Winching question...

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Gary Fish

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New boat owner here.



When I'm loading my new 640, I always make sure that the bunks are wet. Then, after pulling it onto the trailer, I often use the winch to pull it up the last 3-6". I've recently seen/heard that you should never winch a boat onto the trailer. Yet, nobody has been able to explain why. What's the harm with winching?



Thanks...appreciate all your insight,



gfish
 
In Michigan you cannot powerload. IE you cannot have your big motor above idle at the ramp. Winching happens alot. So does powerloading...lol



Sure you can winch your boat, your winch might not hold up as long, but the last 6 inches or so isnt going to matter.



Mini
 
The last time I called mine a winch she smacked me with an iron skillet! :rolleyes:
 
Never heard that...AND I hope my bunks are wet when I put it in the water:p

Couldn't resist:lol:

I see no problem:unsure:
 
I was thinking that I read that in a manual also. Check your manual. I am sure someone else will have an answer. I would say if your not having to put a lot of force into it then there wouldn't be a way for any harm done.

Most of the time I don't have to with my ranger, that trailer fits like a glove, and at bad ramps that I need too, I will have someone crank while I assist with the motor due to the weight of the boat. I used to winch up my nx750 like you are doing mostly due to hitting that little factory roller too hard and at the wrong angle(trailer too deep) and putting a nice new scratch in my new boat. I switched to a stoltz(spelling) rolller after that and kept my trailer a little shallower.

Clark
 
gfish,



I was told the same thing for my PT175 (don't winch). I believe the reason for this is that the winch or supporting structure may not be strong enough to haul the boat up over and over, especially if the bunks are not sufficiently submerged. My dealer noted that the it would risk breaking the winch mechanism or, on a glass boat, risk pulling out the bow eye and damaging the boat.



Frankly, I believe that's a worst case scenario and that if you submerge the bunks enough to get them all wet or float the boat enough, it won't hurt. Just don't try to dry winch the boat all the way up! In other words, what your doing would seem fine.



JC
 
If you could not winch your boat on the trailer, there we be no fishing in most of NJ, no O/B over 9.9, you have to winch it up, no choice, I have not seen a problem other than Mini stated, we probably go thru winchs's & Straps faster than others, :huh:



Did I say winches & straps :lol:
 
I winch mine onto the trailer all the time. We have plenty of places here where powerloading isnt allowed and in the case of some of my favoite places to fhsn the ramps are of the "unimproved" varity and powerloading is a dangerous option for the prop. for sure i havent seen any ill effects on the boat or trailer, the only thing is i have busted a few straps. I do keep a spare one in the truck just in case and it has come in handy.
 
If I get the woman to get it just right (which is almost every time) I just power it right up to the winch BUT, be careful! Most guys don't know how much gas to give it...just enough to get it movin' foward.

My wife makes alot of men look like greenhorn's at the ramp:cool:
 
No issues powerloading here in GA, but I try my best to get the trailer in just far enough so I can just "drive" it on and its right up to the bow stop. That's not always possible in the winter when our lake is drawn down on ramps with a shallow slope, so then I powerload her the last 6-10 inches.



I've never heard "not to winch" either.



Gfish - Can you powerload up your way? Or is there a reason you winch the last few inches?
 
My 40 hp doesn't have enough a$$ to powerload. If I don't hit it exactly right the first time it's back up and try again or: what I do, if I'm within 6 to 10" or so, is hook up the winch to the bow eye, pull the boat out of the water, and when I get it on a flat surface hit the brakes. That'll bring it up tight.:)



Uncle Billy
 
I use the winch to 'snug' it the last couple of inches if needed... usually with the help of the 250.... If you're going to winch it more than that, or in the case of no power loading, just do what others have said... bunks wet and probably a little lower in the water than normal... if you're 'fighting' the boat, you're probably putting way to much tension on everthing... if it's gliding good, no worries.
 
Great advise...appreciate all the great feedback.



Sounds like common sense is the key. Not too much pressure, not too much of a problem.



TrepMan...to my knowledge, powerloading in my area is fine. I'm just a bit timid about driving it all the way up to the roller. Usually stop a bit short and call it good.



FYI...the Nitro owner's manual was one of the sources that recommended against winching.



Again, thanks all.
 
Never heard of no power loading before...nor do we have electric lakes here...hope i never have to move up north!!! Gezz u guys are way overegulated up there.



RW
 
You can also wait until you get on (1) level (2) paved ground and hit the brakes. The boat will slide up to the roller very easily.

I have a 19' Bass Cat and if I don't power up to the roller you ain't winching it. I also spray silicone on the bunks to facilitate gliding up the bunks, especially on the shallow ramps in the Atchafalaya Basin.
 
Hey Rick,



I mentioned that earlier but I don't spray silicone on the bunks or use glide slicks because I'm afraid it'll shoot off the trailer while backing down the ramp.:rolleyes: Driving on, I have to hit the roller perfect or wait and hit the brakes.. I took off the teeny little black bow roller that came on my trailer and bought a big yellow one called "The Ultimate Bow Stop". You can't miss that sucker...



