Motorized winches... Good or Bad?

[petrey10]

I am redoing the trailer this year and I am in need of a new winch cause the current handle on mine is getting pretty wobbly from tons of use so I was wondering if any of you guys have motorized winches? I think they would be pretty sweet if they worked especially with the remote and everything. Anybody have one? I have a 20i so how much power does the winch need to have? My boat weighs in at 2800# dry. Any help would be awesome if not I will keep making the brother in law crank...

[Jason B]

I can't offer any help (sorry) but I was considering one also. I thought it would be nice so the ladies of the launch could manage without me getting wet for a change.

[Oklahoma Breakdown]

I use a 1200# winch that I purchased from Northern Tool for around $120 to store my boat in the garage. (2 years ago) http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11267
If it will work for what I am doing it will surely do well on your trailer.. I have it doubled up so that the pulling power is effectively 2400# but for just trailering this should do well. Starting on my third season with it and no problems. If i remember correctly the mounting bracket it rests on was drilled with four holes at the same size of the mounting plate on my trailer.

[petrey10]

1200# winch for a 2800# dry weight boat doesn't seem like that would be enough. Anybody here actually have one that they use???

[Oklahoma Breakdown]

1200# winch for a 2800# dry weight boat doesn't seem like that would be enough. Anybody here actually have one that they use???

If you were lifting the boat vertically no...a 1200# winch would not work. Luckily though the boat is sliding horizontally on carpet. 1200# is plenty.

[petrey10]

hmm yeah I guess that makes sense. I did see on another forum that if your winch is half of what your boat weighs fully loaded with fuel and a person or two you should be fine. Well maybe I will get one and see how it works


But no one here has a motorized winch???

[Jason B]

Yeah, I guess if you think about it, a simple hand crank isn't really all that tough to crank. You're probably not excerting anywhere near 1200# of pull with the hand crank. Also, they have manual bypasses on them so if the electric motor fails you can do it by hand.

[petrey10]

yeah that would defintiely come in handy if the motor burnt up. Should I got with a strap of the steel cable?

[TJRiver]

Just something else to break......
The manual winch really isn't that tough.

[Oklahoma Breakdown]

I think the straps look better before they get all faded but the cable winches are probably cheaper. If you decide to go with say the 1200# and find yourself in situations where it doesnt cut it you can easily install a single pulley on it that will effectively double its pulling power.
Also..kthe one I have will hold the wire taught without any power to it.

[petrey10]

Just something else to break......
The manual winch really isn't that tough.

for some women it is... thats why i am contemplating it

[zad0030]

How are you going to power it?

[Oklahoma Breakdown]

It may work off of your running lights but would be better if you ran a bit heavier guage from the battery directly.

[Carter13]

When it gets hard to crank have the driver back down a bit to float the boat and crank the rest of the way up.
You should teach your chick how to back the trailer down the ramp. Problem solved.

[helmut]

My neighbor has one for his flats boat and loves it. Its pretty cool. They either will run off of a cigarette lighter deal or like my neighbor he has a special plug right next to his trailer plug. His also has a remote control. I have fished with him a bunch and it works great you pull up attach push the button and bam boat is on the trailer. I usually just drive the boat all the way on the trailer with the ole boat buddy.