If you have a boat, you’ll need a trailer to haul it around, and if you want to actually launch it and retrieve it safely, you’ll need a trailer winch to help you when the going gets tough. The best boat trailer winches are strong enough to haul a heavy boat up a boat ramp with ease, but are also less likely to damage the boat’s finish with their steel cable, like roller trailer winches, and are easier to use than a manual winch. To help you find the best boat trailer winches for you, we’ve turned to reviews from actual customers on Amazon who have purchased and used these products for themselves.
Read on for the rest of the best boat trailer winches.
Our Editor’s Best Boat Trailer Winches Reviews
Bestseller No. 1
AC-DK 1600lbs Heavy Duty Boat Trailer Winch with 26FT Strap, 2-Way Ratchet & 4:1 Gear Trailer Winch, Portable Hand Crank Winch for Boat, Truck, Trailer, RV, ATV, Jet Ski
- ❆【Robust Towing Solution】AC-DK 1600 lb Heavy Duty Boat Trailer Winch is your reliable choice for versatile towing needs. The 26ft L x 2in W boat winch strap, crafted from vibrant blue polyester, ensures secure and safe towing. The sturdy base provides powerful pulling force, reducing physical exertion.
- ❆【Sturdy and Corrosion-Resistant】Crafted from high-quality steel and professionally galvanized, our towing winch is built to last. The galvanized finish offers superior resistance against sun damage and corrosion, ensuring longevity in saltwater or harsh weather conditions.
- ❆【Versatile Two-Way Ratchet】Our towing winch features a stainless steel hook with a safety pawl for seamless forward and backward ratcheting. Effortlessly load and unload your boat by switching the winch direction. The 2-way 1-speed operation makes it a swift and efficient tool for outdoor boat trailer towing.
- ❆【Comfortable Ergonomic Design】Equipped with an 8.6-inch ergonomic crank handle, our trailer winch prioritizes user comfort. The handle's contour and grip reduce stress during operation, alleviating hand fatigue and enhancing overall work efficiency. The anti-slip design ensures safety during use.
- ❆【Wide Application and Easy Installation】This portable boat trailer winch is easy to install and move, making it ideal for trailers, trucks, ATVs, boats, jet skis, and sailboats. With a 1600 lb capacity, it excels in lifting, lowering, or positioning heavy objects with ease. (Note: Avoid using the hand winch to lift overloaded items for safety reasons)
$31.99
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 2
Kolvoii 3500lbs Boat Trailer Winch with 33FT Strap, Heavy Duty Hand Winch 2-Way Ratchet 4:1/8:1 Gear Ratio, Comfortable Handle for Boat, Trailer, Marine, and Jet Ski - Blue
- 3500 POUND CAPACITY: This heavy-duty steel winch provides a pulling force of 3500 lbs with a 33 ft (10 m) x 2 in (5 cm) polyester strap. The dual-speed 4:1 and 8:1 gear ratios offer the perfect balance of power and efficiency, reducing physical effort by 75%
- TWO-WAY RATCHET: The two-way ratchet enables smooth forward/backward operation for easy loading and unloading. The winch offers two speeds: switch between high-speed mode for light loads and low-speed mode for heavier objects with ease.
- DURABLE GEAR & POLYESTER STRAP: Built with high-carbon steel gears thickened to 8mm, and a corrosion-resistant galvanized finish, this ratchet winchs withstands harsh marine environments. The integrated polyester strap resists wear and withstands extreme pressure
- COMFORTABLE HANDLE: The 10.2-inch ergonomic, anti-slip handle features a textured grip to minimize hand fatigue during extended use. Its removable design enhances portability and storage efficiency
- EFFORTLESS INSTALLATION: The reinforced base features standard mounting holes and includes three mounting screws. This allows flexible bolt alignment, ensuring quick and secure installation on trailers, docks, and other setups. Base dimensions: 7.5 in x 3.9 in
$49.99
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 3
AC-DK 3500lbs Heavy Duty Boat Trailer Winch with 32FT Strap，2-Way Ratchet 4:1/8:1 Gear Trailer Winch，Portable Hand Crank Winch for Boat, Truck, Trailer, RV, ATV, Jet Ski
- ❆【Robust Towing Solution】AC-DK 3500 lb Heavy Duty Boat Trailer Winch is your reliable choice for versatile towing needs. The 32ft L x 2in W boat winch strap, crafted from vibrant blue polyester, ensures secure and safe towing. The sturdy base provides powerful pulling force, reducing physical exertion.
