Sealine S23 Trailer Winch Eye

[MGBS23]

I have recently purchased a Sealine S23 that has been sat in water since it was delivered.

When I came to put it on a trailer it has no winch eye.

So I am looking to fit or get one fitted.

Has anyone got a S23 or the updated S25 with and eye fitted that can offer me any advice on where to fit it and how.

Thanks.

 

[enterprise]

I would think this is not as straightforward as it sounds.

Consider the load & stress that would be placed on the ring when recovering.

I had the good fortune to see a 218 that had suffered bow damage curtesy of the pontoon.
The winch ring had taken most of the damage but the hull had a hole about fist size straight through next to it.
It was clear to see that it had a wooden batten, glassed in as part of the layup & the ring had been throughbolted to this.
Once repaired you couldn't tell there had ever been damage!!

There should be something simmilar on the s23 but I don't know for sure, there are many s23's on trailers so the factory must have made it an option.

Best leave it to an expert, holes will need drilling & plugging with epoxy before redrilling for final fitting.

Use boatlift to load onto trailer this time which gives you time to explore the options.

 

[MGBS23]

thanks for your comments.

Agreed it may be one for the experts.

I contacted Sealine direct and they told me that they already had an eye fitted, so you may be right that it was an option at the time.

She is out the water now I did it with ropes and cleats but don't fancy doing in any sort of windy conditions.

Sealine have send me instuctions to install but not where, so I want to see if anyone has had one fitted so that I can at least see how feasable it is.

 

[oldsaltoz]

G'day On_Boardy and welcome to the YBW forums,

Finding the correct location should be no problem if you now have it sitting on it's trailer; the eye bolt centre should be just above the top of the winch drum when fully loaded with cable / webbing, this is normally around 15 to 20 degrees to ensure there is a down force when transporting.

Have had a good look inside the bow for any evidence of damage that has been repaired? I doubt it would have come from the factory without one.

Most have an oval stainless plate mounted on the inside curved to fit the bow shape and well bedded with a solid filler. I have also seen 'U' channel section used to provide load spreading.

Keep us all informed on your progress

Andavagoodweekend......

 

[William_H]

I have replaced the winch eye on my TS (21ft) I had used the original as a hook for a mooring and the sideways loads fatigued the U bolt off. I was dismayed to find the 3/8 U bolt was wasted down to 5/16 to stop it pulling through the long washer outside the hull.
I replaced it with a large saddle 3/8 bolt size. No probs now.

The prow or leading edge of the bow is very thick and back access in my case goes into an anchor well. The area you fit the nuts onto the bolts is deep vee. I used a longish plate of thick aluminium which is somewhat distorted by the nuts. Oldsalt Oz idea of a wad of resin and filler to make a flat surface for the nuts is good.

Yes drill the holes oversize and fill with epoxy which is then dilled to size to get a lining to the holes all though I don't believe that was done to mine. (25 years later no prob.)

I think I would fit the eye directly inline with the winch wire arrival rather than the 15 degrees down pull. The boat should sit fairly happily under it s own weight with no static load on the winch cable. Any pull down will put excessive pressure on the hull on the forward rollers. you want equal pressure on all the rollers.

Don't forget to make the eye big enough for a safety chain as well as winch cable. good luck olewill