Fulton XLT 10.0 Inquiry

[LuvBoating]

Now have this installed on our 27' boat trailer that holds our 20' Celebrity Cuddy. When we watched the video on how to use, it was never shown how the winch strap snap is undone from the bow eye of the boat, when launching or retrieving it. In both launching and retrieving, the winch strap snap is connected to the bow eye yet.

When we were finally able to use this electric winch, last Thursday, I had to get on the trailer, from the ramp, and disconnect the snap from the bow eye. There was no way that this snap could be reached from the dock to unhook. Our arms aren't 6' long! Then, when retrieving our boat, my wife was able to pull the boat up onto the trailer with two ropes, connected to the boat, but had to pull the boat up to where I was on the front of the trailer so I could hook up the winch. This is not what the video shows (with the winch strap connected as the boat was coming off of the trailer and on the trailer.

Anyone got any ideas about this?

Other than the unhooking the winch strap snap, this electric winch worked perfectly. We have a multi-purpose marine battery mounted to our trailer now, however, we can take the battery off of the trailer to recharge.

 

[LuvBoating]

Does anyone on this forum either know about electric boat trailer winches or have one? Perhaps these kind of winches are only used by Senior boaters, like us?

 

[JimS123]

I've had a Powerwinch on all my larger boats for about 40 years now. So, I guess you could say that I started at early middle age.....LOL.

First off, for unloading, back the trailer in until the bow is just at the water's edge. Then unhook the winch and back in the rest of the way. No need to power unload.

In my case I have a SS eye bolt attached to the top of my fenders. While in the parking lot I pull out the winch cable and hook it to the eye. Then I back in and step on the fender, unhook the hook and reattach it to the bow eye. I can reach it from the fender, but not from the dock.

On my real wide boat I use a pole to attach the hook to the bow eye. I pull out the cable, attach the hook to the pole, walk out on the dock and clamp it on the boat. The handy gadget I use is a "Star Brite EZ Hooker boat hook, with a 6' long telescopic handle. Slick as a whistle.

When I don't launch next to a dock I just put on water shoes and go wading. Regardless the boat is never launched with the cable attached.

 

[roscoe]

Attach a bow line to the boat.
Tie line to trailer winch post with a "HALTER HITCH" knot or something similar.

Release winch, when strap goes slack, the boat will be held in place by the bow line.
Remove hook from boat.
Release the knot in the bow line and the boat glides away.



To retrieve, use a Star Brite Easy Hooker boat hook to attach the winch strap to the boat.

 

[dingbat]

Power winches for 30+ years

Launch: I do the same as Roscoe

Retrieve: back trailer in until just the top of fender is sticking out of the water.

Can pull the boat by hand to within 6 feet from the post from there.

Just walk out on trailer to connect hook.

 

[JimS123]

Attach a bow line to the boat.
Tie line to trailer winch post with a "HALTER HITCH" knot or something similar.

Release winch, when strap goes slack, the boat will be held in place by the bow line.
Remove hook from boat.
Release the knot in the bow line and the boat glides away.

That's an excellent alternate procedure. That's what I do if the ramp is extremely steep. Most of the time, though, when I release the hook the boat just stays there and I actually have to give it a little push to get her moving.

 

[LuvBoating]

Will most definitely check out that Star Brite Easy Hooker! However, can't use this thing to unhook the winch strap snap from the bow eye, but can definitely use it to hook up the winch strap snap to the bow eye. That way, my wife wouldn't have to use as much arm power to pull the boat, by way of tie-up lines, all the way up on the trailer. Just let the winch do it.

 

[JimS123]

Will most definitely check out that Star Brite Easy Hooker! However, can't use this thing to unhook the winch strap snap from the bow eye, but can definitely use it to hook up the winch strap snap to the bow eye. That way, my wife wouldn't have to use as much arm power to pull the boat, by way of tie-up lines, all the way up on the trailer. Just let the winch do it.

You don't need a tool to unhook the winch. That's the easy part of the process. The unhooking is done on dry land within reach of everyone.

 

[LuvBoating]

You don't need a tool to unhook the winch. That's the easy part of the process. The unhooking is done on dry land within reach of everyone.

Just to let you know, this is NOT what the video shows of how to use this electric winch. Take a look on YouTube at the video on this Fulton XLT 10.0 Electric Winch. In the video, the winch strap is hooked to the bow eye when the boat is coming off of the trailer and hooked to the bow eye when retrieving the boat, back on the trailer, on the ramp.

Even when we had a regular winch on the trailer, we'd unhook the winch strap with the boat/trailer in the water. We leave both the chain and the winch strap buckle/snap hooked to the bow eye of the boat when going down the ramp. Now, the chain could be removed, before going down the ramp, but not the winch strap. Actually we feel safer with both connected, knowing, if the winch gives way, the chain will be there to hold the boat on the trailer until the boat/trailer are in the water.

 

[JimS123]

If a winch hook is kept on the boat when launching its because the winch is an unfriendly power out model because the boat is very large and heavy. Power in : freewheel out is preferred by most boaters.

Reread my recommendation and then compare to your second paragraph. That's what I said to do.

If you feel your way is better, just buy some water shoes and go for it. Sounds like your mind is already made up.

 

[LuvBoating]

If a winch hook is kept on the boat when launching its because the winch is an unfriendly power out model because the boat is very large and heavy. Power in : freewheel out is preferred by most boaters.