- ❆【Sturdy and Corrosion-Resistant】Crafted from high-quality steel and professionally galvanized, our towing winch is built to last. The galvanized finish offers superior resistance against sun damage and corrosion, ensuring longevity in saltwater or harsh weather conditions.
- ❆【Versatile Two-Way Ratchet】Our towing winch features a stainless steel hook with a safety pawl for seamless forward and backward ratcheting. Effortlessly load and unload your boat by switching the winch direction. The 2-way 2-speed operation makes it a swift and efficient tool for outdoor boat trailer towing.
- ❆【Comfortable Ergonomic Design】Equipped with an 9.8-inch ergonomic crank handle, our trailer winch prioritizes user comfort. The handle's contour and grip reduce stress during operation, alleviating hand fatigue and enhancing overall work efficiency. The anti-slip design ensures safety during use.
- ❆【Wide Application and Easy Installation】This portable boat trailer winch is easy to install and move, making it ideal for trailers, trucks, ATVs, boats, jet skis, and sailboats. With a 3500 lb capacity, it excels in lifting, lowering, or positioning heavy objects with ease. (Note: Avoid using the hand winch to lift overloaded items for safety reasons)
$49.99
Buy on Amazon
SaleBestseller No. 4
OPENROAD 3500LB Boat Trailer Winch - Heavy Duty Hand Winch with 32 FT Orange Strap, 2-Way Ratchet With 4:1/8:1 Gear - Ideal for Boat, Truck, Trailer, RV, ATV and Jet Ski - Includes Installation Screws
- Conquer Your Towing Challenges with the Heavy Duty Boat Trailer Winch! This powerful 3500lbs trailer winch is engineered to meet all your towing needs. Its versatile gear ratio of 4:1&8:1 provides the perfect balance of strength and speed
- Built to Last : Our boat winch is constructed from premium steel and professionally galvanized, ensuring exceptional resistance to corrosion and rust. Whether in seawater or harsh weather conditions, this winch will stand the test of time. The high carbon steel heat-treated shell, shaft, and gear guarantee unwavering durability
- Effortless Towing : Say goodbye to strenuous pulling! The 32ft L x 2in W boat winch strap with hook, made of vibrant orange polyester, offers reliable and secure towing. The 9.8-inch ergonomic crank handle allows for easy turning, reducing hand fatigue, and improving overall efficiency when moving loads up to 3500lbs. Its non-slip design ensures safety during use
- Versatile Two-Way Ratchet : Our boat winch strap features a stainless steel hook with a safety pawl, enabling fast and labor-saving 2-way 2-speed operation. Whether you're towing, hauling, or handling, this winch ensures smooth and efficient performance
- Easy Installation and Portability : Setting up this heavy-duty boat winch is a breeze with standard mounting holes and convenient installation screws. Its compact and portable design allows you to take it anywhere your adventures lead. Perfectly suited for trailers, trucks, ATVs, ships, jet skis, and sailboats, this 3500lbs boat winch excels in effortlessly lifting, lowering, or positioning heavy objects. (Note: Please avoid using the hand winch to pull up overloaded items)
$49.99
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 5
WINSBULL Boat Trailer Winch for Trailers, 1600 LB Heavy Duty Hand Manual Winch with 26FT Strap & Hook, Boat Accessories for Boat and Jet Ski Trailer
- Heavy-Duty Load Capacity: Rated for 1,600 lbs capacity, perfect for hauling boats, jet skis, and kayaks with confidence and stability
- Safe & Versatile Use: Equipped with a 2-way ratchet locking mechanism for pulling and releasing, making it ideal for boat trailers, jet skis, and kayak loading
- Durable Construction: Built with galvanized steel, stainless steel bolts & nuts, and a galvanized hook for superior rust resistance in marine environments
- Smooth & Efficient Operation: Features a 4:1 gear ratio and ergonomic handle for effortless cranking and secure loading
- Strong & Reliable Strap: Comes with a 26 ft x 2 in high-strength polyester strap, designed for long-lasting use and heavy pulling power
$29.99
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 6
OPENROAD 2000lbs Heavy Duty Boat Trailer Winch with 26FT Strap,2-Way Ratchet,4:1 Gear Trailer Winch,Portable Hand Crank Winch for Boat,Truck, Trailer, RV, ATV, Jet Ski
- Heavy Duty Winch : Conquer Your Towing Challenges with the Heavy Duty Boat Trailer Winch! This powerful 2000lbs trailer winch is engineered to meet all your towing needs
- Built to Last : Our boat winch is constructed from premium steel and professionally galvanized, ensuring exceptional resistance to corrosion and rust. Whether in seawater or harsh weather conditions, this winch will stand the test of time. The high carbon steel heat-treated shell, shaft, and gear guarantee unwavering durability
