Trailer Winch options/problems. What would you do?

[scoke]

Here is my dilema...

2002 196 CB on a 2003 Ramlin single axle trailer.

The trailer has the standard bow stop with no winch attachment. Our ramp is fairly steep and I can't consistently get the boat on without a struggle.

The winch would complete the system.

So we bought an 1800# Fulton winch at a local place and plan on mounting it on the interior of the bow stop frame. the only problem is we are going to have to cut about 25% off the bow stop. Has anyone done it like this?

I noticed there are frames with an open hole in them ready for the winch strap to be run through it. Just like in this post: http://planetnautique.com/index.php?...ght=winch+sale

Any chance in heck there are used ones floating around as I doubt this guy still has this?

Another option is to cut a hole through the frame ourselves with a saw and then polish things up. How good/bad or ugly would that look doing it?

I can't be the first one who has had this problem.

[jhiestand]

I've actually been considering doing something similar to my RamLin, as well. In looking at the newer ones with the winchstrap passthrough hole, there's pieces welded inside and smoothed, which not only makes it much nicer to look at but also makes for less wear on the strap, I'm sure. My guess is it wouldn't be too difficult at all to cut the front/back hole, but if it needs reinforcing and cleaning up I might be hard pressed.

Anyone else done anything similar?

[brianc]

ramlin do a bow post for a winch i have one on my trailier boat is in storage and dont have any pics of trailer but it basicaly has a slot in the post for the winch strap to pass through and the winch is bolted to the forward side of the post

[CradGen2]

Here is Mine

I would call Ramlin. They have a design they would sale you. Here is my Ramlin

[jhiestand]

Yeah, I'm sure RamLin could set me up but I was kind of hoping for a lower-cost alternative that maybe I could fabricate myself.

[Skier12]

I would also like to find out if there is a cheap alternative to a new post. There has got to be a good way to work with the current bow stop and post we all have.

[Christopher-W.-Becker]

I built my own based on the RAMLIN, but I upped the thickness of the steel and use a FULTON winch with plastic to cover the winch for look AND to avoid the ouwies that you get when you hit the darn thing. I did NOT do an insert inside the tube. I did use all stainless steel fastener through out. I have stainless steel guides for the strap that I made to guide the strap but after using it does not need. After another year of service to finalize the changes I will send out to get powder coated and white stripes to match the trailer. I use to pull on the trailer ONLY. Once on, I hold the boat in place using the turn-buckle.

Will try to get together a parts list and pricing. Helps that I have access to a machine shop and can do the mill work and angles myself.

I love driving on, dont get me wrong, but on some lakes.....other boats never give you the room. Wish I had done this from day one.

[Socbum]

Yeah, I'm sure RamLin could set me up but I was kind of hoping for a lower-cost alternative that maybe I could fabricate myself.

James took care of me when he was at Mid Ohio -- He cut the hole and attached the winch the first year I purchased my '02 SAN. You might want to contact him at his new location and see what he could do.

I don't remember what it cost, but I know it wasn't very high.

[jhiestand]

Cutting the hole and mounting the winch shouldn't be terribly dificult, but it appears the factory strap pass-throughs (holes) have internal sections welded and finished that would keep excess water from getting inside the paddle assembly upright, keep the strap from chafing as it passes through, and add strength in the area of the cutout. Did James/Mid Ohio just leave the cut-out or did they weld in a strap pass-through?

I'd love to get that done through them, but since Mid Ohio is no longer and James is gone, not sure where'd I'd go.

[Christopher-W.-Becker]

Dont worry about the chafing...it just file the edge. It does not touch the hole edges if properly located.

Strengh....I started with a new tube and upped the wall thickness one. Filling in the center does little to improve the strenght at the side walls of the opening as that is where the full force is located.

If the bottom of the overall tube is open, the water just comes out the bottom.

[scoke]

I was going to reply to my own thread with my own solution soon.

We looked at cutting the hole. That was our last resort option.

We ended up mounting an 1800# winch on the inside of the vertical post. The vector of the connected strap is at a downward angle and not ideal compared to factory but i call the winch "secondary" in my purpose of mounting.

My purpose of mounting was more so to keep the boat from sliding off into the water launching/retrieving vs a mainstay safety factor.

We also had to cut the winch handle shorter giving up a bit of mechanical advantage but winching is only a revolution or 1.5 max.

pics to be posted this weekend.

[jhiestand]

Sounds good! I'm curious to see how it turned out!