Formosa Tow Catch anyone
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Thread: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

  1. #1
    Ausfish Addict Dignity's Avatar


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    Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    Anyone have one, I'd like to know how they operate as instructions are not available and videos are few and far. From what I've seen it doesn't appear to be a self launch as the only video that showed the catch being de-latched then the winch strap being removed, basically a manual launch. All other videos are of retrieval.

    Seems a rather hackneyed approach to me but then again as I said not much info out there. If what I described is the case I might go with the L&R Catch.
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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    I'm not sure if it's the same as mine, I need to take a video of how it works cause there's a lot of people that have asked me, and explaining it I think confuses even more.

    The Cruise Crafts are fitted with the L&R Latch, I think they're pretty much all the same, but here's a link to their website that shows a video on how it works.
    https://www.boatlatch.com.au/

    I've had others in the past that use a rope to pull, but it was a bit clunky. A Barcrusher I looked at had a set up that wasn't bad, the rope run through conduit and went vertical at the guard so it was always there and accessible, but you had a vertical conduit mounted to the side guard.

    The only time mine is a pain is if I forget to flick it over, especially if I'm retrieving, I've then got to get down and do it if I'm on my own, but now I'm used to it so it is just habitual for me to flick it over when I'm parking the trailer for the day, and I check it again once the trailer is in the water before I go get the boat.
    On a side note, after looking at steps the other day following your other post, I'm now thinking that they could make all this easier for me as well, I'll look into them over the 'off' season I think.
    Cheers
    Corry

  3. #3
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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    The only video I can find of the Formosa Towcatch used for launching is this one, all others only show retrieve.

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...7HzDxAGSboDHgx
    One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce and canonized those who complain.
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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    So my thoughts on that, it's more of a retrieve set up, not so much to launch.

    To enable launch it would need to allow the boat to be further back from the post (giving room to drive it forward). With the weight positioned at the front, the boat would be lowered back onto the catch, then move weight to the rear to allow the catch to drop when the weight of the boat is taken off of it, as the boat is then driven forward, the weight would then drop the catch allowing the boat to reverse away from the trailer.

    The way the video shows, I wouldn't use that for launching as the boat is connected to nothing while you would be climbing up into the boat.

    I'm not sure if these are adjustable or not to allow more room for the boat to be driven forward and the catch drop down, would be something to ask Formosa before committing to buy.
    Cheers
    Corry

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    Quote Originally Posted by Corry View Post
    So my thoughts on that, it's more of a retrieve set up, not so much to launch.

    To enable launch it would need to allow the boat to be further back from the post (giving room to drive it forward). With the weight positioned at the front, the boat would be lowered back onto the catch, then move weight to the rear to allow the catch to drop when the weight of the boat is taken off of it, as the boat is then driven forward, the weight would then drop the catch allowing the boat to reverse away from the trailer.

    The way the video shows, I wouldn't use that for launching as the boat is connected to nothing while you would be climbing up into the boat.

    I'm not sure if these are adjustable or not to allow more room for the boat to be driven forward and the catch drop down, would be something to ask Formosa before committing to buy.
    Exactly my conundrum, L and R Cstchis probably the way I'll go. I'll ty and contact Formosa to see if they've upgraded it.
    One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce and canonized those who complain.
    Thomas Sowell

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    The principle shown in that video is the same as used by Barcrusher, for their Barcatch system. When in the latched position, the hook is held in place purely by the weight of the boat. If the boat moves forward slightly, such as when that bloke winched it slightly, it disengages. Idea is that you unhook in the carpark, trusting the catch to hold as you back down. You then start your motor, drive up against the bow stopper, it falls off, you reverse away. All boat catches, with the exception of the Boatcatch, which uses a release cable you pull from up in the boat, work on a similar principle, even the L&R.
    The downfall of these is obviously when the boat moves slightly forward after you unhook the winch up on the flat. This can be as easy as having the boat move forward , by simple inertia, as you begin the reverse, if you have nice, free rollers. It will stay there until you get onto the slope of the ramp, and , hey presto, you are on Youtube forever, like these blokes did And this is not an isolated incident, others have popped up, same scenario. The only really safe place to unhook is when you start going down the ramp, when you can let the boat go back and apply weight, keeping it there until you start the motor and drive it forward. Even then, I don't really like it.
    I love my L&R, but only really use it for driving on. Both the strap AND the big locked snaplink on the safety chain stay on until the boat is far enough in the water . If the rollers have been greased, it will be all the way in--if they are due for a grease, almost all the way in then jump it off in reverse. Biggest compromise I will make, on busy ramps, is to have the winch off, and rely only on the snap link/saftey chain. The ute driver then has to jump out and unhook the safety only before I drive forward/drive away.

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    Thanks Ranmar, one of the issues is the new Bribie Island Bar causes a lot of swell action at the ramp which is why I was hesitant to use it. I suspect the Formosa catch while similar is different but I'd like to see one in person, seems that others that have had them on have removed them as "it interferes with engaging the safety chain ". Previously I've emailed Formosa about another issue but never got a response and no phone no to ring them on.
    One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce and canonized those who complain.
    Thomas Sowell

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    Swell action , however small, while you are on the trailer would be a very bad thing for most, methinks. The L&R is positive locking when loading, meaning it can't unlock,but the barcatch type setup, which relies on a bungee and the weight of the boat to keep it there, would not.

