Idea for winchers

(wakerider111) · (wakerider111) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 06-22-2008, 12:41 PM

Use a RC boat to take the handle back to the rider(s). Rig something up to attach the handle to the RC boat.

I don't get to winch often, but i saw an RC boat at a store and this idea came to my head. I know that you have to give some winches a good tug to pull the rope back, so one would need a good quality RC boat, not some wally-world boat.
Also IF this idea did work, it would only be good for winch spots with no falls, 'cause a boat aint going up a fall.

if you got tired of winching, you could drive the little RC boat around too ehh?

(goride) · (goride) **Join Date: Mar 2007** 06-22-2008, 2:00 PM

If the winch has a TAV it has a good deal of resistance when pulling it back out. I dont think a RC boat could pull it back.

Weve used a blow up raft with an electric motor pick up the rope and rider and bring them back out.

(wakeboardlasvegas)

Most winchs should have a pin you can pull so the spool spins freely.. but I think an RC boat will go through batteries like no other, a handle has quite a bit of drag to it.

(jtnz) · (jtnz) **Join Date: Sep 2007** 06-22-2008, 5:53 PM

I thought about using an inflatable rescue boat or a jet ski in the surf, but this might work too. Mean.

The boat only has to pull the handle and rope through the water you can unwind the spool yourself, or get someone else to do it, if it's not powerful enough to pull line off the reel.

One other thought would be one of those torpedo things guys use to pull their long lines out to sea over here, not sure if they have them in the States, but the motors on those things have 5 pounds of thrust apparently, more than enough to tow the handle through some decent west coast surf.

Upload

They look like this...

(proho) · (proho) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 06-22-2008, 8:26 PM

Isn't the rider going back to the starting spot anyways??? why not just carry the rope while he's walking.

(wakerider111) · (wakerider111) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 06-22-2008, 9:11 PM

Ive seen events where a jet ski is used to bring a rope back to a line of riders, so i was thinking that maybe a RC boat would work too. maybe a gas powered RC boat would work better and cost less gas money? maybe batteries will be cheaper even? :-)

'Course, WALKING IS the cheapest, sure. I'm just being silly/ creative here ;P

OR maybe TWO winches. one going one way and the other going the other way. Hold on to the handle of one while going on the other... but that would be kinda hard and possibly dangerous ;P