Elecy winch.. When??

[Spaniard_King]

Hi guys,


just wondering when it's time to install a lecy winch.

I drive on most times so I dont do the winding Is a leccy winch just so the decky dont get too flogged out really trying (and I cant so far) to justify a leccy wich??

All comments welcome

[finga]

Bugger the decky. Let him earn his keep
It's the end of the day when the boat goes back on all he has to do after a rest on the trip home is wash the boat and clean the fish
Spend the money on a better, more cumphy helm chair.

[blaze]

The ones I have seen are all to slow, good trailer and drive on. The odd time when the deckie has to winch it home will may them apriate you ability as a skipper. Spend the dollars elsewhere
cheers
blaze

[bay_firey]

I thought Gary was refering to an electric anchor whinch.

Never had one, been out with newchum (rod) a couple of times, he has one on his carribean and thought to myself "now this is the go"

All controlled from the helm, when you as skipper are ready, no confusion

[bay_firey]

re read the post and i was wrong. (does happen very occasionally )


leccy trailer whinch - wouldn't waste my money, specially with a drive on trailer

[charleville]

I truly represent a sample size of one on this matter - I have only ever owned one boat and that is a light Quinnie (4.75m runabout); I have only ever owned one electric winch - a Powerwinch, so my experience may not be that useful to you but here goes...


Being a solo boatie and having discovered the joys of retrieving the boat in a crosswind late at night when no one was around when I first got my boat five years ago, I put a Powerwinch on the trailer.

After having used it for a fair while, through my own stupidity I managed to break a cog inside (how I did that is not relevant here - it was not the winch's fault) but never ever got around to fixing it and putting it back on the trailer. I now retrieve my boat with the manual winch very satisfactorily and would not bother with an electric winch unless I had a large heavy boat (which you may have if you drive yours on???).

Anyway, my experiences and perceptions with the electric winch are as follows:-


1. I am not impressed with the Powerwinch brand because of slipping clutch issues.

That is, you always need to ensure that the little knob on the side is really tight. They often do work loose in the middle of a retrieve and in any case, you need to undo them to let out the cable to hook up the boat so you are always having to ensure that you do them up tightly before retrieval. OK - so if you know this, it should not be a problem but if you are at the back of the trailer guiding on the boat in a cross-wind using the lanyard to switch on the Powerwinch and the clutch starts slipping, it is a damn nuisance to wander back to the winch to tighten it and then back to the boat to pull it back around against the wind to align it with the rear roller again before the wind has the boat scraping sideways against the back of the trailer.


(Postscript - After posting this, I have just read the useful comment by Sailing Breeze on this thread http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...175#post652175 This is worth a read also.)

2. These winches are incredibly noisy.

3. You need to connect them to the car's battery. In my case, until recently, I always had company cars so it was not possible for me to hardwire a power socket back to the boot or therabouts. That meant that every time that I wanted to use the winch, I would have to lift the bonnet attach the long leads to the battery before starting to retrieve the boat. Once again, no big deal in itself, but on a busy boat ramp, I used to feel a goose every time that I lifted the bonnet, carrying what looked like jumper leads.

4. The winches are slow to retrieve the boat and even for a solo boatie like me, once I got into a regular retrieval routine, I can do it much quicker manually than with an electric winch, even with a crosswind. Much quicker.

5. Notwithstanding that we all use a safety chain at the winch-post, the primary holding mechanism with a manual winch is the winch itself. Because the electric winch operates with a simple clutch mechanism rather than a ratchet/pawl non reversing type of mechanism like a manual winch does, you cannot rely on the electric winch to hold the boat firm when traveling so you will need an extra holding mechanism to securely hold the boat in place when driving. For me, this was an extra chain with a tightening device. Again, no big deal in its own right but yet another bit to fiddle with.

6. This may seem a trivial issue but as I grow older (56 now) I recognise the need for a bit of exercise every now and then and I actually think that i am doing myself a bit of good when I wind the manual winch like blazes. It is often the only strengthening exercise my arms get in any week.



