mosquito13
Lieutenant
Posts: 788 
Location: the other West Coast
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Post by mosquito13 on Feb 10, 2017 5:43:38 GMT -6
Wanted to replace the strap that came with my trailer(purchased used) , but didn't like the $30 price tag I was finding. Saw some cheap one on ebay .... But I was at Harbor Freight getting some disposable air tools( they break on me regardless of make, so I go cheap and let them fall where they land) when I found myself in the trailer section. Need some inexpensive wheels for a fish cleaning station project. Bought their heavy duty tow strap in the 20' length for 9.99. Got it home and used the chop saw to remove the hook on one end., leaving a nice loop to feed the anchor bolt through . While I had the strap off I dealt with some light rust with some ospho and rattle can. Yeah I know I need to do better on my safety chain... but for now I have a strap I am not worried about snapping and needing a safety chain.  |
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Post by Sea-Problem on Feb 10, 2017 7:15:06 GMT -6
Good deal on the towing strap but I believe I'd spend the extra $6. ($15.95) and get a winch strap that has the safety lever on the S hook that keeps it from falling off should the strap become slack. That hook apparently is larger than a winch strap's hook and there doesn't appear to be enough room in the bow eye to allow for a safety chain.
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Post by Juan on Feb 10, 2017 13:18:21 GMT -6
Maybe you both need to start shopping at WalMart! rofl  |
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Post by Flycableguy on Feb 10, 2017 16:31:32 GMT -6
I guess we all need to shop at your Walmart. Bought mine there last weekend for $19.98.
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mosquito13
Lieutenant
Posts: 788
Location: the other West Coast
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Post by mosquito13 on Feb 10, 2017 16:41:29 GMT -6
It had the latch I ground it off, for me they are a p.i.t.a. . Check your break strength on the black one v/s the heavy tow straps. Think it is more the stitching on the end that sets the break point. If you get nothing else from this post, changing the strap is easy and inexpensive,that exposed section gets sun rot . Why you need a safety chain, oh and for Johnny law.
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Post by freezerfiller on Feb 10, 2017 16:50:30 GMT -6
I go through one of those Attwood straps about every 4 years. I was thinking about going with a cable this time. The last cable on my ski boat made it 15 years before it started fraying.
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Post by freezerfiller on Feb 10, 2017 16:52:03 GMT -6
I agree that if you don't have a safety clasp on that hook, you need to find a way to hook the safety chain through the bow eye. I'd hate to see you lose your boat on the highway.. Tons of things can happen that you don't think will. You slam on brakes and the boat slides up, the winch catch wasn't in the fully clicked position, any slack and a few bumps and it can be over.
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Post by Juan on Feb 10, 2017 17:22:15 GMT -6
I go through one of those Attwood straps about every 4 years. I was thinking about going with a cable this time. The last cable on my ski boat made it 15 years before it started fraying. I've thought about doing the same thing if or when the strap needs replacing. They're faded on both boats but still seem to be strong. I have a bunch of 1/4" stainless steel cable I think would pull a house, but I'm not sure how strong the splice to the winch or the clamp would be. |
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Post by freezerfiller on Feb 10, 2017 17:43:58 GMT -6
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yolo
Ensign
Posts: 626
Location: Back to Manasquan Inlet, NJ
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Post by yolo on Feb 13, 2017 10:12:47 GMT -6
Take it from the guy whos seen it all on the road. You need the safety chain for a lot more than the law. Im fine with how you have it set around the winch arm. Get the safety chain to the eye of the boat. Right now its not doing a thing for you except catching the strap if the gears on the winch let go; and if that happens the boat is going to bounce when it catches, creating slack, and then you can loose the strap which does not have a clasp on it. And if "johnny law" sees that how you have now they are gonna pull you over and give you a ticket.
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985crabs
Captain
2000 V1900 Bay Series, Yamaha 150 Carb. 2
Posts: 1,311
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Post by 985crabs on Feb 13, 2017 13:42:16 GMT -6
I have a cable and don't worry about it. With straps I was always wondering how long the stitching that holds the hook on was going to last. It was unnerving.
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Post by gnrphil on Feb 13, 2017 15:31:08 GMT -6
The stitching gave way on mine so now it's tied on LOL, it might not look pretty but's there's no way it's coming undone without a knife.  