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    No just swell, jetskis don't like to slow down near ramps. I'll have to put my project on the Blackburn's as the boss has decided she wants to visit her rellies overseas while she can still travel so I won't be here to manage it all before we go.
    One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce and canonized those who complain.
    Thomas Sowell

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    I've seen some horrible slip ups at ramps down in Victoria with latches, mainly due to peoples expecting there latch to perform like the " boat catch ". Boat catch has the cord to release, it is the only one that can be called a " Positive locking" system. I disconnect everything before backing down the ramp, safety chain and winch strap and the boat catch is all that holds the boat. Using this method with any other variant, is definitely U-tube material.
    The cord, can be a pain in the ass sometimes, especially with everything else taken off, the boat will sit back on the pin and have some resistance when pulling the cord, but I go forward first taking the pressure off the pin, then the cord is easy to pull. running conduit along the trailer is the best method in my opinion, I pre hook the cord over my outrigger base, then let it drop once activated and it drops free clear of the trailer wheels. There's always a compromise with any of these u-bute launching aids, but I wouldn't trust any other, other than the positive locking boat catch myself.

    I don't think it would be too hard, for someone handy to replicate the principle of the boat catch version with a spring loaded lock and open mechanism, hook systems can have big issues in certain conditions or situations, if your aware of these, then they work Ok and shouldn't cause any surprising happenings, but for me, I've seen to many incidences...
    .......

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    There is no way that I would rely on any boat catch to hold the boat while reversing down a ramp, it's quite simple, the boat should never be released from the safety chain or the winch until it is ready to be launched. Call it my lack of trust, but for the sake of less than a minute to undo it in the water, I've got no intentions of becoming a UTube sensation.

    I have seen versions of the L&R with a rope attached, I've looked at doing it for those times where I forget to pull the lever across and have to climb out of the boat to do it, but I would set the rope up so that it's on a conduit post going straight up from the winch post and just do it at the front of the boat while I'm in it, but this would be difficult in a cabin type boat.
    Cheers
    Corry

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    I hear you Corry, but it's not as simple as that, the boat catch is designed for that, its the ONLY positive lock system, un like all the hook only systems. I've used mine like that for more than 10 years. If the boat catch pin is locked in, it wont/can't jump out, period, its the failures of the boat latch type systems which has people sceptical.
    Ya spend the extra coin and you get what you pay for with these systems, otherwise there's no real reason or benefit as Dig's is seeing, might as well drive boat on trailer, keep engine revving to hold the boat while you get out and hook it up. But, each to there own.
    Mine is set up ( cabin boat ) so I use a small hook type set up, while at the wheel, it releases and I slide off. when I fish 2 up, mate backs trailer in, I drive on, we both stay in our seats and drive the boat off the ramp, pretty much every second boat down Vic has one, makes snapper season launching very quick,,, Not so many have it hear in NSW, but always getting a heap of blokes here coming up to me after retrieving to check out the system. check out the video from boat catch.. again, boat catch is a completely different puppy to the lesser boat latch systems. Boat Catch is designed to be used like so, but it is more coin, but ya get what ya pay for I guess.
    .......

  13. #13
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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    Interesting, I'll have a relook at the Boat Catch, I did come across the Quintrex Catch n Release system which I liked, not a positive lock like the the Boat Catch but it basically requires me to modify or replace the winch post.
    I went for a run yesterday to trial different depths for launching and retrieving as the ramps were quiet and also to give tune the Simrad to the Motorguide. The latter was a bit of an issue as all features worked except the navigate to a WP is my main requirement offshore, I'll do some software update which will hopefully solve that.

    The launching/retrieving exercise was quite interesting though, I found that I don't need to sink the trailer as far and the boat still rolls of easily and pulling it on is only a little harder at the last bit because virtually no part of the hull is in the water to provide a bit of buoyancy. At the end of the day I will probably use a Catch and release systems mostly for retrieval only unless I have crew with me.
    One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce and canonized those who complain.
    Thomas Sowell

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    Hey Digs,
    Yep, the boat catch is definitely worth the look, Un-like all systems with the word Latch, The Boat Catch is designed for not having to connect anything else either backing down the ramp or pulling the boat out. The home page of Boat catch has all the spiel and video's to show what it's designed for.
    The problems and U-tube video's stems from owners of the latch system, trying to use it like a boat catch, that's like takin a knife to a gun fight, and ignorance.
    It's not cheap, but you would be fine with the smaller version, you get what you pay for as they say.
    I got my first drive on trailer at exactly the same time as the boat catch, after seeing the speed of launching and retrieving at the height of snapper season in Vic, which I've seen first hand the worst cases of boat ramp rage and red necks bullying the be-Jesus out of anyone that took more than 2 minutes to launch.
    I mastered the drive on after a few go's, but trusting the boat catch would do as it sais, took me a few launches, even still connecting the safety chain a few times, but there's absolutely no need, it's positive locking and does what it's guaranteed to do.
    As mentioned, if you run conduit along trailer, the last part of it bend up, have the cord a loop coming out of the conduit, with a rubber grip around it so it stays in place. I made up a hook out of Reo, about 3ft long, I reach down give it a pull and i slide off, it never hinders or gets caught in wheels, perfect for when the Mrs comes, she doesn't get out of the Ute, she just drives off and parks, and there's no being on or near slippery ramps.. ( mind you, the hardest part was teaching her to park ).. retrieval is a breeze, then stay in the boat as Mrs drives it out, or jump out and drive it out yourself, which is the case when Solo.... I have never seen either on u-tube or anywhere else the Boat Catch system ever fail, just keep hearing from blokes without the proper info and labelling every system the same.
    In all Honesty Dig's, it's probably why, when getting on in years, most sell up, as the launch retrieve becomes an issue with the age factor, my set up is easier to use than launching the tinnie.

    Check them out........ HTH
    .......

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    Re: Formosa Tow Catch anyone

    If anyone goes down the boat catch path just be aware that it's "shiny" & subject to theft

    Chris
    Give a man a fish & he will eat for a day !
    Teach him how to fish
    & he will sit in a boat - & drink beer all day!
    TEAM MOJIKO

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