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Boat Catch Installation Guide
Boat Catch Installation Guide
1. Unpacking and Initial Assessment:
Begin by loosely assembling the components you received in the box. The Boat Catch package includes a bow eye with appropriate bolts and washers, the boat catch coupling, pivot bracket, mounting arm, U-bolts, washers, nuts, and a pull cord.
2. Determine Mounting Position: The Boat Catch can be mounted above or below the winch, assess your boat to determine best mounting position, depending on the boat's design and space around the bow.
Note that fitting above the winch might pose specific challenges, as most boats dip in the bow as they begin to reverse off the trailer. If installing the boat catch above the winch this can cause two problems you need to be aware of. Firstly, the anchor can come down and touch your coupling on the way out, so ensure there is adequate space so this is not going to happen. Secondly, the bow can dip and the eye can touch your front roller when reversing. So be sure to allow 120 mm of spacing between the roller and the eye.
3. Marking and Drilling for Bow Eye: Hold the boat catch coupling in the appropriate position above the winch or in the anchor well. Use a marking pen to indicate the location of the new eye on the bow. Utilize the provided drilling template to precisely drill the pilot hole square and central to the bow with a small drill piece then drill with suitable large drill piece. On fibreglass boats tape the area to drill first to stop chipping and cracking around drill hole.
Fitting Boat Catch to an Aluminium Boat
If fitting to an Aluminium boat you have two choices. Firstly you can fit it in an identical manner to these full instruction for a fiberglass boat by Drilling and bolting through the bow. The second choice is to use the aluminium lug that is provide in the Boat Catch package. This is already threaded and you simply choose your location on the bow weld it on the outside and bolt your eye directly to that the coupling.If fitting on an Aluminium boat ensure suitable isolation between aluminium and stainless steel to avoid any compatibility issues which could lead to galvanic corrosion. For more information see our article on Stainless Steel on Aluminium Boats
How to Install Video with Greg Staples.
4. Ensuring a Flat Surface for Bolting: Some boats lack a flat surface inside the bow. In such cases, insert a piece of nylon to create a flat surface for securing the bolts.
5. Attaching the Bow Eye: Attach the bow eye securely onto the boat, ensuring it aligns correctly. Use high-quality sealant both inside and outside the boat for a durable attachment. On the internal of the boat use excess sealant and ensure when tightened the sealant oozes out around the bolts or nylon filler for perfect water seal. On the exterior of the ensure that both nuts and tightened well and the sealant is wiped clean.
6. Adjusting Mounting Arm Length: Hold the Boat Catch coupling in the approximate eventual position and mark the mounting arm for the appropriate length, considering the correct pin location for the coupling. Cut the mounting arm to size with a hack say or grinder. Always allow a slight margin for adjustments, remember we can trim more off, but we cannot extend. Quite often if trimmed 10mm longer than measured it will fit perfectly.
7. Drilling Locking Holes and Corrosion Protection: Follow the drilling guide provided in the template to mark and drill the locking holes for the mounting arm. Now the galvanised mounting arm has some bare metal surfaces, which could be areas of future potential corrosion. Apply anti-corrosion coating, like Cold Galv to any exposed metal surfaces to prevent these future corrosion issues.
8. Final Assembly and Mounting Arm Attachment: Bolt the coupling and pivot bracket firmly to the mounting arm. Attach the mounting arm securely to the winch post using U-bolts. Ensure the pivot bracket is locked in place, with the coupling centralized.
9. Setting up the Release Cord: Set the length of the pull release cord to avoid it getting tangled or run over by the trailer tires. Secure it in place and trim any excess length.
10. Double-check and Test: Before heading out, double-check all connections, nuts, and bolts for tightness. Perform a test by loading and unloading the boat to ensure the Boat Catch operates smoothly and effectively.
Following these practical steps will help you successfully install Boat Catch onto your boat, ensuring a secure and efficient system for launching and retrieving your vessel.
Boatcatch Multi Hull buying and fitting information