Quote:
Originally Posted by cdlong
Is my winch correctly mounted? Are these the correct straps and tie down for my boat?
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Hard to tell because winch strap isn't tight in last picture, but if strap is pulling up or horizontal and not down you're ok. I use a PowerWinch with a double cable and pulley on the hook for plenty of capacity. If you'll switch the rollers on the bow stop to yellow urethane, you'll eliminate the black marks on the hull.
Looks like an EZ-Loader roller trailer? If so they're a great trailer, but there is one thing you need to be careful of . . . there is so little friction in that roller system that it's very important to use the safety chain on the bow and not depend on the winch brake to keep it from rolling off the trailer! I also use a VERTICAL ratchet strap on the bow eye to prevent it from riding up on the winch stand rollers if I have to make a hard stop! Your stern straps will not prevent it from rolling forward. I prefer a strap that wraps over the gunnel at the stern.
One suggestion on your roller alignment . . . spread all the rollers as far apart as possible, and then move the racks outboard until the outer rollers are just outboard of the outer step. That way, the outer rollers will guide boat on trailer. Before I did that, I found that the roller system has so many degrees of freedom that if boat was laterally unbalanced/heeled to one side at the dock, it would come on the trailer the same way! Once you move the rollers outboard, boat will come on trailer perfectly straight every time regardless of cross winds and/or current! Move winch stand forward until aft rollers are right under transom. I also added keel rollers on front and back side of aft X-member because the SeaCraft hull is so deep up forward that keel will hit X-member before the aft rack of rollers contact the hull. You may have to dunk that tandem a bit more than I do (I don't even get the rims wet . . . I just back it in till the tires are wet and aft keel rollers are an inch or two below bow eye. This trailer has been used for 30 years in salt water with original springs and axle still in great shape since they are never dunked. Had to replace aft X-member a couple years ago because thats all that ever gets wet!)