Uncle Billy
 
Do I understand this right, for some of you, if you don't get her far enough up and say you have 6-8 inches left to the bow stop. you attach the winch strap, pull the boat out and in the parking lot "hit" the breaks to force it up the rest of the way?? Never thought of that.:eek:
 
That sounds like tricky business to me.:eek:



Sometimes if the water is cold and I don't have a change of shoes & socks I will back the trailer in to get the buncks wet then pull up a little farther than I would if I wasn't alone. Then I will power the boat up as far as I can, which won't be all the way, and then I can climb out on the trailer tounge, hook up the strap and then winch it up without getting my little tooties wet. Works for me.;)



Harpo
 
Bill



I can attest to this. You can saturate the bunk carpeting with silicone spray and you will not lose the boat, even backing down the steepest ramps. I wish I could explain it better but it has something to do with moving friction as opposed to static friction. If your boat is stationary on the carpeting, it will not move. But if you glide onto the bunks the silicone makes it easier. Just use a little finesse on the throttle as you power up.

I usually idle up the bunks until the boat stops, then I give it gas until it meets the roller.



Oh, I also got the big yellow guy. I need all the help I can get after I get beat up all day in the sun fishing : )
 
Trep



You can hit the brakes and the boat will come right up to the eye. I occasionally have to do this when the water is low in the basin where I fish because, in the past, I have damaged my skeg when trying to power onto the trailer. The water is so shallow that the skeg is touching the concrete ramps at a lot of the landings. Of course, in Louisiana, no two ramps are going to be built the same. We'll leave levees for another discussion.
 
Hos does the "Ultimate Bow Stop" help in the power loading process? You still need to center the boat and power it the same way.



Paul
 
I winch mine up whenever I can't power up to the stop. This past Monday it took me 3 tries to get the dang thing centered correctly due to wind and current. I probably winched it a good 6"; and have winched it more than once.
 
Waterwings, the next time you're having trouble centering on the trailer just do the best you can then stand up and spread your legs and rock the boat (hey, wasn't that a 70's disco song?), it'll center up just fine.



Harpo
 
Never tried that. I know that I might have just invented some new cuss words, while my wife was on the ramp near the hitch telling me "...dammit, just calm down, it'll be okay". Finally got it set right, and cranked that puppy up to the roller. Probably didn't help that I didn't get a bite all day and she pulled in two (about a 10" LM and a decent sized catfish...on nightcrawlers and a bobber no less :rolleyes: ) . But, the weather was nice and I wasn't at work :)
 
I have also rocked it a few times myself Harpo:lol:

Seriously it does work but, it does mean your trailer's a tad too deep. Depends on how steep each ramp is also. Steeper ramps means the trailer doesn't need to go as deep...Shallow or long ramps require your trailer to be deeper.
 
The subject of weight and the amount of stress everyone is putting on their winch straps is relative to the size and style of their boats. If you have a 14' aluminum boat, you can winch that thing up all day long. If you have a 19' - 21' glass boat, more times than not, it ain't gonna happen. Yeah, you might get it to go a couple of times, but have a spare strap available for the ride home.



 
I always thought that was what God made winches and winch eyes on boats for. otherwise what's the point. I winched every boat I've loaded and even used an electric winch on occasion.
 
I winch up a 20'.5" Ranger all the time, all season long, my buddy has a Ranger 522 been doing since 2001, no problems so far with the winch bunks hull or trailer. TomMac from this site also winches up his Basscat all the time, it's something that must be done where we live.



It is an "art-form", I guess on driving up your boat onto the trailer with the TM rather than using the O/B, on average I would say I have to winch up at least the last foot sometimes much more than that depending on the ramp water level and angle.
 
Thanks, again, for all the great replies. I guess winching is a hot topic! Hope everyone catches some fish this weekend.



gfish
 
Hos does the "Ultimate Bow Stop" help in the power loading process? You still need to center the boat and power it the same way.Paul
Click to expand...



Hi Paul.. I just saw your post. The Ultimate Bow Stop is a lot wider and it's a yellow material (neoprene?) so it doesn't mar the boat. Because it's so much wider it's a lot easier to center the boat and it will automatically help center it when you're off a little bit.



Uncle Billy
 
Thanks Uncle Billy.



I had seen them in BPS before and was considering getting one just to avoid any marring or potential scratches.



Paul
 
just put an ultimate stop on my trailer for this year. Last year while trying to load in a very strong side current on a river with a now power laoding rule, I can in at a high "coast", cut power & tried to glide in & I missed the front stop, slid past it, & marred up my Targa & bent the bow stop mount sideways slightly(ggrrr). Didn't help any that my fishing buddy had the trailer backed in too deep & is half deaf so he couldn't hear me hollering to pull out a little. Of course with my not wanting to tie up the launch any longer then necessary (6 boats waiting in line to load) I went for it anyways & screwed up. I only missed by an inch & am sure the new stopper will cure this for next trip to that launch. I also added a pair of 2 way hand held radios to the truck so he can hear me since that day.



Maj
 
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