However, electric winches can be very handy with strong cross winds and no deckie or anyone else around to help.

[finga]

I put a winch on for a bloke down Cleveland way with just your very last sentence in mind Charlie.
The problem was overcome by putting an auxiliary winch (just like a little baby electric winch that goes on the front of the 4X4) on top of his manual winch so he has both electric and manual.
The winch cost him about $100 if I remember okky dokky and it had the same clutch setup for getting the wire rope out to bung on the bow-eye. ie unscrew the little knob

Cheers then
Scott

[tunaticer]

Electric winches are just another thing to leave you totally frustrated when they break down and they will always do that when you least want them to.

Until they bring out a decent winch that is wireless remote control and totally waterproof and does not require massive amounts of current to operate them than i will keep the decky employed and the whole setup as idiot prrof manually operated.

Jack.

Jack.

[Heath]

I've had a powerwinch for about 4 years now & wouldn't be without.

I find most issues result from poor maintenance. Perceived clutch slippage is mostly due to the the thrust bearings not being lubricated, so the friction undoes the tension nob.

Though I haven't retrieved the boat solo, I have not doubt that without an electric winch I would have no chance.

No huffing and puffing pulling a 20ft fibreglass boat up onto the trailer. Just sit there and hold the button down.

Wiring the winch up is a breeze as well. 2 wires is all that is needed.

Gazz, you sometimes do go solo with your young boys and the new boat will be much heavier than Megabite.
Cross wind and a fast running tide at tweed you'll b glad you got one.

[charleville]

Perceived clutch slippage is mostly due to the the thrust bearings not being lubricated, so the friction undoes the tension nob.

That might be the issue that has made me unhappy with the performance of mine. I sent it back under warranty at one stage and the retailer told me that all they do is to sand the plates. No one mentioned the thrust bearing.

Thanks for that.

[Spaniard_King]

Gazz, you sometimes do go solo with your young boys and the new boat will be much heavier than Megabite.
Cross wind and a fast running tide at tweed you'll b glad you got one.

Heath you probably havent seen it but Brandon (my son ..only 12) drove Megabite onto the trailer a lot better than I did . This new trailer is going to be sh!t loads better than the last one so I am still thinking the elecy winch is just a luxury ATM

[dnej]

Garry,
I have the Supercheap $100 job,for my cuddy cab,and would not be without it.
It might take a minute or two more,but I can walk down to the boat,and control the position,of the loading.At present I have a two battery set up in the back of my wagon,but am about to change that to Anderson plugs,and a circuit breaker,direct to my MV.
My brother went back to a manual loading winch,but is regretting doing so.His main issue was the way he had his power source set up.Becomes cumbersom.
It needs to be plugged into your vehicle,just like your trailer.
What weight are we talking about, to winch on?
David

[Spaniard_King]

Hi David,

The rig will be on a 2800kg trailer but I am hoping the boat at full setup is under 1800kg's

[Ynot560]

G'day Garry,

Heres some pics of an alternative option that I have fitted to my last 2 boats and has worked very well.
It incorporates a Mini Minor or Moke starter motor, what you do is cut off the thrust gear section of the starter motor and fit a 1 1/4'inch a section pulley, fabricate a 90 deg bracket to hold the starter motor and clamp to the winch post (allows adjustment of the belt tension). The winch used is a Jarret 5:1 with the main drive shaft removed and a longer shaft manufactured to allow the fitting of a 12 to 14 inch a section pulley to be fitted and allow the handle drive nut to be re-installed (just in case).
The electrics to switch the Motor is a simple 12 V solenoid with the Remote switching it. I made my remote unplug and long enough to reach the back of the trailer.
The time which it takes to winch my Haines 560 on is approx 10 secs and no noise. The last boat that I had it fitted to was a Dominator 560 and proved to be much easier than driving on in a river with run.

Just PM me if you would like any more detail.

By the way the new boat is looking very impressive

Cheers
Seith

[Spaniard_King]

Thanks for the info Seith,

That looks a handy setup