Losing winch handles.

[gford001]

Alright. I'm onto my third winch handle in pretty quick order.
Now you're an inventive bunch of blokes, what innovations have you come up with to not leave your winch handle on as you drive off?
I've got a 3 speed winch, but mostly use the middle gear, so thought about welding it on. Another option was drilling a hole in it and a small chain.....
Surely someone here has an ingenious idea they could share and save me buying a new winch handle everytime i take the boat out.
Cheers
Glen.

[Gon Fishun]

Google pit pin.


113629

[scottar]

Electric winch.

[Triple]

I only ever use the one speed on my 3 speed so it's bolted on. If you think you may use the other gears then just drill it and all three lugs and use an R pin.

[robsue]

if you only use one speed, put some liquid nails on it

[shaungonemad]

Drill a hole and put a small bolt through it. There must be someone out there with a crap load of spare handles everyone that I know has lost a few but you never find any.

[Back In Black]

Take it off the winch.............

[bluefin59]

Learn to Drive on and then you don't need the winch , I have seen a couple at nuddgee beach over the years and wondered why they aren't attached properly . Matt

[airlock]

spray the thing day glow pink, you won't miss it in a hurry.

[NAGG]

Generally - I'm pretty good when on my own ..... the handle goes into the anchor well

the problems occur when someone comes fishing with me ...... they drive off to park the car & leave the handle on - then you go to retrieve ...... ooops gonski . Even driving onto the trailer , you still need to tighten the cable .

What is the answer ? ..... if you weld or drill you cant use a 2 or 3 speed winch ....... tie a bow on it so you or your deckie remembers ;)


Chris

[Dignity]

I have a bubble wrap packet that mine sits in in the side pocket of the car, when it comes out the packet sits on the dash, when you get back in the car you will see it and realise the winch handle is missing. And container will do.

[Triple]

There must be someone out there with a crap load of spare handles everyone that I know has lost a few but you never find any.

I've found half a dozen or so on the ramp over the years, Have always put them somewhere visible near the ramp hoping if it's dropped when launched it's still there when they get back in..

[PixieAU]

Mine is high-vis orange now but I like the idea of a wrapper near the driver's seat.
I also keep a spare in the boat and a spare in the car. Plus a cross-brace will do if desperate. I've found since I've had two spares I haven't lost any!

My last boat I did a small tack-weld on the gear I used most. If I had to I could have probably broken the weld.

Otherwise mine goes into the back of the car while I'm out and in the anchor well when I'm not.

[hazza80]

Have needed to use a spanner once or twice due to forgetting it. Mine sits in the car centre console full-time.

[gford001]

Generally - I'm pretty good when on my own ..... the handle goes into the anchor well

the problems occur when someone comes fishing with me ...... they drive off to park the car & leave the handle on - then you go to retrieve ...... ooops gonski . Even driving onto the trailer , you still need to tighten the cable .

What is the answer ? ..... if you weld or drill you cant use a 2 or 3 speed winch ....... tie a bow on it so you or your deckie remembers ;)


Chris
This is exactly my drama. I drive the boat so the Mrs forgets, or my mate forgets, then its not on there when we load the boat, or we load up and forget the handle for the drive home. The boat makes it but the handle doesn't.....
The drilling and R-pin idea seems like a good one. Might try that.

[fisho64]

Write your mobile number on it in txta.
Ive had 2 returned over the years, if not at least you know it's stolen not lost

[sandbank pete]

Like Nagg, I put the handle in the anchor well but the trouble with that is, when someone else chucks the anchor out, so goes the winch handle.. gonski.. happened twice now. And a other couple of times when someone else has been helpful and parked the car and trailer somewhere and left the winch handle to be spirited away by those pesky seagulls (well you can't blame anyone can you?😧 So now I got three of them.. One goes in the anchor well... Real handy spot.. One goes in the back of the ute and the other is secreted inside the boat somewhere. I will find it one day.. in the meantime though, I'm trying to talk the minister of finance and war letting me get a couple of electric winches... One for the anchor and another for the trailer.

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[tunaticer]

Get yourself an 18v rattle gun and a socket for the winch......guarantee you will not forget the winch handle when it is a rattle gun.
You will love the ease of retrieve too.

[scrotty]

Here is my solution, I have never lost one since. It stays with the trailer. Travelled all over the country and it doesn't move. Bit of Jack chain,113746 close one end in one hole and make a hook in the other end. Slide the handle into the trailer tube and put your chain across. Done!

[wags on the water]

Mine's painted bright red and lives in the pocket inside the drivers door regardless of fishing or not - also keep a spare in the car - for justin

[Marlin_Mike]

We often build up a collection of winch handles at the Raby Bay base. People forget them, drop them, don't notice they're gone. If you lose one at the ramps next to VMR Raby bay, just wander on over and ask, maybe we picked it up or someone handed it in.

[tjotter]

handle bolted onto winch
http://bla.com.au/default/shop-online/boat-trailer/winches/trailer-winch-dual-gear-drive.html

[Dignity]

handle bolted onto winch
http://bla.com.au/default/shop-online/boat-trailer/winches/trailer-winch-dual-gear-drive.html

Doesn't work for me as I drive on but 80% of the time I can't get all the way onto the trailer and my crew needs to let some out, also they need to release a bit from the electric winch and the only way is with the handle.