Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

Chapter 4: It Follows You Anywhere—Trailering Your Boat
trailers are so light that the air in the tires will cause them to float once the boat is
unloaded!)
Stainless steel is the most expensive trailer material, but it’s exceptionally strong and
durable. Stainless trailers are made by only a few companies nationwide—you’re much
more likely to find galvanized or aluminum.
How Trailer Winches Work
Winches multiply rotary force and enable you to crank a 3,000-pound boat into place
with only enough effort to start a couple of hernias. The winch sits on a winch stand, a
stout brace that elevates it to about the height of the bow eye on the boat. The assembly
can be adjusted up or down by loosening the U-bolts that hold it in place, and the entire
stand can be moved forward or backward to make the boat balance and fit properly on the
trailer.
Boat Bytes
An electric winch that draws on the power of your tow-vehicle battery takes the
work out of loading a heavy boat, although it may cost about 10 times as much
as a manual winch—$300 for a model that can handle up to 10,000 pounds.
A nice feature is that you can turn the power winch on remotely by pulling on a
cord, which allows you to push your boat into position and at the same time activate
the winch—very handy if you have to load your boat yourself.
The winch works because you’re turning a long handle attached to a tiny gear, which
meshes with a gear about the size of a CD. The ratio or mechanical advantage gives you
the power to move the load. Some winches are two-speed, with a lower (but slower) gear
you can shift to for the heaviest strain, and a higher (but faster) gear for taking up slack.
There’s a three-way ratchet on the winch gear that allows it to go only forward, only
backward, or to freewheel. It’s controlled by a small lever next to the gears.
You back off on tension on the gears slightly with the handle and you can move this lever
where you want it, to allow the cable or strap to pay out to launch the boat, or only to
wind on when you’re retrieving it.
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