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Electric Trailer Winch

 
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journey on



Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 3593
City/Region: Valley Centre
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: journey on
Photos: Journey On
PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 3:21 pm    Post subject: Electric Trailer Winch Reply with quote

As I’ve got older (and older,) winching the boat on to the trailer has gotten harder and harder. We have a roller trailer, and I don’t dunk it in too far, but winch it on. So, I installed an electric winch this season.

The winch I selected was a Dutton Strongarm SA9000DC. It’s American made, and more importantly, has both power-in and power-out. On a previous boat, the Fulton winch had only power-in which gave some wild rides launching. It’s 12 vDC, has a pull of 3000 lbs, 25 ft of cable and feeds from the bottom of the reel. It’s braked by a disc brake on a rotor located on the motor’s output shaft.

Installation was primarily centered on making an adapter plate between the hand winch mounting and the electric winch mounting. This adapter is shown as installed. The lower surface picks up the original winch mounting holes, the upper surface, the new winch mounting holes. It was made of two pieces of 5”x 2” U-channel, welded together at the edge flanges. To compensate for the winch’s bottom line feed, I tapered the sides from the front to rear, so the winch is pointed down at the rear. Using grade 8 bolts, I installed the adapter on the trailer and then the winch on the adapter. The taper gave me adequate clearance to tighten the bolts. Finally, hooking the winch cable to the boat finished that part of the install.

Next, I wanted a positive hold down when towing the boat, since the winch’s brake was only that: a brake and could slip whilst pulling the boat us the ramp and down the road. The original winch had a positive lock and didn’t slip. So, I bought a 3/8 turnbuckle, some chain and U-clamps to fit the trailer down tube. Using a piece of angle I fastened a hold down as shown below.

Finally, I wired the truck, using the breaker and. It’s wired directly to the battery, running down the side of the truck frame and terminates in a MinnKota MKR-18 Plug & Receptacle. I used some 12 ga exterior wire, cable wrap and Adel clamps. The receptacle fit nicely into a license plate light hold in the rear bumper. Note that you have to color code the plug and receptacle so you get it installed correctly. The wiring supplied in the winch kit was enough to make the jumper from the truck to the winch. You can check the pictures below.

Launched and retrieved the boat 3-4 times with the winch, towed it 3000 miles, including 275 miles down country roads to avoid fires, and it all worked well. Install the hold-down loosely when I’m pulling the boat out of the water, but the winch doesn’t slip. Got a cover for the winch, for which Judy was happy since she didn’t have to make it.

Pictures in my album: Electric Winch Installation

Boris
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Grazer



Joined: 16 Dec 2011
Posts: 183
City/Region: Yukon
State or Province: YT
C-Dory Year: 2004
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Horse
Photos: Grazer
PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Boris,
Thanks for the write up! Like you, I have a roller bunk set up and have grown tired of winching the boat up. What was the cost of that power winch and where did you purchase it?

Thanks,
Grazer
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journey on



Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 3593
City/Region: Valley Centre
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: journey on
Photos: Journey On
PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Googled it: $359.99 · Northern Tool. Another $130 for wiring, adapter, etc.

Boris
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Jack in Alaska



Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1190
City/Region: Anchorage/Ninilchik
State or Province: AK
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 26 Pro Angler
Vessel Name: HIGH TIDE II
Photos: HIGH TIDE II
PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2018 2:34 pm    Post subject: boat trailer winch Reply with quote

About 20 yrs ago I installed a trailer winch to retrieve my boat, a 22' CD.
It only took part of one summer to turn it into a big old clump of rust and it shorted out. Back to the 2 speed cranker.

_________________
On the HIGH TIDE-II, wife Carolyn and I.....Another summer fishing on the HIGH TIDE II in the Cook Inlet at Cape Ninilchik, Alaska.

HIGH TIDE-II; 2005 26' ProAngler; 2003 200 Honda / 2009 9.9 Honda high thrust
No. CD026021I405; AK-5008-AK
MSSI No. 338143486(cancelled)

HIGH TIDE; 1983 Angler Classic 22'; 90 Honda/ 9.9 Tohatsu-sold 2009 to son Dan (flatfishfool)
Stolen & stripped in Aug. 18
Bare hull & trailer sold in Nov.
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journey on



Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 3593
City/Region: Valley Centre
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: journey on
Photos: Journey On
PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2018 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

About 30 years ago I had an electric winch to pull a Catalina sailboat onto an E-Z Loader trailer. When I sold it 5 years later it still was working fine.

One learns how to take care of stuff.

Boris
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