Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

Winch Maintenance
Chapter 4: It Follows You Anywhere—Trailering Your Boat
Check the cable hook, eye, and winch regularly and tighten the nuts on the gear mechanism.
The one on the winch handle is notorious for coming off, causing the handle to be
lost. Put a second nut on behind the first to act as a locknut, or coat the threads with a silicone
sealer—it’s firm enough to keep the nut in place, but can be stripped off if you ever
need to replace the handle.
Get Tight and Load It Right
Make sure the hitch is locked to the ball and that the ball nut is securely tightened in
place—it will work loose with some frequency due to turning forces from the trailer.
Trailer loading can be a factor in handling and safety. You need about 10 percent of the
weight of the load on the hitch, or up to the limit of the tow vehicle. This can be anywhere
from 100 to 300 pounds.
Wandering Trailers
Having a mind of your own is good if you’re a human but bad if you’re a boat trailer. Less
weight on the hitch makes the trailer pull up on the back wheels of the car, making it hard
to steer. Put some weight on the hitch by loading ice chests or other heavy gear forward
in the boat or, more permanently, by moving the winch stand forward. Don’t overdo it—
just a couple of inches at a time will do it. Secure all bolts after this change.
Conversely, if the back of your tow vehicle squats and the front tires barely touch the
ground, either you are driving a low-rider or you have too much weight on the hitch.
Sliding the boat aft on the trailer bunks an inch or two should rebalance the load.
The fore and aft adjustment of the boat is controlled by the location of the winch stand.
The transom should just fit onto the bunk—don’t let it hang over even a half-inch or
you’re headed for trouble. The stress on the
transom created by the lever action of the
motor will eventually cause damage.
It’s a good idea to use transom tie-downs so
that the boat doesn’t hammer itself against the
trailer on rough roads or railroad crossings.
The ratchet type are best, with strong nylon
straps for security. These can even keep the
boat on the trailer in an accident.
Boat Bytes
Put a piece of toweling
under the strap where it
crosses the gunnels to prevent
friction wear on both
the straps and your shiny
gel coat.
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