Quest Outdoors

fisheadbob · Fry Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 25

So I decided to check out of my long term marina home and keep the boat on a trailer this year for lots of various reasons. Since the tub weighs over 3000 pounds it seems like a wise idea to get a power winch, but I was wondering how power gets back to the winch from the battery? I'm guessing that there is a long power cord that taps the battery and runs under the vehicle back to the winch? It doesn't seem likely that the light guage wires which provide brake lights and turn signals could supply enuf amperage to run a winch w/o cooking themselves. If the answer is a cable under my truck, how does that work with all the mud and crud that gets kicked up when offroading for good steelie spots ?
Oh yeah, the trailer has $%* surge brakes, not electric.
Thanks in advance.

Bill Shearer · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:56 am Post subject:

I had a power winch a few years ago.
It had a heavy guage cable which connected to a terminal on the starter, and there was an in-line breaker on the starter end of the cable. You had to attach the cable to the truck frame, back to a connector which bolted to the bumper. You then plugged in a cable from the trailer mounted winch, to operate it.
Kinda like the same way you plug in the trailer lights.
Hope this explanation is clear enough.

bigfisherman10 · Adult Joined: 07 Feb 2006 Posts: 78 Location: NW MI

Bill,
I have a couple of them that I couldn't pass up. The question I have now is do I really need them. I am concerned with adding another mechanical thing that can go wrong at the most in oppurtune time. As I tend to have the luck or lack of forthought of just going fishing when I can as opposed to when common sense would dictate so I tend to get into conditions most senseable people wouldn't and cann't have something I cann't count on 100%. I like the reliability of being able to crank my boat on even it conditions are terrible and the day hasn't gone right. I don't think I will put it on my 19' river boat for that reason, but the 18' Lund is way too heavy to crank up the bunks on a bad ramp and have had a few occasions where it might have been nice to have.

Are they bullet proof always can depend on, or something closer to trailor lights?

Is it worth the headache?

Can they pull up a heavy boat on a crappy ramp in all conditions?

Bill Shearer · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:51 am Post subject:

Mine gave out on me once. I had to drive the boat on the trailer. It was no big deal and, just like trailer lights it was a lack of maintenance on my part. Corrosion on the breaker. Moisture had gotten in after the winter salt had done its thing.
The rest of the time it sure was easier than crankin'