- Effortless Towing : Say goodbye to strenuous pulling! The 26ft L x 2in W boat winch strap with hook, made of polyester, offers reliable and secure towing. The 8.27-inch ergonomic crank handle allows for easy turning, reducing hand fatigue, and improving overall efficiency when moving loads up to 2000lbs. Its non-slip design ensures safety during use
- Versatile Two-Way Ratchet : Our boat winch strap features a stainless steel hook with a safety pawl, enabling fast and labor-saving 2-way operation. Whether you're towing, hauling, or handling, this winch ensures smooth and efficient performance
- Easy Installation and Portability : Setting up this heavy-duty boat winch is a breeze with standard mounting holes and convenient installation screws. Its compact and portable design allows you to take it anywhere your adventures lead. Perfectly suited for trailers, trucks, ATVs, ships, jet skis, and sailboats, this 2000lbs boat winch excels in effortlessly lifting, lowering, or positioning heavy objects. (Note: Please avoid using the hand winch to pull up overloaded items)
$41.99
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 7
Camco 2000lb Boat Trailer Winch - Manual Hand Crank Boat Winch Features 20-Foot Strap & 2-Way Ratchet - 2,000lb Weight Capacity - Boat Trailer Accessories (50000)
- Manual Trailer Boat Winch: Allows you to load your boat onto your tow trailer smoothly, safely, and accurately
- Features: Two-way ratchet with neutral position for ease of use; A comfort grip handle provides easy, comfortable cranking
- Strap Weight Capacity: 2,000 lb.
- Heavy-Duty Construction: The brake and 4:1 ratio gears are made of heat-treated high carbon steel; The winch is constructed of corrosion-resilient zinc-plated steel that is sturdy and protects against sun damage
- Includes: (1) boat crank winch, (1) 20-foot (L) x 2-inch (W) polyester webbing strap, and (1) snap hook
$49.90
Buy on Amazon
SaleBestseller No. 8
Nilight Boat Trailer Winch 3500 lbs Portable Electric Boat Winches 12 V DC Marine Winch with Remote Control and Hand Crank Power-in Freewheel Operation Waterproof Reversible Winch for Boat Trailer
- ENHANCED POWER MOTOR: Nilight marine multi-purpose winch is driven by a 12 V DC motor. Electric boat winch has a rated line pull of 3500 pounds, a marine rated line pull of 6500 pounds and a rolling rated line pull of 9500 pounds. pulling Capacity is reduced as incline increases. Plus the 3-stage planetary gear drive system can handle a max boat size of 18 FT and a max boat weight of 5,000 lbs
- EFFICIENT ELECTRIC BOAT WINCH: The portable winch features a 265:1 gear reduction ratio and automatic braking system, a low-noise design for no ratchet noise during operation. Boat towing winch strong, quiet, reliable traction, allows for faster linear speeds while reducing amperage pull and ensures that the electric winch runs smoothly during operation
- DUAL DIRECTION & THREE CONTROL MODEL: Dual direction electric winching for boat (pulling and spooling - power in, power out and freewheel operation). Electric boat winches can be controlled by wireless, wired remote control and manual (hand crank). With waterproof sealed plug for safer operation. Hand crank winching model in emergency
- EASY & DURABLE: Boat trailer winch comes with 34ft/10.5m winch Galvanized steel cable and hook for additional safety. Tool-free, slide-on 2-inch hitch mounting plate for easy mounting to any 2-inch ball hitch receiver. Provides heavy duty winching power for boats, trailers and other loading jobs
- PACKAGE INCLUDS: 1x boat trailer winch (12v 3500 lbs), 2x electric remote control (wireless & wired) , 1x hand crank , 1x power cable , 1x mounting plate , 1x winch hook. If there is any quality problem with our electric winch, please feel free to contact us
$134.99
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 9
SYLPHID 3500lbs Heavy Duty Boat Trailer Winch with 32FT Strap, Portable Hand Crank Winch for Boat, Truck, Trailer, RV, ATV, Jet Ski (3500Lbs with 32FT Strap)
- 【3500 lb Heavy-Duty Towing Capacity】Engineered with high-carbon steel gears and a robust construction, this winch delivers a reliable 3500 lb pulling force. The dual-speed 4:1 and 8:1 gear ratios maximize efficiency, reducing physical effort by up to 75% for smoother, stronger pulls.
- 【Two-Way Ratchet for Effortless Handling】Featuring a seamless forward/backward ratcheting mechanism, this winch enables easy loading and unloading. Quickly switch between high speed for lighter loads and low speed for heavier items, offering versatile and efficient operation.
