www.iFourWinns.com

Our boat didn't come with a safety chain for our winch and eye bolt. I was sitting in my USCG class tonight and sounded like it was a requirement. They described the chain setup, but made no sense. Does anyone have a pic of their setup that they can post to help me out?

Thanks,

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2007 Four Winns 190 Horizon Merc 4.3 MPI

Our boat on Crescent Lake in Oregon

Most people use a transom tie down strap from the bow eye down to the tongue. There should be a piece of round stock welded to the back of the tongue. You should be able to use this same attachment point to connect a clevis and a piece of 5/16" chain with hook on the end as another means of protection but really if you have the winch strap holding tight, the bow strap in place that is probably sufficient. I think the chain is used if you don't put a bow strap in place.

I recently installed a boat buckle at the bow and I just drilled a 1/2" hole in the piece of flat plate that supprts the winch mount. You could do the same except secure a chain there.
Unfortunately I don't have any pictures yet...

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

I did the same as Marc.....works great. I will try to remember to snap a picture when I get home.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Lots of debate about the need for a safety chain here and on other boating boards. As I have come to understand it, the straps and tie downs hold the trailer to the greater mass boat, rather than vice versa. Imagine picking up a trailered boat by the boat and shaking it, the straps are enough to hold the trailer in place. Now imagine picking up the boat and trailer combination by the trailer, turning it upside down and shaking it - all bets are off, the straps simply are not designed to support the weight of the boat. In this second scenario, would a safety chain help? Not much, even if the chain were strong enough to hold the full weight of the boat, it would swing around unsecured. As I've heard it, the saftey chain is there to prevent the boat from sliding off of the trailer should the winch strap and tie downs be insufficient. Unfortunately, given the slack necessary to put the saftey chain on (and take it off), it really does next to nothing to secure the trailer firmly to the boat unless the slack is taken out by repositioning the boat on the trailer. Obviously towing your boat fast down an extremely bumpy road with only the saftey chain on, assuming the chain does not break, the boat will bounce and bang against the trailer at the very least. To my mind, the saftey chain only protects against the breaking of a winch strap, and judging by my last boat which at 28 years still had the original winch strap, I think this is a pretty rare occurance.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Boat Buckles are the answer here. And I have a set for sale!

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

My boat also wasn't delivered with a bow chain or strap, and my dealer specifically told me they've never provided them. However, going down the highway one day I noticed the boat rocking on the trailer more than I liked, so I added the strap just to stabilize it more. IMO a chain isn't going to hold the boat back in a collision if its only attachment point is a chain link tack welded onto the trailer frame (or for that matter a piece of 1/4" rod such as in this pic). A strap probably won't do much in a collision either, but that's not why I added it.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

In this scenario...this is why I prefer the strap/bucket setup over a chain. If a strap is kept tight, it has less room for shock and less likely to break. A chain will have slack and therefore have to absorb quite a shock if things went south.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Great feedback, thanks for the comments & pic. Looks like I'll have some winter mods to do. I'm going to verify that there isn't some obscure law in WA State about a chain.

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2007 Four Winns 190 Horizon Merc 4.3 MPI

Our boat on Crescent Lake in Oregon

I have a roller trailer (need it in a coastal region with 7 foot depth changes with tides) and I feel that a safety chain is an absolute necessity...we live in a very hilly area and if the strap broke you'd have a real mess on your hands.
In addition I had a tie down strap for the bow to keep the bow from bouncing up and down but it was never as secure as I wanted. So I was browsing through the Champion Trailers catalog and I found the ultimate bow tie down...a turn buckle with a chain and a mount that bolts to the frame of the trailer...all parts are galvanized...this is super heavy duty and if the strap and even the safety chain ever failed this would keep the boat from rolling off the trailer...the hook end of the turnbuckle fits into the bow eye just like the hook for the strap....
So we have a winch strap....safety chain....bow tie down chain....and rear tie down straps....The other thing mentioned in the Champion catalog...if you were ever re-ended....the boat can climb up over the rear of the tow vehicle...the chain (heavy as safety chains for the hitch) wlll keep the boat from doing that...

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Personally, I feel a bow chain (OR other bow SECURING device) is a necessity also. I even make sure to use on my jet ski trailers. SO I wind up running the winch strap, bow chain, and transom straps on any water toy (boat or jetski). I do agree the chain may not do too much good, but I relate it to trailer safety chains (a backup system should the main system(s) fail, there to give a small measure of additional security). I have had a winch lock fail and the bow of the boat bounced more than normal,(probably not dangerous, but AGREVATING none the less) but because I knew there was a safety device in play, I was able to take my time, find a safe place to pull off the road, and secure the winch handle with a tie down strap, instead of pulling off in a "less safe" place.

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'90 Horizon 220 5.8

I just looked at BassPro (I have a gift card!) and they sell the

Boat Buckle $74.99 http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... -0#reviews

and the Cargo Buckle for $54.99 http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... LL_PRODUCT


I do not see any difference. Does anyone know if there is one? And why $20 more? They have a stainless model for $114 but I would only buy that for the transom as it would get dunked in the water every time. This is going by the winch and at most getting some drops of water or splashing.

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

The Boat Buckle bolts on to a fixed piece (trailer)....the cargo buckle has a strap on both ends.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

On the website it says it bolts to the trailer for hauling your ATV. Thats what I was thinking, but it has an option with the hook on ea end. Wish Bass Pro was closer so I could go look.

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

I've got a Bass Pro 4 blocks from my office if there's something specific I can look at for you.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Thanks Mike. Next time you are in (no special trip), see if the cargo buckle vs the boat buckle are any different. Appear the same online but boat one is $20 more.

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4