Oh and although it's not there I do use a safety chain. |
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Post by gtightline on Feb 13, 2017 17:12:03 GMT -6
It wouldn't be the first time that I have tied that strap to the hook in a pinch. Worked fine for me too.
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yolo
Ensign
Posts: 626
Location: Back to Manasquan Inlet, NJ
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Post by yolo on Feb 15, 2017 7:53:51 GMT -6
The stitching gave way on mine so now it's tied on LOL, it might not look pretty but's there's no way it's coming undone without a knife.
Oh and although it's not there I do use a safety chain. I've lost the crimp on my cable before. Ran some extra cable through the eye on the hook. Wrapped the excess around the lead about 50 to 100 times (probablly about 7 feet down the cable) and worked just fine to get it home and swapped out with a new cable. |
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985crabs
Captain
2000 V1900 Bay Series, Yamaha 150 Carb. 2
Posts: 1,311
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Post by 985crabs on Feb 16, 2017 8:54:07 GMT -6
'Cross, I have the same arrangement. Works great, but you have to make sure the bow eye and the other eye are as close to perpendicular as possible when recovering. Bow never bounces and it feels secure.
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yolo
Ensign
Posts: 626
Location: Back to Manasquan Inlet, NJ
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Post by yolo on Feb 16, 2017 10:15:22 GMT -6
Years ago instead of safety chain I mounted an additional hook with a galvanized turn buckle. I did it because I put slicks on the trailer bunks. I noticed that after loading boat on a steep ramp and securing boat with strap winch snug to the silicone stay the boat would then slip back some and stretch the strap or pull slack off winch if it was not tightly wrapped on the winch. I noticed on my boat if it slips back a few inches bow will bounce I mounted the turnbuckle straight to trailer with a heavy U bolt straight down from where bow eye would sit when bow is resting on rubber stay at the winch. With my system boat does not budge and my safety system is mounted to seperate point on trailer and not the winch post. Believe it or not I have seen a winch post fail on a big boat that had a safety chain on the winch post. When that post snapped about a 10,000 lb boat became a missile. Owner also forgot to put the rear straps on which are probably more important than the bow eye attachment. People are more afraid of boat sliding off back, but in an accident or a sudden stop and a boat can become a projectile if not secured properly. Chain with slack in it just keeps from sliding off back. More force is applied on system in sudden stops. My system does not rely on winch strap but I always use the turn buckle and stern straps everytime. This is a good idea. I use an extra load strap to secure the bow, on top of the safety chain (the two times a year the boat is moved on a trailer lol). I like your system because its there. and and does not move. Any pictures? something I would like to look into doing. Rear straps keep the boat from going backward. I use stern strap and put it behind the stern cleats. Block on the winch arm keeps it from going forward. Cant believe that guy didn't put any straps on. Dangerous. One time I moved a boat that i couldn't get up to the block. I tied a line from the bow eye back to one of the cross memebers on the trailer. Put a strap over the stern and one over the bow to the trailer. |
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yolo
Ensign
Posts: 626
Location: Back to Manasquan Inlet, NJ
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Post by yolo on Feb 22, 2017 12:38:57 GMT -6
Yolo I agree about stern straps keeping boat from sliding back in most cases. However its also added tie down boat to keep boat from moving in the bunks. I cant think of a picture of it that have in library but next time up at the storage shed will take pic of it. Of Course. I was making reference to the guy not using any straps at all. Usually all you see is the the Stern straps to the eyes on the back of the boat to the trailer; those only keep it from moving back. How you and I do it is securing a load to the trailer. I just positing the strap behind the cleat so it catches in a worst case scenario. A "Second Fail Safe" if you will. Post some pics next time your at your boat. Would love to "Borrow" the turnbuckle idea from you. |
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Post by freezerfiller on Feb 22, 2017 16:39:38 GMT -6
So THAT'S what those eyebolts on the back of my trailer are for!!
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Post by gnrphil on Feb 22, 2017 20:57:46 GMT -6
So THAT'S what those eyebolts on the back of my trailer are for!! rofl |
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yolo
Ensign
Posts: 626
Location: Back to Manasquan Inlet, NJ
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Post by yolo on Feb 23, 2017 10:22:04 GMT -6
So THAT'S what those eyebolts on the back of my trailer are for!! LOLOL |
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