- 【Superior Corrosion Resistance】Built with a professional galvanized finish and high-quality materials, this winch stands up to harsh marine conditions. It resists rust, sun damage, and corrosion—ideal for saltwater and extreme weather use.
- 【Ergonomic & Anti-Slip Handle】Designed with user comfort in mind, the 10-inch handle features a textured, non-slip grip. Its ergonomic shape minimizes hand fatigue and enhances control during extended operation, while the removable design ensures easy storage.
- 【Easy Installation & Wide Compatibility】Equipped with standard mounting holes and hardware, this winch can be quickly installed on trailers, trucks, ATVs, and more. Its compact, portable design makes it perfect for towing, recovery, and positioning heavy loads with ease.
$39.99
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 10
OPENROAD Boat Winch 3500lbs Hand Winch, with 32ft Blue Strap and 2 Speed switchable, for Boat Trailer Towing Winch
- 【Performance】: This heavy-duty hand winch has a pulling force of 3500 lbs/1590 kg, a carbon steel heat-treated shell, shaft and gear, and has excellent lifting and traction capabilities
- 【Rugged and durable】: Professional galvanized treatment, resistant to bad weather, high-carbon steel hardened gear: primary speed ratio: 4:1 secondary speed ratio: 8:1, high efficiency transmission ratio, corrosion resistance, long service life, winch equipped High-strength anti-slip and wear-resistant strap, strap size: 5 cmx10 m / (1.5 inx32 ft)
- 【Two-way ratchet】: This hooked marine winch belt has been carefully designed and equipped with a hook with a safety pawl, which can ratchet forward and backward
- 【Comfortable handle】: 25 cm / 9.8 in ergonomics and comfortable grip, labor saving ratio 75% to reduce hand fatigue, to ensure safety, easy to shake the crank
- 【Body size】: (LxWxX) 9.8x6.2x7 in, mounting base size (7.6x4 in) standard mounting hole, small portable size, easy to install
$54.99
Buy on Amazon
Best Boat Trailer Winches Buying Guide
Before choosing the best boat trailer winch you should consider following options:
1. Horsepower: If you’re hauling a large boat, you’ll want a winch with a higher horsepower. One of the easiest ways to determine a winch’s horsepower is by looking at the cable drum’s diameter or gauge. The heavier the gauge, the higher the horsepower.
2. Drum Size: The size of the cable drum will depend on the size of the boat you’ll be towing and whether you’ll be using it for other applications.
A small boat will require a smaller drum, while a large boat will require a larger drum. If you’ll be using the winch for other applications, you’ll want a larger drum with a higher breaking strength.
3. Drum Speed: The speed of the cable drum rotation will depend on the type of job you’ll be using the winch for. If you’ll be using the winch for light towing applications, you’ll want a lower drum speed.
A faster drum rotation is preferred for heavy towing applications. High-performance winches typically have a higher drum speed.
4. Automatic Cable Retract: If you’ll be using the winch for recreational boating, then you’ll want a winch with an automatic cable retract.
This will help prevent the cable from getting stuck in the winch and causing damage. If you’ll be using the winch for towing, then this feature is optional.
5. Maximum Pull Force: This is the maximum amount of weight the winch can pull before the drum stops rotating. You’ll want a winch that can lift a sufficient amount to lift your boat with any gear and equipment attached.
Typically, the maximum pull force is 20-25% higher than the weight of the boat.
What else you should know about boat trailer winches
1) What are the different types of boat trailer winches?
There are electric, hydraulic, and manual winches.
2) How do you properly measure for a boat trailer winch?
To properly measure for a boat trailer winch, you will need to take into account the weight of your boat, the length of your boat, and the width of your boat. You will also need to take into account the type of trailer you have and the type of winch you need.
3) How do you install a boat trailer winch?
Most boat trailer winches will come with installation instructions. However, here are some general tips. First, make sure that the winch is properly mounted to the trailer frame. Next, connect the winch cable to the boat. Finally, test the winch to make sure it is working properly.
4) What are some common problems with boat trailer winches?
Boat trailer winches are designed to make it easier to launch and retrieve your boat. However, they are not without their problems. Some common problems with boat trailer winches include:
-Winches can become jammed, making it difficult to launch or retrieve your boat.
-Winches can break, leaving you stranded.
-Winches can overheat, making them dangerous to use.
-Winches can be difficult to operate, making it easy to make mistakes.
5) How do you maintain a boat trailer winch?
It is important to keep the winch clean and free of debris. Inspect the winch regularly for any damage or wear.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best boat trailer winches. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best boat trailer winches will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.