Winch Handle Mishap

[FLembo18]

I was retrieving my 2004M after a wonderful holiday weekend on the lake, I got the boat on the trailer and cranked it up to the V and locked the winch gear then pulled the trailer half way up the launch ramp to dump the remaining water from the ballast tank... everything OK, then as always the boat slides back from the V about 8 inches, I go on deck & close the stern ballast valve & back the boat into the lake and crank it up to the V again.. lock the winch gear in and proceed to the parking area, when I got out of my truck I noticed that the boat had slide back again from the V about 7 inches.. I have bottom paint so I can't do the "Mac Bump" and it's also hard to crank due to the bottom paint but I had to get the boat up at least 3 to 4 inches closer to the V (Note: I always use 4 tie down lines to secure the Mac to the trailer 2 at the bow and 2 at the stern when trailering) I started to hand crank the boat while in the parking area (flat ground) and got it up about another 2 more inches when SNAP, BANG... the winch handle broke off in my left hand & my hand hit some part of the trailer and I was in severe pain... bleeding like a waterfall, I looked and I had all my skin from my knuckles torn back about 2 inches right down to the knuckle bone of my index finger.. very painful to say the least and then I had to drive myself 25 miles to the Hospital ER, as I was alone, with my hand starting to swell and still bleeding but not as bad as I had a First Aid Kit and was able to bandage it to slow down the bleeding. Well, I now have 20 sutures from deep lacerations, but NO nerve or tendon damage and I still have all of my fingers too. I'm now seriously considering purchasing a heavy duty electric 12v winch, do any of you have one installed on your trailer or tow beast... please advise and pic's would be very nice to see if you do.

Thanks !!

Frank L.

[Capt Sully]

Wow, sorry to hear that. Yes the Winch Sucks, it's only rated for 1200lbs. I replaced my with a larger heavy duty after the same thing happened to me, but without the hand damage. Get well soon.

[FLembo18]

Thanks Sully,

What model winch do you now use and where did you purchase it ? Also, do you have a close up pic of it ?

Frank L.

[Berber Boy]

Sorry about that. My boat and trailer is only two years old but the handle was a bolt on 1 and it had come loose because the square hole in the handle had become round. Was not hurt apart from a bruise but replaced it with a heavier duty Australian model with 3 different ratios and a removable handle. Have much more torque now but have forgotten the handle on one occasion!!

BB

[FLembo18]

UPDATE 7/7/11:

I contacted the Macfactory and told them my story so they shipped a new winch to me, free of charge, and only requested that I ship the damaged winch back to them so they could inspect it. I installed the new winch yesterday and it's rated by the Mfg. for 2600 lbs. Looking forward to taking my Mac out within the next 2 weeks.

Frank L.

[Doug W]

This happened to me this past weekend. The winch ripped at the lower bolt. I'm toying with getting a free replacement of similar quality or to just bite the bullet and find a heavier duty winch that fits the 2010 trailer...



...Doug
http://starsloop.blogspot.com/2011/07/i ... nture.html

[FLembo18]

This happened to me this past weekend. The winch ripped at the lower bolt. I'm toying with getting a free replacement of similar quality or to just bite the bullet and find a heavier duty winch that fits the 2010 trailer...



...Doug
http://starsloop.blogspot.com/2011/07/i ... nture.html

Food for thought: I did purchase a heavier duty winch from ATAFA a Seasense Winch ( rated at 2600 lbs w/ strap)... and it just did fit on my Mac steel trailer, close but fit. It had 2 speeds: 12 to 1 ratio and 5 to 1...it was large (22 lbs) and very well constructed, only problem was the winch crank handle was 12"s long as the Mac winch handle is only 7"s. I had to ship it back to ATAFA and paid $22.50 UPS charge + a 10% restocking fee. So if you're gonna get a new winch KEEP the MAC stock crank handle and it will fit on your new larger winch. Also, just now, as I was going through the ATAFA website I saw, to my surprise, that Seasense offers a 7 1/2 " winch handle for around $15.00.... DUH , I could have ordered that....

Frank L.

[NiceAft]

Frank,

Ouch! Sorry to read about the mishap.

Because of the bottom paint challenge, do you use any sort of lubricant on the bunks to lessen the friction. I wonder how well KY Jelly would work. It's water soluble

Ray

[FLembo18]

Frank,

Ouch! Sorry to read about the mishap.

Because of the bottom paint challenge, do you use any sort of lubricant on the bunks to lessen the friction. I wonder how well KY Jelly would work. It's water soluble

Ray

No, never tried it.... why do you have an extra ?

Frank L.

[NiceAft]

Pennsylvanian or not, I don't share

[Hardcrab]

I just used "Liquid Rollers" from West Marine yesterday, about $13 or so.
The stuff is "prolly" nothing more than silicon, but it makes the bunks very slippery.

This was also the first time I used the "higher mounted winch roller" modified mod that changes the strap pull from downward to upward.
I was able to crank the boat to the V block on level ground for the first time ever with relative ease.


You guys going to a bigger winch beware, the winch post mouting stuff and the drawbar itself is a weak link in and of itself.
It's a long lever arm transmitting huge upward forces right to the barely adaquate drawbar.
Watch out that you don't bend up the entire thing.

The force used to just get my floating boat to the V block was the "final straw" that broke my drawbar a few months ago.

Just saying.

[Freedom77]

G'day Berber Boy. How are things down under. Having a nice winter? It's 110 here in Nevada. Thank God the Pilgrims didn't go to Australia or we'd be stuffing a Kangaroo for Thanksgiving. Fair winds and full sails....

[FLembo18]

I just used "Liquid Rollers" from West Marine yesterday, about $13 or so.
The stuff is "prolly" nothing more than silicon, but it makes the bunks very slippery.

UPDATE 8/2/11

I finally got my Mac out this past weekend, it's been nine weeks since my Winch Handle Mishap and my hand is still healing up to 95% functional to date. I used the "Liquid Rollers" that you mentioned + the new replacement winch that I recieved from the Macfactory the combo of both had excellent results !


Frank L.

[Newell]

Looking at the picture Doug posted I feel sorry for M owners. Roger M. has always used incorrect geometry to set up the trailer winch but it looks like he has made conversion of the the winch to it's proper position, difficult to impossible. The winch should pull either horizontally or slightly up on the boat. Stock set-up is to pull down and work against yourself. I never do the Mac bump on either of my boats. This topic has been discussed several times. Just looked in my photos but don't have one to send. Let me know if someone wants to see it.

[dlymn]

I have made a stainless 10mm plate that goes inside the winch and the bolts go through that. This has stopped the tendency for the bolts to pull through the back plate of the winch. I have also replaced the webbing with some spectra because the webbing started to twist and get chewed by the gears. It eventually broke. The spectra is good fpr 3000 pounds and rolls onto the drum without hassles. Next season I'll take off the handle and rebuild the hole and shaft to get rid of play.