bow strap and safety chain

[badbowtie]

New

Well I finally am working on the boat to try to get it finished up. I did buy a 2 inch strap for the bow winch that is 10,000 pound but I was going to replace the cable yesterday and noticed I am not sure how to replace with the strap. I really thought my old boat had a bolt that went thru next to the hub that the strap loop went on. This winch does not have that bolt the cable goes thru a little hole on the side to keep it locked to it. My cable has been rolled not so straight over the years and I want no part of metal strand in my finger or my wifes. I do not want to buy a new cable or use a cable.

Old

I have a 1985 mirada 255 cruiser that is really heavy and has a cable for the bow strap which I just used the boat today for the first time. Everything thing worked so far so time to start fixing other things and getting small things fixed. I want to get rid of the bow cable before it breaks and hurts someone it also has a no safety chain on the bow. I will weld or bolt a piece of chain down to the trailer to use as a safety chain. I have been searching around for straps and allot of them all seem to be rated for 4,000 pounds what am I missing here on big boats like this I can't see were this is strong enough.

 

[rickryder]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

I like a chain set up myself..... you can make one up and cover the chain with a bicycle tire tube so it's not clanking around or rubbing on anything

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

I have a 1985 mirada 255 cruiser that is really heavy and has a cable for the bow strap which I just used the boat today for the first time. Everything thing worked so far so time to start fixing other things and getting small things fixed. I want to get rid of the bow cable before it breaks and hurts someone it also has a no safety chain on the bow. I will weld or bolt a piece of chain down to the trailer to use as a safety chain. I have been searching around for straps and allot of them all seem to be rated for 4,000 pounds what am I missing here on big boats like this I can't see were this is strong enough.

What you are missing is that the strap is only pulling the boat onto the trailer. In most cases with drive on trailers the winch just snugs up the boat to the front post. It certainly doesn't take 4000 pounds to pull a boat onto the bunks or rollers. It would only take 4000 pounds if you were suspending the boat in mid-air from the eye hook from a tree.
iboats sells both 10000 and 8000 lb (breaking strength) straps:
http://www.iboats.com/Boat-Trailer-...5658787--session_id.156768168--view_id.217619

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Whats the problem with the cable? I rather have a cable over a strap. Straps can get frayed easily and weather can dry rott them. Whats the cable rated for?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Whats the problem with the cable? I rather have a cable over a strap. CABLES can get frayed easily and weather can dry rott them. Whats the cable rated for?

I highlighted the corrected part for 'ya...

Both will weather. Both will fray. A frayed strap won't run itself through your hand quite like a cable will. Also, a strap breaking under load isn't nearly as fun as a cable breaking!

 

[JB]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Whats the problem with the cable? I rather have a cable over a strap. Straps can get frayed easily and weather can dry rott them. Whats the cable rated for?

You clearly never had a steel cable break individual wires which turn into hypodermic needles. Cables are dangerous.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

I highlighted the corrected part for 'ya...

Both will weather. Both will fray. A frayed strap won't run itself through your hand quite like a cable will. Also, a strap breaking under load isn't nearly as fun as a cable breaking!

Have you ever seen a cable break under load from a boat? I have, not that big a deal. You guys have watched to many movies. This isn't ghost ship,lol The "Cable" though multiple cables made into one is still called a cable. I guess I just take care of my stuff better than most, because I have never had a fray in my cable and no sticking of the hands.

You clearly never had a steel cable break individual wires which turn into hypodermic needles. Cables are dangerous.

Damn, maybe they should hang all the bridges in the world by woven straps then,lmao. EDIT
Op, back to my question, whats wrong with your cable. Is it frayed?

 

[badbowtie]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

I have seen cables break no different than a chain breaking from pulling to hard and they will go wiping. I guess I have really bad lock beacuse ever piece of cable I ever touch with out cover or gloves end up with a prick in the hand.

 

[JimS123]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

I have a 28 year old steel cable on my heaviest boattrailer that has no coorosion, nor one single strand broken. It was USA made oem.

OTOH, my smaller boats use nylon straps and I only get 3-4 years out of one. the only advantage here is that when they break (not if) they can be tied together to get one more use out of it.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Either one is fine if cared for. I prefer straps just because the wind up nicer and don't get bunched up on the winch. Either one will whip around if it breaks under load and a cable will hurt more if it hits you in that situation but it's not going to cut you in half lol. If you keep an eye on it and replace it if it starts getting frayed or broken you will never have that happen though.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

I hate cables...never again!

You don't have to pay attention to how the cable rides up on itself and gets pinched between itself so you can never get it out. No wire frays to prick you. You can more easily pull it off the spool getting it ready to attach to the boat...no gloves needed!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Like already said, either is fine, I was just asking the op so he didn't have to waste money. But if he prefers a strap,go for it. For those that don't know, they do make stainless steel winch cable in 304 and 314 stainless, will not rust. A little wd40 goes along way on galvanized or stainless either one.

 

[JimS123]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Like already said, either is fine, I was just asking the op so he didn't have to waste money. But if he prefers a strap,go for it. For those that don't know, they do make stainless steel winch cable in 304 and 314 stainless, will not rust. A little wd40 goes along way on galvanized or stainless either one.

Yup!

Good cables don't fray and if you level wind it when you retreive it won't get caught up either. My PowerWinch auto rewinds it level.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Yup!

Good cables don't fray and if you level wind it when you retreive it won't get caught up either. My PowerWinch auto rewinds it level.

I like cables and use power winches for most of my boats. There are problems with either method; neither is good or bad.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Ok I'm not going to get into this debate but I agree with the OP, I think you should get a good safety chain set up, its probably overkill but I hate to think of what could happen without it on a 25' boat, to me its just a little bit of being overly safe that will go a long way.

As for the strength of the straps they are not rated to lift your boat but to pull your boat into place for you to hook your safety chain up so that is probably why they are not rated for the weight of your boat, mine came with a strap as well but I am sure it wouldn't lift my boat up and I am sure my boat is similar in weight to yours so I would think you will be fine with a 4000 LB strap if that is the way you choose to go.

Have fun and be safe!!

 

[badbowtie]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Added to my first post to keep it all together. I am also going ot figure out a front safety chain whn I head to the hardware store tonight or tom.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: bow strap and safety chain

Ok I'm not going to get into this debate but I agree with the OP, I think you should get a good safety chain set up, its probably overkill but I hate to think of what could happen without it on a 25' boat, to me its just a little bit of being overly safe that will go a long way.

As for the strength of the straps they are not rated to lift your boat but to pull your boat into place for you to hook your safety chain up so that is probably why they are not rated for the weight of your boat, mine came with a strap as well but I am sure it wouldn't lift my boat up and I am sure my boat is similar in weight to yours so I would think you will be fine with a 4000 LB strap if that is the way you choose to go.

Have fun and be safe!!

Anytime you see a load capacity for a strap or shackle, it is considered to be a "working" load which is by industry and OSHA standards 1/4th of its ultimate load. It's a 4:1 rigging standard that is universal in the industry. By law, to state a load rating for rigging it must be for its constant bearing capacity with a 4:1 safety factor for ultimate failure. Your 4000 lb strap should have an ultimate capacity of 16000 lbs.