Winch for boat lift

[#fishhunt#]

I am thinking of putting a 12v winch on my cantilever boat lift instead of the hand crank wheel. Strong Arm makes a 12v for 4500lbs I was looking at. Crestliner Phantom 186 w/115hp. Is starting to wear on me. Any experiences good/bad with adding a winch? Anything else I should be looking at.Are they easy to install? Thanks for the help.

[dukhntr]

3 or 4 years ago, I put a 3500# Strongarm winch (12 volt) on my lift. I haven't looked back! Certainly don't miss the sore arm! Crestliner Sportfish with 115 hp Yamaha 4 stroke.

dukhntr

[Tom7227]

I've had one for years and the real solution involves putting a decent size solar panel on it so you don't have to pump up the battery all summer. Got a rig at Northern for about $130 and tie it to the top canopy and you're good to go. Just make sure you unhook it when you pull the boat out!

[whitebassman]

what model do you get? Looking at the Strong Arm site, and they list vertical or horizontal pulling. I'm guessing to go with the horizontal pulling for boat lifts? If so, they suggest to get one without the clutch. Is it easy to install? Is it just a matter of looping the cable into the winch? would like to install with my deep cycles from the ice house, so they at least get some use during the summer. solar panel for charging too of course.

[#fishhunt#]

Thanks for the info all. I do have a solar panel I will be attaching to my lift. How long does it take to pull the boat out of the water? How is it attached to the post that the wheel unit was on and what kind of hardware will I need to attach it? I believe what I read is the horizontal lift would pull for ATVs and boat trailers and have a clutch in them. The vertialones woudl be w/o a clutch system and would be for boat lifts as they would be pulling the cable up and down.

[Tom7227]

I am sorry I misread your original post. The jobberdo that I have is a motor with a rubber wheel attached to it that you move over and it rides on the big winch handle and rotates that up or down. My concern with your plan would be what do you do if the winch doesn't work? How would you either raise or lower the boat? If the boat is on the lift how do you get it down so you can remove the winch for repair with the boat weight on the cable? There probably are simple answers to these questions and I don't know them because I haven't researched this type of setup.

[#fishhunt#]

Tom7227, There is a hand crank for it for emergency purposes.

[LightningBG]

You'll want a vertical one (assuming the cables are coming up from the water).

We have a Floe winch that works well (now). It takes about a minute or less to get the boat up far enough that it wont go anywhere (in between uses). When we are done with the boat for the weekend, we crank it way up into the canopy so it doesn't get water and dust inside. Never put a cover on.

Install is going to be different for every lift. Bolt it onto the pole most likely.

Whatever you get, you'll want to make sure it has brakes to hold it in the "up" position with weight on the cable.

There is one major design flaw that I've seen with that strong arm type. (I think strongarm (Dutton-Lainson) made the Floe one we have)

That gray box thing is the switch. its removable to disable the lift. The problem is, this switch runs huge currents through it. There is no type of relay handling the big power load. Since this is the case, there is a lot of arcing happening (maybe only twice per use, but it adds up). We've fried multiple "switches". They melt internally. Finally we hooked up a remote. The "switch" is also spring loaded it seems and it takes a decent amount of force to hold it on.

[bobbers up!]

google "lift mate". Never had any issues with these and easy to use. Universal for all types of lifts

[dukhntr]

I have the same one as Lightening. If I remember, it came from the big C store, and was about $300.00. It came with a wired remote. It also has the emergency hand crand, but I have never used it. I only use the lever on the side to let the carriage down after I pull the lift in the fall. As for solar panel, I think it might be a good idea, but I have only charged my battery occasionally , but only use the lift and boat on weekends at the cabin. Can't seem to justify the $$$. For installation, I lined up one of the original holes from the hand wheel crank, and marked and drilled the second hole for the electric lift. Installation was pretty easy. Also, I bolted an extra battery box to one of the wood dock panels, and put the battery and extra cables in there. Works good.

Hope this helps.

dukhntr

[LightningBG]

As for solar panel, I think it might be a good idea, but I have only charged my battery occasionally , but only use the lift and boat on weekends at the cabin. Can't seem to justify the $$$.

Same here. No solar. Ours probably goes up and down all the way once per week. up and down 1/2 cycles 4-8 times a week. Lifting a 20 ft fiberglass ski boat. We charge it with a car battery charger, once in the beginning of the season and maybe 1-2 more times throughout the year. Just drag an extension cord down on the dock and leave the charger on overnight. Pretty easy to do.

[CigarGuy]

I would like to revisit this topic. Just don't know if I want to bite the bullet and buy a "Lift Mate" for 500.00 or try the atv winch method. For those of you that did the winch thing, is it still working? Would you do anything different? I see a used "Lift Mate" posted on the "list", but don't want to go that route. I have a 4200lb cantilever lift, boat/motor about 2200lbs.

[backtroller1]

here is what I am planning on using this spring.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200466652_200466652

any one have any experience with this unit?

[CigarGuy]

Comparing it to the other one in the ad, the one you want to buy just has a "-" by the type of braking system, the other one says "Dynamic, mechanical" . Does that mean it doesn't have any type brake on it?

[dukhntr]

Cigarguy: Mine has been in operation for 5-6 years now and when I took it out last fall, it was still working properly. Just a simple Strongarm brand winch.

For anyone that is going to buy one, make sure the winch has power in and out. You do not want to use the release when the boat is on it!

Hope this helps.

Dukhntr

[CigarGuy]

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm a little concerned about the braking on them. Here's what they say to the questions that people have on the one the backtroller1 is looking at.

"When the toggle switch for the remote is in the neutral position the brake will be automatically applied. In other words, the brake will engage each time you stop moving the line in or out."

THIS IN THE ONE IM CONCERNED ABOUT! These can both be seen under the questions for the winch!

"This winch does not have a braking system. This item will not hold the load indefinitely. It will only hold it momentarily".

I would also add a chain/snap hook and lock the craddle to the frame when the boat is on it. Is the disclaimer a CYA, or is this at risk to slip and let the boat down?

[backtroller1]

For my use, I would be only in the up or the down position, and not 1/2 way up. And I do plan on putting a snap clip or quick chain around the frame to hold it while I am away. I would do that with any winch system I would buy. I have trust issues with lots of things including a boat winch. But yes indeed, want to make sure that the unit has power in and power out.

[CigarGuy]

I would only use mine to go all the way up. Being a canteliver lift I don't think much weight or pressure on the winch when it's all the way up. What do you make of the answer to the auto in/or? I sure like the winch and the price!

Question:

"Does this marine winch have a controlled "power out" on the cable -- such as lowering a boat/trailer towards the water down an incline - the cable will release/unwind slowly with controlled drag - versus "freely" unwinding -and perhaps have a runaway trailer/boat"?

ANSWER:

The gearing in the marine winch will allow the unit to unwind slowly depending on the amout of drag.

[backtroller1]

Im sure that its no strong arm, I think the mfg is just covering their behind. I would think that one could talk to the store and find out what the return policy is if it doesnt work for the intended need. I have had good luck with this company with other things I have bought. If it is going to be very heavy use, then the strong arm would be the ticket. Just want to make sure to go easy while testing as not to damage the boat.