Bow winch setup. Strap over bolt?

formulax · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 3:20 pm

Does this look correct. When I got the boat the strap was under the bolt, but in that setup it was rubbing across the sharp metal edge of the winch stand before pointing down to the bow eye. I knew that could not be right and was afraid to put too much tension on the strap. Took it by a hitch/trailer store today and they said it should be over the bolt, which makes more sense. However even over the bolt it seems like when you really put a lot of torque on the trap it is bending the bolt and side in where the bolt mounts. Is this the correct setup? The trailer is a 2015 Sea Ray trailer with the Profile 2000 winch setup. Trailer is made by Shorelander but I could not find anything on their website showing how it should all be setup.

Thalasso · **Joined:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:45 pm **Posts:** 333

under
Can you move the winch down some? The strap should be pulling pretty much straight when the boat is loaded

formulax · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:37 pm

Thalasso wrote:

under
Can you move the winch down some? The strap should be pulling straight when the boat is loaded

I can move it down, but I don't think it will be enough to keep the strap off the metal. Here is a photo when it is under the bolt. Looks like it will wear that strap out real quick. It rubs on the metal and across where the safety chain mounts. What purpose does that bolt serve then?

formulax · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:47 pm

Here is the winch. If I move it down much further the roller will be below the eye.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:08 pm

I would think the eye should land above the roller and the strap should definitely not be hitting anything in between. That's how the factory trailer is set up.

GottWhat · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:15 pm

230 Mike wrote:

I would think the eye should land above the roller and the strap should definitely not be hitting anything in between. That's how the factory trailer is set up.

I agree, the eye seems low to me.

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:49 pm

Also it appears that the angle of the winch is adjustable. You may need to change that angle.

formulax · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:51 pm

Hmm, everything I have ever known is the eye should always be under the roller to keep it from coming forward in an abrupt stop. It stresses this in the owner's manual as well. However the owner's says nothing about proper strap arrangement.

I was out looking some more and noticed the strap pulls from the bottom of the spool, I assume I can flip that around so it pulls from over the top? That would help bring it up quite a bit.

formulax · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:52 pm

LouC wrote:

Also it appears that the angle of the winch is adjustable. You may need to change that angle.

It is, I might can go one lower, but much lower and it will be too low (below the eye)

signalstan · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 7:54 pm

if you cant adjust the winch as people have suggested then get a piece of 1/2 inch pipe cut to lenth and put it over the bolt to act as a roller

Thalasso · **Joined:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:45 pm **Posts:** 333

Before you do anything rewind the strap and go over the top of the spool and under that bar and see what you have. You still might need to move the winch down that little bit but whatever you do the bow eye goes under the rollers.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

You are correct....the eye goes under the roller and strap goes over the carriage bolt....I assume you have the strap spooling off the top side of winch and not bottom. Can't tell from the pics...if u can post some that give better perspective of the setup...a little farther back to show sides and front of wich as it sets on post.

Another thought is it could have been set for a double roller like I have.....the eye goes over bottom roller and under the top....I bet that angle would be perfect for strap angle.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 8:56 pm

Man, someone was having a good time when they set up that winch. :wink:

Here's how the factory FW trailer looks on your boat (this was sitting in storage, so I had the winch loosened; when tight, the strap, which rolls over and not under, doesn't hit anything but the eye). The eye is between the rollers, up against the top roller:

rpengr · **Posted:** Tue Mar 01, 2016 9:29 am

This is a picture of my old trailer setup. My new trailer is setup the same way.

I always set up my trailers so the eye is below the roller, but can be pulled up tight to the roller. Winch strap spooled over the top, and not dragging on anything.

I had the same setup as shown in 230Mike's picture above, but I didn't like the double roller setup because at some boat ramp angles, the bow eye would get caught on the bottom roller when retrieving the boat.

It's not shown in this picture, but I also replaced the strap with a 10,000# rated strap (thicker yellow strap).

formulax · **Posted:** Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:56 am

I re-wound the strap so it goes OVER the spool and that helped a lot. I had to take off the ratchet lock deal and flip it around so it would grab now that it cranks the other way. I think pointing it down one notch now will get it where it needs to be. I'm also thinking about moving the whole winch stand back about 6-8". I feel like the boat is too far forward on the trailer. Here is a side-view of it on the trailer. I feel like that boat needs to go back some, but I'm worried the axles would need to move back as well if I do that. It seems to pull well as she sits now, I just don't want too much of the front of the boat sitting off of the bunks.

www.iFourWinns.com

Bow winch setup. Strap over bolt?

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