Total disaster averted

[billnorman1]

I towed to the Pocomoke river yesterday, an hour from the house. Getting ready to launch I took off all the tiedowns and the (old fashioned) transom saver. The guy I was fishing with tried to unhook the winch but could not. I went to look at it and showed him how to turn the handle and take the load off the ratchet so I could loosen the strap and take the hook off. As I turned the crank, the small drive gear fell out of the winch, it had broken in half. I couldn't unload the ratchet. We weren't going anywhere because I couldn't get the winch to turn.
Then I remembered I have a 2 speed winch. I changed the gear ratio and unloaded the tension on the ratchet which enabled me to unwind the strap, and we went fishing.
If you have a bass boat, I thoroughly recommend having a 2 speed winch, it gives you options in a failure of this nature.
As far as the gear, it just broke in half. Never seen anything like it.

[CatFan]

Glad you got to fish. I highly recommend some kind of backup bow tie. Chain, strap or turnbuckle.

[billnorman1]

The issue wasn't winching it back on, the winch was tight against the ratchet. If I didn't have a second speed I would have had to cut the strap to get it OFF the trailer. You have to tighten the winch slightly to be able to change the ratchet from tighten to loosen. If I hadn't been able to tighten it (with the other gear) I'd have been up schitz creek.

[zelmo]

Good thinking on your feet. Thanks for sharing.

How old is the winch that broke? Any idea how it broke.

[billnorman1]

Good thinking on your feet. Thanks for sharing.

How old is the winch that broke? Any idea how it broke.

The small gear cracked in half. The 2 halves fell off. Never seen anything like this happening.

[wmitch2]

One of the reasons (and there are many) that I always carry a SHARP pocket knife !! I've had to cut my strap once, a friends once and I've cut 3 peoples seat belts in accidents where they were upside down and couldn't get the seat belt to release !1

[Champ 2001]

[Finlander]

I can’t say I’ve ever had a winch fail. Replaced a strap or two but never due to a broken part.

[04_triton]

ahh just cut the strap if needed and use a ratchet strap to get it back on.

[Bassin Billy]

Crazy - like asked previously what winch failed?