What to do - Hardtop or Anchor winch: Hardtop now on!
I'm struggling with a decision on what is more important on my boat right now - a hard top or an anchor winch?
I bought a hardtop frame and fibreglass top not long ago for a really decent price. The thing is it isn't a bolt on deal so it needs to be modified to fit. My boat currently has a fold down bimini which all works fine but the rear legs obstruct one of the rod holders in the gunnel when it is up. This can probably be fixed with a bit of thought. The hard top would be great as it would be there all the time and not need any faffing around. The rawback is more windage and higher centre of gravity. I wanted the hardtop to fish longer hours with more shade and is a bit bigger than the current bimini but I have found recently that fishing early morning and late afternoon or in the dark is better so the sun protection isn't as crucial. I have a quote for $1200 beans to have the stainless modified to fit.
I am now thinking that spending that money on an anchor winch would also be a nice improvement to my fishing day as I am often solo and it is difficult to get the boat ahead of the anchor when retrieving so it becomes a bit of a struggle for a fat guy like me. I would like a minn kota with the spot lock and all the fruit but that is a bit out of my price range as I would need the model suitable for a 6.4m boat. If I sold the hardtop and put my $1200 toward it I would still be about half way from the installed price of a minn. On the other hand a basic electric winch would be around $1500 installed so is more attainable.
So, if you were in my situation, which way would you go - Hardtop or anchor winch? Particularly interested from people that have added either to their boats and the difference it made.
Thanks for letting me think out loud.
Mike.
Feral
Posts: 1508
Date Joined: 01/11/06
I just removed an anchor
I just removed an anchor winch from my boat if your interested? I'm in Karratha tho and they are not light. But if interested I'll grab you some pics. It's a windlass type with a foot pressure pad button
Perry Home
Posts: 434
Date Joined: 07/10/10
pm sent
P n sent re your anchor winch for sale Feral let me know please mate Ta Pez
VaSSagO
Posts: 126
Date Joined: 09/12/09
We put a drum anchor winch on
We put a drum anchor winch on our 6.5m walk around and I love it. Don't have to leave the helm and can easily pick up & re-drop the anchor if I am not happy with the boat position.
Already had a hardtop but did recently add a removable shade extension to the rear of it. I don't find it that good, still need to chase the shade around the rear deck depending on the direction of the sun. Only cost a few hundred so still worth it.
tiimmbo
Posts: 694
Date Joined: 16/08/09
Anchor winch is the best
Anchor winch is the best thing I ever put in my last boat and would never have another boat without one
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Someone on here recently
Someone on here recently posted a whole lot of pictures of their anchor winch install.
Me? I'd love to do both!
Fish! HARD!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
http://fishwrecked.com/foru
http://fishwrecked.com/forum/drum-anchor-winch-install
Fish! HARD!
sandbar
Posts: 704
Date Joined: 25/10/09
Anchor winch
I dont have either but given the choice Anchor Winch all day long. Hat, long sleeves and suncream is a compromise for the hard top but when it comes to pulling that anchor solo. Then repositioning, and as you know... you want to be able to drop that pick in an instant.
bsir
Posts: 569
Date Joined: 24/04/11
I couldnt live without my anchor winch
....the wife would complain too much about a bad back.
sandbar
Posts: 704
Date Joined: 25/10/09
All my anchor winches
Have a bad back!
Peko
Posts: 185
Date Joined: 01/10/14
Never given much thought to
Never given much thought to having an anchor winch until last Sunday morning when I watched a guy just about have a coronary retrieving his manually and thought I bet he doesnt do that to many times in a day. Buy some sunscreen and get the winch.
striker
Posts: 224
Date Joined: 26/09/14
Anyone keen on
selling one that's second hand and going to fit a barcrusher 620 c let me know, might have the wife on board but I'm still the anchor wench.....
eziliving
Posts: 865
Date Joined: 30/12/09
Anchor winch all the way.
Anchor winch all the way. I've got a drum winch which does the free spool so when you want to anchor at depth the winch will free spool not like some others where you have feed the chain out.
Get busy living, or get busy dying!
spinksy
Posts: 266
Date Joined: 06/10/10
Anchor Winch
All day long!!! I installed a lonestar on my boat and love it. Makes anchoring a breeze when you figure out how to use it properly. I will awlays have one on a boat and the lonestars are great
Subaquatic
Posts: 515
Date Joined: 23/04/11
Anchor Winch, no question
Wouldn't have a boat without one now.
Comrad
Posts: 109
Date Joined: 17/07/14
I have both. The anchor winch
I have both. The anchor winch is very opulent, and I got it first, but, if I had to choose, I would go with the canopy first. Its just a personal thing with me, I find boats more impressive if they have a good canopy.
I had a bimini, and it provided shade and everything, but, it wasn't as impressive as a full on canopy, it didn't feel as sturdy, it didn't have the rocket launcher, and it wasn't as good to hold onto in the swell. Plus, biminis dont give you boat the same value as a canopy does. Plus if you want to mount clears, its much easier with a hard top.
Anchor winches are fantastic, and they're certainly much safer in heavy swells, but, if you do get one, make sure you either get one with a mechanical disconnect freespool like the lonestar or stressfree, or if you get something like the Sav winch, you get the "Electronic freespool", the usual reverse setting is too slow.
Rant: If you're looking at a Sav winch, be very critical of what they say. The guy who sells them is very disingenous. They sell things under false claims, and try to trick people with marketing cons. Their product is decent, I just hate the way they do business.
epic restos and...
Posts: 226
Date Joined: 22/06/15
i think at the end of the
i think at the end of the day what it comes down to is choice , but one thing that is a factor is will the boat take it or how many times do you anchor (i very rarely) my opinion is upgrade shade 2hd winch
Lastchance
Posts: 1272
Date Joined: 02/02/09
$25 anchor retrieve ball and
$25 anchor retrieve ball and go the hard top. Get the winch later on.
Daisy
crasny1
Posts: 6986
Date Joined: 16/10/08
They work a treat
Still have mine from Kcity But haven't had much opertunity to use it down here. But as Im aging I would also be in the winch group. As a matter of fact thinking about it now.
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Walfootrot
Posts: 1386
Date Joined: 23/07/12
Get a cray winch, use it to
Get a cray winch, use it to pull ya pots and anchor, buy a hat.... hope it helps
More drum lines, kill the bloody sharks!
JohnF
Posts: 2836
Date Joined: 07/07/10
I have both. Would not own
I have both. Would not own another boat without a hard top. I hardly use the anchor winch.
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
Thanks everyone
I really appreciate the feedback over the last couple of days guys. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. I decided today that I would throw the hardtop frame up on the boat for the first time to get an idea of how it will look. I think it will look awesome and will open the back of the boat up a bit as well. While you can't see the fibreglass part yet you get the idea.
The anchor ball is a cheap solution to the problem for now. I used one years ago and have seen it posted on here a thousand times but it has just clicked for me today. Next year I will probably fit the winch.
Peko
Posts: 185
Date Joined: 01/10/14
Good luck mate and I hope you
Good luck mate and I hope you enjoy.
kirky79
Posts: 1351
Date Joined: 13/01/12
Looks good zOOm
I'm like JohnF, as in have both. Would take the hardtop. But definitely depends how much fishing you do at anchor
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
Hardtop Installed
Got the boat back today with the stainless modified and threw the top on this arvo ready for a sea trial tomorrow! I'm happy with how it turned out!
big john
Posts: 8726
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Nice
That looks good zoom, best thing I did was putting a hard top on my ali.
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