is around 18,000 pounds breaking strength.

http://www.amsteelblue.com/item.cfm?itemid=44866

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

stronger than metal cable... 3/8th amsteel poly cable is around 18,000 pounds breaking strength.

http://www.amsteelblue.com/item.cfm?itemid=44866

$152 I would think you could get a whole winch and strap for that price, (unless you needed an 18K# cable on your winch)

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

$152 I would think you could get a whole winch and strap for that price, (unless you needed an 18K# cable on your winch)

yep, see post #8 above! Granted, that is some heavy stuff and you can get smaller diameters cheaper.

 

[BoatNoobie]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

is that a rubber "safety chain"? If so, I dont think that will help much in an emergency.

 

[N2outboards]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

Ok,ok re-wound the winch structure with high quality strap, bolted the winch assembly temporarily to to see how it all performs,, may get out the mig welder for further mods.
A little tug of the bow before snug-fit and all is tight.

The strap technique is far superior to any rope idea i've found out,No snarls, cross-overs if ones careful. I'm only snugging up a 12 foot aluminum and not an Ohio Class submarine.

 

[N2outboards]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

Notice i've modified for a positive free spool, i've streched across a spring whereby i can tuck under the pawl beneath a spring to give "freespool". Drilled holes on both sides of the spool and rigged a spring in between.

 

[N2outboards]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

Notice i've modified for a positive free spool, i've streched across a spring whereby i can tuck under the pawl beneath a spring to give "freespool". Drilled holes on both sides of the spool and rigged a spring in between.

Pawl atop

 

[N2outboards]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

Pawl atop

pawl underneath

 

[Hottip]

Re: Winching: Steel cable or rope?

da strap man,da strap.