Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

[Fishatron]

Whenever I load my boat, the bow eyelet gets caught under neath the winch roller, I then somehow magically maneuver it over top then winch it up. Do i need a new winch post with the roller at a lower height or something?

Also, my 2 front trailer rollers never seem to stay where i adjust them to (in the pic they are not even touching the hull anymore). I think they gradually fall down during trailering to and from the launch. any recommendations?

Hoping to get this winch fixed/replaced, as well as the trailer better fitted to the boat over the winter. Let me know if you have any ideas, thanks!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

raise the winch stand until the eye goes under the roller... you might try lowering the other rollers so that the keel sets on it's roller

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

I just noticed in the pic that your winch stand is about as high as it gets... you may need a taller winch stand

EDIT: it just hit me, you need one of these

 

[roscoe]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

Yes you need a taller winch stand. Bow eye should be under the roller, with the strap going below the roller.

Treat that Starcraft boat to a proper winch post.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

Hard to tell by this picture but it looks as though there are 2 keel rollers on your trailer. Is that correct? Also it looks as though the 1st roller, the one on the cross support, is much lower than the last roller, the one under the bow. Is that correct?

If this is correct from what I see in the picture then what I would do is 1st align both keel rollers so that they are level with the tongue. Then lower the roller bunks so that the keel just touches the rollers with just a little bit of pressure. With mine I am able to rotate the keel rollers by hand with just a little resistance. I try to keep the pressure on the keel rollers even w/o more weight being on one than the other. You want to balance the weight on all rollers and not place more on one roller or group of rollers.

 

[Fishatron]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

Thanks for the replies guys, so far I like the product 'smokeonthewater' posted (it's cheaper than a new winch post!). I would like to keep the winch post I have since it's in good shape and galvanized.

bonz_d you are right, there are 2 keel rollers that are hard to see in the pics (I was calling them front trailer rollers in my post). I've tried adjusting them to fit the boat, but they have slowly fallen back down. the mounting brackets just don't seem up to the job. (pun ) I like your idea of lowering the roller bunks to allow the boat to meet the keel rollers, they need adjusting inward anyways. I still need to think about that plan. That would definelty require lowering the winch post. however, I kind of like the height that the boat is at, if I lowered it, I would worry about the engine skeg hitting off curbs while trailering. (I already worry about it!).

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

you should be tilting the engine up while trailering

 

[Fishatron]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

you should be tilting the engine up while trailering

Really? It looks unsafe that way. It's way up in the air and only takes a good pothole or curb at a good speed for it to jump and crash down. (hasn't happened yet, but i can picture it...ouch)

Is trailering with engine tilted up the right way?

 

[roscoe]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

A couple of things:

Your keel rollers don't stay in position because you are missing one of the bolts that hold it in place.
There should be a bolt under the tongue, and a bolt on top of the tongue. The roller /bracket can't move downward if the top cross bolt is in place.

Secondly, you should NOT raise the motor and rest it on the tilt lock when trailering.

You SHOULD raise the motor and place it in a trailering clip or a transom saver and secure it in place.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

if it doesn't have a solid locking mechanism then some sort of device to hold it is in order.... there are many ways to to it.... from a wood block and a bungee to a product (called a transom saver) that goes between the lower unit of engine and the trailer frame

Many years ago on my tinny w a 7.5 I simply tilted all the way up and strapped the engine to the back seat

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

I like your idea of lowering the roller bunks to allow the boat to meet the keel rollers, they need adjusting inward anyways. I still need to think about that plan. That would definelty require lowering the winch post. however, I kind of like the height that the boat is at, if I lowered it, I would worry about the engine skeg hitting off curbs while trailering. (I already worry about it!).

From the looks of it in the picture the boat looks to high in the bow. If there are 2 sets of roller bunks, which I believe there is, adjust the keel rollers as stated and then just lower the front set of bunks. The roller bunks should piviot. That will lower the bow and raise the stern at the same time. So basically you will just be lowering the bow.

 

[bassman284]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

It looks to me like you are lifting the front of the boat to get the bow eye on top of the bow stop (winch roller). It should be under and the winch strap should run under the bow stop.

I would say try re-routing the winch strap under the bow stop, push the boat back a little and winch it back up to the bow stop with the eye UNDER the bow stop and then see what you have.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

sounds to me like "somebody" raised everything to the max to get motor clearance. I think the boat should ride as low as feasible 9and of course lift the motor) for a number of reasons, including a more shallow launch. Give your fenders an inch clearance.

