Winch and strap questions?

[cdlong]

Wow, ya sold us on 2 straps over the boat. Got the bow rollers changed. Are the support rollers under the boat in the proper positions? They get replaced next. Can I safely use a floor jack to lift the boat to replace the rollers?

[gofastsandman]

I use a ss turnbuckle on the bow eye. I do worry that it is overstressing the bow eye, but a loose chain wont do much.

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by cdlong

. . . Are the support rollers under the boat in the proper positions? They get replaced next. Can I safely use a floor jack to lift the boat to replace the rollers?

I see that's not an EZ Loader Trailer, so your roller supports are a little different than mine, although generally similar. (See pics below.) Looks like you just have a single bar at each roller location so your distance between inner and outer rollers is more limited. I have separate bars for the inner and outer rollers, so I extended them as far out as they will go. On the front bank of rollers, the distance between inner and outer rollers is about 18''. On the aft bank, the spread is about 23".

I would definitely add a pair of keel rollers to your aft X-member, which will center the boat when you first start loading. To get the outer rollers just outboard of the outer step and get the automatic alignment benefits that provides, you'll have to move the the entire rack of rollers outboard. That will lower the entire boat on the trailer, which is probably a good thing, IF you have enough clearance above the fenders! If clearance is tight, you could just move the front racks, but then only the front of the boat would drop down so that might make it harder to unload. (I assume your X-members pivot on the bolts attaching them to the trailer frame like mine do, which allows the entire rack or rollers to tilt as you load/unload the boat.)

I've just used a bottle jack on the frame and a 2x4 under the chine to lift one side of my boat, but I forgot yours is a 23, so much heavier than my 20! I've also used a floor jack with a wood block under the keel and that would probably be better, or maybe you could use a combination of the two.

That looks like a nice power winch! Will it pull your boat all the way up the trailer or do you dunk most of the trailer first? I prefer a cable to a winch strap because they will fail gracefully (1 strand at a time) because I've seen straps rip completely apart due to UV exposure, so I'd make sure it's in good shape. On advantage of a strap over a cable is that you don't lose nearly as much mechanical advantage due to drum getting bigger as you wind it in! Denny

[cdlong]

I purchased 2-2" ratchet straps as suggested. I saw a person towing a 25' Trophy with no straps. Must not like his boat. Made what little hair I have stand on end. I pulled over to get a soda and let him get WAY dfown the road.

[DonV]

"I saw a person towing a 25' Trophy with no straps. Must not like his boat"

You mean a Bayliner Trophy?? DUH......maybe he's never been on a SeaCraft!