Bow stops and winch posts

[UncleWillie]

Re: Bow stops and winch posts

Still the question remains. What would you tell someone that has an older boat with an older trailer were the winch is mounted at the top and there is no way to get the stop above it?

If it is an old Trailer with a bow eye above the Bow stop I would recommend getting it under the bow stop if possible without too much trouble.
If it has been above the bow stop for the last 15+ years and the boat has stayed on the trailer in all that time, why get all excited about it now?

It is like worrying about getting hit by lightning, or bitten by a shark.
Sure it happens, And people also win the Mega Millions lottery, but I wouldn't anticipate any of these things happening to anyone in particular.

Fix it if you can, if you can't, don't loose sleep over it!
It is, what it is!

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Bow stops and winch posts

OK UncleWillie you've answered twice but you're still not going to get bonus points.

I'm still trying to understand how or why some folks act as though the whole world is going to end if the eye isn't below the stop.

 

[wlg]

Re: Bow stops and winch posts

The bow is against the stop. The eye sits below it. I overkill with straps when towing. Transom, gunwale, bow eye to trailer frame, safety chain and winch strap. I don't believe the boat is going anywhere.

I have seen different setups and looking at mine, I realized it could lift if not strapped. I am going to try and adjust for a closer fit.

I strap the crap out of whatever i'm towing, so if my winch was on top of the post I would not worry. I might just add more straps.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bow stops and winch posts

No doubt, and it goes both ways. The point I was trying to make was the inertia of the 2 once they started moving. Which would be harder to get started moving and which would be harder to stop once it began moving.

Your next post much more eloquently exspressed one of the thoughts I was having on this subject. Well done! Would also like to add the bow stop mount to this example also as many I see look as though they would collapse or fold up from the pressure of the eye bolt pushing up on them.

With my smaller lighter boat I myself am not as concerned with the boat coming over the trailer as I am with the boat coming completely off the trailer and into oncoming traffic in the case of an accident..

Still the question remains. What would you tell someone that has an older boat with an older trailer were the winch is mounted at the top and there is no way to get the stop above it?

I would tell them to do whatever they need to do to reasonably secure the boat to the trailer. Stern tie downs are still the second best insurance with the bow tie down to the trailer (not the post) being the first. Add a side-to-side if you feel you need more. Some things you can change for the better, some you can't. Those you can't change easily can be changed with the expenditure of a fair amount of money. You choose your options but in the end you need to make choices that are informed.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Bow stops and winch posts

One of the things that worries me with my rig is lack of weight. This Lund loaded only goes about 700# and is on a trailer rated for 1600#. I'm not as concerned with the boat moving forward or backwards on the trailer as I am with the boat being bounced off the trailer. Which is also something I watch when I see other small fishing boats on trailers and don't see them strapped down very well. In my general area I see many flat bottom jon boats that make me wonder how they are being kept on their trailers. Most of these have a winch post with just a piece of 2x4 used as a bow stop.

So far I've found this to be very interesting and would like to thank everyone for their replies! Even more interesting is that everyone seems to be on the same line of thinking.