Also one reason your bow is not on the front roller is because you crankied it up too far/too high. See if you can set it up so you stay under the winch stop, then your bow will be lower. I like the winch stop with 2 stops and the cable goes in between. With everything lowered your existing winch stand might work.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

Regardless where the bow roller is positioned, the winch is definately too low. The strap should be level with the bow eye or slightly higher. For that reason the winch needs to go up, a double bow roller setup will do you no good and you simply need a new winch stand.

Motors (OBs) should NOT be tited up during trailering. If you don't have at least 12" road clearance, buy a transom saver, use the engine's trailer bracket or home make a setup with a twobafore and bungie. If its an I/O, tilt up and use a trailer bracket.

From your pics (which aren't all that clear, so I reserve the right to change my mind) if you lower the boat too much you'll hit the fenders, so I would say the rollers are adjusted OK.

 

[1BadTitan]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

I'm a little confused. How is it supposed to fit? Can anyone post a pic?

 

[bassman284]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

Wow. Can't believe how long it took me to find a picture here. Finally went to Google and immediately got this. See link.

http://www.shorelandr.com/pages/pf_trstep4.htm

This is how your bow eye should look relative to the bow stop.

Jim, I'm thinking that the bow has been artificially raised. I need more pictures from better angle to be sure, but I think the bow could be lowered several inches without much affect on fender clearance. Could be wrong

 

[Fishatron]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

hi guys, sorry about the pics, the boat has gone into a "wintermode" state in my garage. It's tucked against the side, difficult to get pictures.
I found a decent pic of my trailer, see below

I think what i would like to do is replace my keel rollers for some self centering type ones (existing ones are shot and cracked anyways), then try to lower the roller bunks and the boat to try and meet the keel rollers. After all this I will see how my winch post looks and if it can be adjusted to suit. If the bow eye and roller give me trouble after this, i"m gonna go to a double roller type thing like "smokeonthewater" suggested.

Hopefully I'll find time to try and correct my trailer setup. It's difficult with a newborn!

I will also be shopping around for a "transom saver" like everyone seems to be using. Is there a particular brand/kind I should look for? I've been Googling and finding lots to choose from. The boats a 16ft and the motor's a 55hp Yamaha (if this info helps).

Thanks fellow iboaters!!

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

Fish I think this last pic answers my questions most of all, I think if you simply raise your winch stand a couple inches(which you clearly have) you will be fine. Just loosen the two through bolts on the winch stand and raise the winch up, re attach to the bow eye under the roller and winch her back down, I bet it lowers your bow slightly and touches the front keel roller just fine. Once you have the setup right I would pay to have your rollers welded in place so that they no longer move on you and live the happy life!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

hi guys, sorry about the pics, the boat has gone into a "wintermode" state in my garage. It's tucked against the side, difficult to get pictures.
I found a decent pic of my trailer, see below

I think what i would like to do is replace my keel rollers for some self centering type ones (existing ones are shot and cracked anyways), then try to lower the roller bunks and the boat to try and meet the keel rollers. After all this I will see how my winch post looks and if it can be adjusted to suit. If the bow eye and roller give me trouble after this, i"m gonna go to a double roller type thing like "smokeonthewater" suggested.

Hopefully I'll find time to try and correct my trailer setup. It's difficult with a newborn!

I will also be shopping around for a "transom saver" like everyone seems to be using. Is there a particular brand/kind I should look for? I've been Googling and finding lots to choose from. The boats a 16ft and the motor's a 55hp Yamaha (if this info helps).

Thanks fellow iboaters!!

sounds like a plan... self centering rollers are "the shiznit yo" you WON'T regret them... then as you say adjust first and buy the double roller if you need it.... as for the transom saver, it depends on what you have to hook to on the back of the trailer....

 

[roscoe]

Re: Winch Post setup and trailer roller questions..

Fish I think this last pic answers my questions most of all, I think if you simply raise your winch stand a couple inches(which you clearly have) you will be fine. Just loosen the two through bolts on the winch stand and raise the winch up, re attach to the bow eye under the roller and winch her back down, I bet it lowers your bow slightly and touches the front keel roller just fine. Once you have the setup right I would pay to have your rollers welded in place so that they no longer move on you and live the happy life!

Please don't let anyone weld on your galvanized trailer. It will ruin the trailer and is dangerous to weld galvanized.


Also, man up. Newborn or not, the work has to get done