is an electric trailer winch really necessary with a 5.4 Haines Sig

[desertislander]

just wondering what the real gain is having an electric trailer winch for a 5.4 cuddy when the trailer is a good multi roller one. It had been fitted by a previous owner and I find the jinning around with the extra control lead is more than it's worth. A straightforward manual winch seems simpler and safer for this newbie and I am thinking of resurrecting the original one which just needs a new cable. Am I missing something here, what do the established boaties think, electric or manual and why?, thanks

[scottar]

Not necessary but nice. Especially as one gets a bit older or if you have suffered injury. We used to manually winch a Seafarer Victory onto the trailer with a 3 speed winch so it can definately be done but I do like the convenience of my electric winch now. Mine doesn't have a control cable though - just a switch on the side of the winch.

[Fed]

Electric winch is great if you're solo or with someone who can't help.

Mine has a string to tied to the back of the trailer to activate the switch, this allows you to hold the boat in position & control the winch at the same time. It's like having 2 people.

Edit: Just noticed you have a hand controller on a lead, I think I'd find that a hassle too.

[ozscott]

I love my winch on the trailer for my Vag - I plug in the lead which is 24 feet and it allows me to hold the boat at the back of the trailer in any conditions - I can walk half way along the boat to hold it - and both pull it on and reverse winch if not happy with alignment etc. I wouldnt go back to manual for a glass boat around 5.5m onwards.

Cheers

[desertislander]

Now that's a point I had overlooked, being able to manage the boat alone when guiding it on to the trailer if in a bit of a blow or tide, there's no real protection from wind or tide on the R I ramps so that could prove handy, at least until I have mastered the art of driving it straight on !! I will need a lot of practice at that yet though, only been out in it a couple of times so far, been busy rigging a hydraulic steering system on her. So, electric winch stays for the moment then. Thanks guys, glad I asked

[Chimo]

D I

Your trailer will need a lot less work on it and it wont rust if you stop drowning it which you can easily do if you have an electric winch.

When I use my trailer with the Seafarer Vagabond its a one man job, wind or not, if you hook the cable onto the bow eye with only the lower part of the wheels wet and haul it up.

Keep the electric winch in other words.

Cheers
Chimo

PS IMHO if its windy, park the boat up wind, position the trailer with just the bottom of the wheels wet then push the boat straight out and let the wind push it.

Pull the boat in towards the trailer as the wind blows it so the bow connects exactly with the rear of the trailer, hook up and winch it on.

If only the rear rollers are wet, the boat will centre as you haul it up onto the trailer. No more rust no more wheel bearing issues stuff all maintenance on the trailer and it keeps its value.

[mitc69]

i say it a must to have :) not been lazy or anything but after a hard day of pulling do u wanna pull more? lol i know i dont i just wanna drive it up lock it and drive off

[SWANY22]

ive got a 680 encore fsh by my self quite regular and find it quite easy to wind on actually don't like using me wiinch at all quicker to wind on.

[Fed]

I think you could sum it up by saying with an electric winch you can retrieve solo at any ramp in any conditions.

It's not unusual for me to start winching with the boat at almost right angles to the trailer, the trick is to have that rear roller out of the water then everything has no choice but to align by itself.

I wish they were a little faster though, for me @ 15' per minute seems to take an eternity and mine is faster than most.

[desertislander]

Thanks for the input on this guys, I have kept it on, just striped it down, replaced the cable and and gave it a bit of grease now she's as good as new and yes, a great asset when loading alone ;)

[Corry]

When I was looking at electric winches for our 5m Top Ender, I ended up going for an ATV winch, I mounted it along with the manual winch so that I have a back up if ever needed.
Reasons for going for the ATV style winch, which is just a smaller version of what you fit to a vehicle, is that the speed is much much faster than what I could find in the boat winch varieties, and the control is either by switch at the winch, or by wireless remote control. All I need to do is plug it in to the back of the car. But the speed is great, I couldn't winch it up manually as quick, and it's a single line pull, not double like I've seen some boat winches set up.

Cheers
Corry

[aussiebasser]

I had an electric winch on my 435 Hornet. Brilliant if you fish alone a lot, especially on windy days.

[rayken1938]

I would not be able to go fishing without my remote winch . I do have a manual winch mounted on my winch post in case the leccy one karks it.
Spent a few bob and hook up a wireless remote it is a lot easier than using a lead.
This is what I use and only takes a short time to wire in.
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[FisHard]

I will go against the grain and vote for a manual winch.
Cheap to buy and replace, simple to maintain and easy enough if geared right. Just gotta remember the handle!

[Haji-Baba]

Hello D. I. Things to consider.

Single handed recovery push pull as required.

Work the Wind & Tide to suit your situation.

Speed of recovery, in my case 41 seconds from hook up to completion.

445C. Haines Hunter.

Winching as opposed to driving on & undermining the end of the ramp.

In my case a drive on would present great difficulty getting off the boat to drive up the ramp or just simply just getting off the boat, bl--dy near impossible with out a ladder.

Not required to drown the trailer is another good point.
Simplicity of winching with the electric winch, you are in total control.

Make sure that the electric winch can be overridden by manual means in case of electrical problem

I prefer to use that "Spectra" (spelling) rope rather than wire or strap.

This is my third electric and all home made, work perfectly.

It's up to you but my suggestion is keep the elec. winch and perfect your functions.

Remember P. P. P. P. P. P.

Have fun Haji-Baba

[Cobbo1]

I've got a powerwinch for my 5.7 quintrex, awesome winch, dont use it too much as I drive mine on most of the time, awesome for beach retrieval, if its in shallow water, leave the car in neutral and winch the trailer under the boat. I've never had to do it but if the boat was high and dry i dont think it would have a problem like this.
also has a manual override on the winch with a long handle for easy winding.if you dont have one already, install a turnbuckle that hooks from the trailer to the bow just below the safety chain, and then release tension on the winch, if you use the winch to secure the boat it will bugger the clutch in the winch.

[ozscott]

Hey Rayken can you let us know how you wired it up....i had a feeling with my ATV winch because it just has a basic solenoid set up for forward and reverse that the wireless remote cant be wired in...

Cheers

[Fed]

Having existing solonoids would probably make it easier ozscott.

[rayken1938]

Hey Rayken can you let us know how you wired it up....i had a feeling with my ATV winch because it just has a basic solenoid set up for forward and reverse that the wireless remote cant be wired in...

Cheers
You get a wiring diagram with the remote kot. I just wired it up in parallel with the existing in/out switch.That way I can either operate the winch remotely or from the switch on the winch post.The colour code of the wires was even the same.
Cheers
Ray

[Fed]

Rayken did the instructions/circuit diagram mention how many Amps it could switch @12V DC?

[rayken1938]

I no longer have the book but from memory it is around 5 amps. Does not need high capacity as it is only operating the solenoid.
Cheers
Ray

[ozscott]

Thanks Fed and Rayken - this is the inside of mine (it has a plug in remote control cable, but it might as well just be a 3 position switch i guess:

This should be easy enough?

Cheers

[rayken1938]

will work well if you require a switch at the winch post either shorten the current remote lead or just wind it up and secure with cable ties.
cheers
ray

[ozscott]

Thanks Ray


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