Trailer Winch Strap Length?

[treeskier]

I think it's time to replace the strap on the trailer winch. The current strap looks very dry and brittle.

How long of a strap should I get for a 20ft boat seems like the choices in the 2in wide strap are 15ft, 20ft and 25ft.

I only launch and recover the boat twice a season. Once to put it in at the beginning of the season and once to get it out at the end, I always use the same ramp and I have always floated the boat most of the way on to the trailer. So I have never used more than 3 or 4 feet of strap.

 

[Bruce]

You might measure what is on the winch now. Otherwise I would go with 15' as I have never seen a need for anywhere close to that length of winch pull.

 

[Matt Phillips]

I'd agree...I don't think I rarely ever get mine out farther than 10', so the shorter lengths would likely be plenty.

 

[robert843]

I think the longer the better but no need for anything much longer then the trailer. About two years ago I was pulling my boat out of the marina for the end of the season and the darn thing wouldn't start. I had to get towed to the ramp and had to manually winch the whole way up and it sucked lol. Needless to say the next year I bought a little longer and stronger strap and and much stronger winch. Better to be safe then sorry. Even still you shouldn't need anything longer then from the winch to the end of the trailer. If you replacing the strap I would possible even look at a new winch unless you already have an up graded one. I just replaced the 1500lb winch that was stock on my sx240's trailer with a 3000lb one and they usually come with a strap so if your already spending the money on strap you may consider changing both.

 

[Gym]

I think the longer the better but no need for anything much longer then the trailer. About two years ago I was pulling my boat out of the marina for the end of the season and the darn thing wouldn't start. I had to get towed to the ramp and had to manually winch the whole way up and it sucked lol. Needless to say the next year I bought a little longer and stronger strap and and much stronger winch. Better to be safe then sorry. Even still you shouldn't need anything longer then from the winch to the end of the trailer. If you replacing the strap I would possible even look at a new winch unless you already have an up graded one. I just replaced the 1500lb winch that was stock on my sx240's trailer with a 3000lb one and they usually come with a strap so if your already spending the money on strap you may consider changing both.

Even with a dead motor or two you should be able to float your boat at least half way up the trailer making a 15 foot strap pleanty. I always launch and retrieve manually and always get my boat 3/4 the way on the trailer before attaching the winch.

 

[Bruce]

I have experienced loading other peoples boats without power a couple of times. The easiest solution was always to back the trailer further into the water to hand load the boat, attach the bow strap then pull the trailer out some before final tensioning.

 

[robert843]

I have experienced loading other peoples boats without power a couple of times. The easiest solution was always to back the trailer further into the water to hand load the boat, attach the bow strap then pull the trailer out some before final tensioning.

I agree with this completely. Where we boat is on the ICW and there is always a pretty fair current which makes backing deeper pretty difficult as unless you have guides to hold the boat on the trailer the rear will drift off the trailer unless you have the boat pretty well engaged to the trailer. We tried that first when it happened and found it a more difficult them trying to load from the normal depth of the tires just barely being sunk. The only reason I say longer is better is if it will fit on the winch why wouldn't you get the longer strap better to be safe then sorry. I would rather have more strap and never need it then find my self in a situation needing or wanting more and not having it. God forbid this ever happens to anyone else but a good friend had his 16ft McKey Craft boat come off his trailer in a turn on a local highway as a bolt on his bunk came loose. Thank god he had a longer strap then the trailer as we were able to get it winched back on with a few guys and some winching. Now there were many things he did wrong to even be in that situation but that's a whole different story lol.