Anyone find a better trap puller?

[Rain City]

If we are pulling traps in weather, the best driver is on the helm, keeping the line vertical and away from the prop!

You nailed it. Especially with a bigger boat and lot's of current just the slightest angle is a TON of drag. When Marco and I were out about a month ago and the puller crapped out we hand bombed the last 100 feet and even with just the one trap on at the end the two of us could barely hoist it. Turned out it was just the drag on the trap with wind against current. I'm now much more aware of making sure I'm constantly driving over the traps and leaving the engines running as Dave mentioned.

 

[tubber]

You nailed it. Especially with a bigger boat and lot's of current just the slightest angle is a TON of drag. When Marco and I were out about a month ago and the puller crapped out we hand bombed the last 100 feet and even with just the one trap on at the end the two of us could barely hoist it. Turned out it was just the drag on the trap with wind against current. I'm now much more aware of making sure I'm constantly driving over the traps and leaving the engines running as Dave mentioned.

Yep, as you're pulling the pots to the boat, you're also pulling the boat to the pots, and your boat is hefty.

 

[Sir Reel]

Not sure how your set up by my starboard engine has the extra large alternator that charges the house bank so I shut down my port engine while hauling

You nailed it. Especially with a bigger boat and lot's of current just the slightest angle is a TON of drag. When Marco and I were out about a month ago and the puller crapped out we hand bombed the last 100 feet and even with just the one trap on at the end the two of us could barely hoist it. Turned out it was just the drag on the trap with wind against current. I'm now much more aware of making sure I'm constantly driving over the traps and leaving the engines running as Dave mentioned.

sure

 

[Rain City]

Not sure how your set up by my starboard engine has the extra large alternator that charges the house bank so I shut down my port engine while hauling

sure

I've tried figuring this out a few times but could never get a straight answer from anyone. It seems that my windlass, riggers and trap puller run off the start battery because they'll all kill it eventually. I sometimes end up having to hit that link foot switch thingy to get the port side started. There's a lot of confusion as to how it's all setup, or just a lack of caring by any shop to explain it because they're trying to deal with some other catastrophic failure that popped up out of nowhere and now they don't have time to deal with all the things that I actually wanted done. Classic.

So I just run both when using the windlass or puller.

 

[Sir Reel]

I've tried figuring this out a few times but could never get a straight answer from anyone. It seems that my windlass, riggers and trap puller run off the start battery because they'll all kill it eventually. I sometimes end up having to hit that link foot switch thingy to get the port side started. There's a lot of confusion as to how it's all setup, or just a lack of caring by any shop to explain it because they're trying to deal with some other catastrophic failure that popped up out of nowhere and now they don't have time to deal with all the things that I actually wanted done. Classic.

So I just run both when using the windlass or puller.

Nothing should run off your start batteries. I have a seperate start battery for each engine and each engine has its on alternator to charge its start battery. My starboard engine has the power steering and the port engine has a high output alternator for the house batteries, 4 x 6v Rolls AGM's. I have the Volvo D4's but would think yours is done similar. Any good boat electrician could figure that out pretty quick. Just a matter of following the cables.

 

[Rain City]

Nothing should run off your start batteries. I have a seperate start battery for each engine and each engine has its on alternator to charge its start battery. My starboard engine has the power steering and the port engine has a high output alternator for the house batteries, 4 x 6v Rolls AGM's. I have the Volvo D4's but would think yours is done similar. Any good boat electrician could figure that out pretty quick. Just a matter of following the cables.

You'd think

 

[Coyote Spooner]

I blew up my Ace for the fourth time. They're going to replace the motor and gear box, for the fourth time. I'm tired of this. Anyone know of anything better that isn't on a massive 6' long boom?

Looks like my 6 year old Ace had a click in the gearbox. Did your motor die or did the gearbox fail?
I sent them a video and they said it’s the gearbox. Hopefully I don’t keep having problems too..

 

[Rain City]

Looks like my 6 year old Ace had a click in the gearbox. Did your motor die or did the gearbox fail?
I sent them a video and they said it’s the gearbox. Hopefully I don’t keep having problems too..

Gearbox three times. Motor once.

 

[Coyote Spooner]

How has their warranty been?
It’s $99usd for the gearbox. Plus shipping

 

[Rain City]

How has their warranty been?
It’s $99usd for the gearbox. Plus shipping

They sent a new motor once, repaired the gear box twice (covered the shipping both ways) and one time they just replaced the whole thing. I paid $150 the one time they sent the new unit as it was an upgrade from the old model.

 

[Coyote Spooner]

How has their warranty been?
It’s $99usd for the gearbox. Plus shipping

They sent a new motor once, repaired the gear box twice (covered the shipping both ways) and one time they just replaced the whole thing. I paid $150 the one time they sent the new unit as it was an upgrade from the old model.

ok thanks. Sounds like they stand behind their product.
I’m heading to VI, first week of January, so I’ll stop in and have them repair it.

 

[mikep]

It's not that the scotty won't do the job.....It will. The big boy pullers have that much more grunt which is nice pulling traps...

 

[westcoastathletics]

I blew up my Ace for the fourth time. They're going to replace the motor and gear box, for the fourth time. I'm tired of this. Anyone know of anything better that isn't on a massive 6' long boom?

this is what Im going to go to....

 

[Fixit]

this is what Im going to go to....

"150ft of 5/16" line" ....so useless for prawning. and you'd need a spare reel for every trap you haul??@?!

id love something like a Brutus, but hydraulic powered, or at least double the motor hp. the hands free coiling is tough to beat

 

[westcoastathletics]

"150ft of 5/16" line" ....so useless for prawning. and you'd need a spare reel for every trap you haul??@?!

id love something like a Brutus, but hydraulic powered, or at least double the motor hp. the hands free coiling is tough to beat

I am going with a hybrid line on it. 1/8" 500 lb test

 

[Corey_lax]

I am going with a hybrid line on it. 1/8" 500 lb test

Does that stuff sink?