Reread my recommendation and then compare to your second paragraph. That's what I said to do.

If you feel your way is better, just buy some water shoes and go for it. Sounds like your mind is already made up.

It's not that my mind is made up, I was only going by what the products video shows.

The winch is exactly what our boat weight is called for. Another winch, like this one, but for a 20' boat, we thought might not work as well, because our engine is a 5.7L V-8 350. So, we decided to get the XLT 10.0 model.

Guess I'll have to read up more on the "freewheel out" mode.

 

[JimS123]

I'd be interested to view the video. Please post a link.

 

[LuvBoating]

I'd be interested to view the video. Please post a link.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...tail&FORM=VIRE

We have the large one. IOW, the XLT 10.0 for boats 20 foot and over.

 

[GA_Boater]

It's a demonstration video showing how the winch pays out and retrieves the strap and nothing more.

The video does show the strap is never unhooked from the bow. Too bad they didn't show the boat on the lake dragging the trailer and tow vehicle behind it.

Luv, doesn't it make sense that the strap is unhooked at some point to boat ride on the lake? The rope trick at launch and the Easy Hooker at retrieve is the way to go.

 

[JimS123]

That's an advertising video. It's not instructional, nor does it even offer any suggestions. Leaving the hook on when unloading is merely to show that the winch is power-out, not freewheeling.

When I retrieve I merely disengage the clutch and walk out to the bow of the boat with the hook in hand. Power-out takes twice as long.

Actually, whoever did that video must have been from an advertising agency. They surely were not a boater. I cringed when I saw the strap dangling in the water. Moisture and UV are strap killers. Nothing worse than having the strap rip just before the boat gets all the way on the trailer. (yes, I saw it happen twice) Keep your strap dry and cover the whole winch if the trailer is stored outdoors. Just like you cover your trailer wheels if they are stored in the sun.

 

[roscoe]

I don't understand the problem.

Video shows winch operation.

Looks easy enough to swing the bow toward the dock and unhook, at least with the boat and dock in the video, and given there is room, no wind or current, and no line of people waiting.
And nobody from the AWCMBPTDAAT commission, watching you.


AWCMBPTDAAT -- All Water Craft Must Be Parallel To Dock At All Times.

 

[LuvBoating]

I don't understand the problem.

Video shows winch operation.

Looks easy enough to swing the bow toward the dock and unhook, at least with the boat and dock in the video, and given there is room, no wind or current, and no line of people waiting.
And nobody from the AWCMBPTDAAT commission, watching you.


AWCMBPTDAAT -- All Water Craft Must Be Parallel To Dock At All Times.

The bow of our boat, a cuddy cabin type, is too stocky to do that "swinging of bow". Standing on the dock, neither of us could reach the bow ring and take unhook the winch strap snap. Our boat is too wide for that.

 

[LuvBoating]

That's an advertising video. It's not instructional, nor does it even offer any suggestions. Leaving the hook on when unloading is merely to show that the winch is power-out, not freewheeling.

When I retrieve I merely disengage the clutch and walk out to the bow of the boat with the hook in hand. Power-out takes twice as long.

Actually, whoever did that video must have been from an advertising agency. They surely were not a boater. I cringed when I saw the strap dangling in the water. Moisture and UV are strap killers. Nothing worse than having the strap rip just before the boat gets all the way on the trailer. (yes, I saw it happen twice) Keep your strap dry and cover the whole winch if the trailer is stored outdoors. Just like you cover your trailer wheels if they are stored in the sun.

For me, along with the instructional booklet, that came with the winch, showing how to use the winch is very helpful. And, on top of that, the video doesn't show that the "On" button, on the remote, has to be kept pushed down for a few seconds in order for the remote to work. I've already done the "match-up" between the winch and the remote, but still have to keep the button pressed down for a few seconds to turn on the remote/winch.

We have both a wrap-around lock and a cover for the winch. Also have a wrap-around lock for the battery that is mounted on the trailer. Have a cover for our spare tire on the trailer, but no covers for the 4 tires on the trailer (dual-axle trailer). The boat/trailer sits outside at a local boat/rv storage. During summer months, we have a fairly new cockpit cover and during the winter months, we use the cockpit cover and a full cover, strapped to the trailer, for storage. If we get any high amount of snow, we will go over to storage and take the snow off of the boat full cover. And, during winter months, we take the winch battery off of the trailer and take home, as well as our dual-batteries in the boat.

 

[LuvBoating]

Attach a bow line to the boat.
Tie line to trailer winch post with a "HALTER HITCH" knot or something similar.

Release winch, when strap goes slack, the boat will be held in place by the bow line.
Remove hook from boat.
Release the knot in the bow line and the boat glides away.



To retrieve, use a Star Brite Easy Hooker boat hook to attach the winch strap to the boat.

We have bought the Star Brite EZ Boat Hook, but can't go on our boat hook we have. The hook we have won't come off! So, where do I get an extending pole that this EZ Boat Hook could snap onto???

 

[JimS123]

The bow of our boat, a cuddy cabin type, is too stocky to do that "swinging of bow". Standing on the dock, neither of us could reach the bow ring and take unhook the winch strap snap. Our boat is too wide for that.

That's why you unhook the winch strap and safety cable as the bow stop is just over the water. If the boat falls off the trailer at that point it just makes it easier because you have just launched the boat.