Winch replacement suggestions

[jeepinandy58]

I am going to replace the winch on my trailer, looking for suggestions (brand) and verification of the weight. Total weight of boat, motor, etc. is 1100 lbs., rounding to 1500 to account for tackle boxes, etc. My understanding is you take the total weight, divide by 2 for the winch capacity. If that is correct I need a winch with a minimum pull of 750 lbs. so I would get a 1,000 lb. winch to be on the safe side. Am I looking at this right or am I totally out in left field on this? Also, do you prefer strap or steel cable? (Calculated weight is boat, motor, 3 batteries and a full 12 gallon tank).

 

[redneck joe]

Don't overthink it,and when in doubt go big. In the world of winches there's minimal price diff for a basic one like you are needing.

 

[Chris1956]

Winch straps sit in the sun all the time. After some time, they get rotten and brittle. Then they wait for you to winch the boat up, and at the worst time, they break. So either change them every 3years (Depending on how much sun they get) or go with cable.

I swapped my strap for a 3/8" galvanized cable and hook I bought at the Home Despot. It is overkill strength wise, but was expedient.

 

[redneck joe]

Cable cuts flesh in a couple years.

The last 8" of fabric strap is the only part that is exposed to the sun long enough to degrade. When it breaks and it always will just cut and extra few inches off and tie back to the hook.

 

[matt167]

After using a strap winch, coming from cables and even rope. I can’t use anything else

 

[airshot]

At 74 yrs ild, I don't have the cranking power I had when I was younger. I decided to make it easy on my self and bought a Fulton two speed winch for my 1300 lb boat. A simple lever changes speeds and while the low speed is slightly slower, I can crank it up with one finger. It is a well made easy to use winch and I definitely prefer a strap over cable. West Marine had the best price..

 

[redneck joe]

I was looking g into those two speeds when I had my 26 ft.

 

[Chris1956]

In my experience, West Marine never has the best price on anything, but they can be convenient.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I agree with most of the other comments: go up a size or two in the winch and get a strap. I'll never go back to a cable; in a year or two, cable starts popping out small metal strands that puncture your skin.

Also, in the (highly) unlikely event of a failure, I'd much rather have a 2" wide nylon strap flapping back at me than have a 1/4" steel cable zinging back my way.

 

[Horigan]

Also, in the (highly) unlikely event of a failure, I'd much rather have a 2" wide nylon strap flapping back at me than have a 1/4" steel cable zinging back my way.

Actually, the concern would be the amount of strain energy. So the cable would brake with little spring back of the failed end. The nylon strap would spring back with much more velocity.

 

[Black58]

Other way around. The cable loads and breaks and flies back really fast and can cause serious injury. I've seen it half a dozen times. I've switched my winches, Jeep and SxS to Dyneema, just so this doesn't happen.

 

[matt167]

There’s a reason that towing with chains and cables is considered dangerous and towing with a strap is recommended

 

[airshot]

In my experience, West Marine never has the best price on anything, but they can be convenient.

I would agree on that but on the winch, West won out. Directly from Fulton was 20 bucks higher plus shipping. West had one on the shelf, even has the Fulton stamp on it...Looked at some cheaper import winches, but quality was not as good and savings were small. My winch is great, if cranking is easy a simple flip of a lever allows you to go fast, but when the going gets touch another flip and it gets easy !! Not really much slower coming in because it is so easy, you can crank faster !! Sure has taken the load off my torn shoulder cuffs !!

 

[JimS123]

There’s a reason that towing with chains and cables is considered dangerous and towing with a strap is recommended

Way before straps were invented we used a rope. My boats were always garage kept, nevertheless rope longevity was poor. One year I bought an aftermarket steel cable and the crimped fitting on the hook broke the first time out. Back to rope.

A few years later I bought a much larger boat. After cranking it on one time I said to heck with this and bought a Powerwinch (brand). When I sold the boat 35 years later it still sported the original cable.

You get what you pay for.

Now I have 2 small boats with straps and I like them a lot. But both my larger boats have Powerwinches on them. I'm too old to crank, even though my wife says I'm a crank.