DIY Starter/Surf Winch & Pics

[Out-Station]

Me and a mate knocked up a couple of these for our boats over the last while, should take a bit of the stress (and effort) out of retrieving in the surf we hope. For anyone interested specs etc below.

Toyota H1 Starter, Toyota Flex Plate out of a surf (although i think all toyota 4wd auto's are all the same)

We turned the 1:1 and 10:1 shafts to come out the other side of the winch to the flex plate side so we can still use the manual handle on these shafts if we want to. Put the power on the 5:1. Machined a new 5:1 shaft with mounting plate for the flex plate. Milled a hex on the end of it so we can still go manual on the 5:1 as well, (hex sticks out the centre of the flex plate).

We use different vehicles on our boats, couldn't be stuffed with charge circuits etc in vehicles so went with battery box on the trailer, trickle charge it from solar pannel - time will tell how this goes when we're using it full on for a week or so. Momentary push button to run the winch it and we stuck an isolator in it for safety, also means we can take the key out of the isolator so it can’t be played with at the ramp.

It takes about 17 seconds to pull my 6m on fully from flat on the ground. Just needs a cover over the gear and all done.

[stinky-stabi]

wicked m8 ...well done...will have too have a go at that some time soon.....

[finga]

Great idea that's been around for yonks.
Yours looks to be well made too :)
Instead of the direct gear drive have you thought about using a v-belt that can be taken off if the motor seizes or something stupid like that happens so the winch can still be manually worked??
Well done matey :)

[Out-Station]

Finga, because the starter only throws into and engages the ring gear when you hit the buton, the gears are not engaged when the unit is not under power. That the beauty of using this sytem, means the winch is free running (depending on your ratchet setting) to run winch cable back etc. Also means that if the starter shits itself you have a free running winch to wind manually. Works good i recon.

[foxx510]

Looks good. Does it have a safety cover? I'd be scared of it chewing up a finger or 5....

[frank100]

Excellent M8

[Wayne_Red]

Nice job there outstation, they have plenty of grunt don't they. A lot of people say why build one when you can buy a cheapy for $150 but don't compare the power and speed of the home made models.
I've had one on my boat for years and wouldn't be without it, pulls my haines of a flat beach in 10 seconds flat.
If you find the battery option gives you trouble, on mine I run +/- 16mm cables from the vehicle battery along the chassis to a 50amp anderson plug, works a treat.
Regards Wayne

[Out-Station]

Thanks for the feedback all

Foxx510 - yep-going to put a guard over the big cog like you say. Other thing we did was make sure ALL the controls are on the opposite side so you stand on the opposite side of the trailer to the flex plate when operating it.

Wayne, thank's, i could do as your say or could run a charge circuit from the car and charge the battery on the trailer fasetre than the solar, like you say though the home made jobs a are so far in fron't of the commercial ones for speed and power they don't compare.

thanks everyone. Scott

[claypot]

This is a sweet set up. I am just finishing mine, VT starter and flex plate. I will be pulling my 5.5mt glass huntsman dorado ( kiwi boat) off the sand onto trailer. I have a tractor so can lift 3 point linkage up and back trailer under as I operate winch from tractor. Just wondering if any one has fittted a breaker or thermal over load to starter postitive cable? As this set up appears to have enough power to break things. Or has any one stalled their winch? Not so bad on an ally boat but hate to pull the nose out of my glass boat. I put a 20 amp house breaker on as that was all I had to see how it would work and pinged strait away no load. The amps drawn will be related to the load on the starter so I'm guessing would need excess of 100 Amps. Any thoughts?
Cheers Clayton.

[blue_marlin]

Could you please email me some larger pictures of this setup ?

Thanks in advance

[Cape Crusader]

G'day
Nice job outstation. They are really impressive. I had one on my last boat which was made by a friend, we fitted a pull cord to operate the winch from the hook on point using a hella brake light switch (from memory). Quick but noisy, a pair of ear plugs are handy, also the pull string gives some distance. Mainly drove on but handy in low water etc
I've seen some nice metal covers for the fly wheel but I am more of a woodworker and used some polycarbonate I had lying around to make a cover then sprayed it black.
Cheers
Rod

[Out-Station]

BlueMarlin, PM me an email address and i'll email you through the JPG's. 8 years on its still going strong and as good as the day it was built, gets used pretty much every retreive i do.
Scott

[rayken1938]

I have wired a remote in parallel with the switch that is mounted on the winch post so you can operate the winch from anywhere The small remote lives on my ignition key fob and the larger one has lanyard to hang around your neck. Only drawback is that the remotes are not waterproof and you cannot purchase remotes separately but at $13 who cares.115648
Cheers
Ray

[jonjames]

These winches look like a great setup, just wondering if the starter motor is noisy?

[gazza2006au]

Jon we have advanced somewhat in technology and prices from those old days a few guys are running electric winches these days i have one on my 18 footer trailer but a good majority of boaters with 5+ meter rigs are driving there boats on now, when u consider making one of these diy units u need to factor in your time in labour + materials, say $40 per hour in labour few hundred in parts minus any machining u need or water jet cutting of the sprockets, plus any wiring to add would cost even more money, just cheaper to go buy a electric winch bolt it on an use it

[scottar]

Jon we have advanced somewhat in technology and prices from those old days a few guys are running electric winches these days i have one on my 18 footer trailer but a good majority of boaters with 5+ meter rigs are driving there boats on now, when u consider making one of these diy units u need to factor in your time in labour + materials, say $40 per hour in labour few hundred in parts minus any machining u need or water jet cutting of the sprockets, plus any wiring to add would cost even more money, just cheaper to go buy a electric winch bolt it on an use it

These things are so much better. If you were buying a commercially built product capable of the same performance it would be several thousand dollars. Try winching your boat on in the surf with a commercially available trailer winch and then you will understand the shortfalls.

[gazza2006au]

What is the difference Scottar?

[scottar]

Speed. Quickest I have seen was capable of winching a 25 footer on in about 4 seconds. It did use a Honda stationary motor though. By comparrison my commercially available winch takes minutes. When your rig is bouncing on the rollers in surge you appreciate being able to get it out of harms way quick.

[gazza2006au]

I have never beach launched but i have heard about a mate launching off a rocky coastal boat ramp he said the boat was getting smashed, i thought those diy winches would have just been the same as a commercially bought one i guess i was way off thanks for the correction

[Out-Station]

The commercial equivalents are the specialist 4wd "competion" winches which are specifically set up for fast winching , about as fast as my old strater jobby from the research i did but pretty pricey, Runva have a good fast one in their range, they do draw more amps than the old H1 starter on the 5:1 or 10:1 reduction though. Jon sent you a pm on the noise buts its really horses for courses. When its just on dark on a rising tide, your mate has got the cruiser backed down into some solid shore dump on a soft beach theres only one thing on your mind and that is sucking your 2 tonnes of alloy out of the gutter in quick time and getting the ****outa there before things go pear shaped!;D

[hungry6]

We launch our boat of Waddy Point Fraser Is. a few time every year. I got a commercially available winch. A Runva EWX9500 EVO 80:1 ratio. Takes about a couple of seconds to drag a 6m boat from rear to front. Never ever cracked a sweat. I though about building one, when you can get one commercially made with a wireless remote this fast for $850 why would you even bother, comes with a limited life time warranty.
One time we came in on a low tide, drag the boat accross 40m odd of shallow / wet sand and onto the trailer.
I would never go without one now. Saves the arms and worry about water depth coming in.