mounting atv winch to boat trailer for mast step

Rigging up a power winch to make stepping mast ez and perhaps a solo job. My issue is my boat trailer is a hollow rectangular tube so I cant just drill and bolt my plate on to attach the winch because I don't have access to tighten the nuts. Anybody have another way to get this attached tom my trailer. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Drill and tap the trailer tube.

Thru bolt the trailer tube.

Use pop rivets.

Build a bracket that clamps around the tube (similar to spare tire carrier).

sm

Why cant you just drill all the way through it and use a long bolt? I have a hand crank on one of my trailers we used to step the mast with but you had to tie the trap wires off at the edge of the beam but because its a curved beam it would tighten the trap wires as it raises the mast so that doesn't work too well.

I've been able to step the mast myself just by putting the boat on the ground and tying a rope around the forestay, looped around the bridles and back to the boat. Once I have the mast half way up I grab the rope as a safety once I get the mast vertical. Then you can just hold the rope and jump down and pin the forestay. Using 10 hole shroud plates helps let the mast go farther forward than the 7 hole ones to ease some pressure on the forestay while you pin it.

The hardest thing is stepping from the ground to the back of the boat while holding the mast. I just made a mast support out of 2 2x4's that looks like a x that holds the mast up. Then I can just start on the back of the boat and get it above my head from there. Saves a lot of time.

I didn't want to drill my trailer frame, so I installed a simple winch post that came with u-bolts, then thru-drilled the winch post to mount my manual winch.

Or just use the u-bolts to attach the winch to the frame. Amazon sells them if you don't have access to a trailer supply place.

I also am working on an identical project. what i have determined so far is:
1)power for the winch will need to come straight from the battery. however, this need only be the positive cable. the ground can be affixed anywhere to the frame of vehicle near the rear of truck. I am still working out finding a flexible multi strand wire for this. i am looking at a "welding cable" type wire.
2)i will be using a quick connect plug, smaller but identical to a "fork lift" style plug.(these are one-way plugs and cannot be plugged in backwards.)
3)I purchased a short length, "receiver extender" this is much heavier duty than the trailer and is where the winch will mount. This will make the winch completely removable to keep out of weather yet quickly installed to use the winch for other purposes.
4) still searching for suitable steel tube for the "gin pole" or "jib arm". i have extended the rods that the front hull cradles pivot on, to accommodate these poles, one going up from each side for stability. this will probably be a "dom" type steel tube. it is strong with a thick wall. these are very close to the same plane as the mast pivot and should work, not tested yet.
5) provide a few orange "highway hazard" cones to stake out the hazardous "drop zone" behind the boat, this may help to keep others from walking/driving under the mast during raising/lowering, at busy launches.
All of the parts for this are near acquisition. i will post pics when it is done. finding "crew" around here is difficult, mandating the solo mast stepping.

I use a Harbor Freight winch with a remote to put up the mast single handed on my 21SE.
I have mounted the winch to the mast carrier on the front of the trailer. I have through bolts, but as srm points out, a spare tire kit would work just as well.
I attached a battery in a battery box to the front of the trailer where you often see a spare tire.
Attach a removable extension to the mast carrier and ratchet strap it to provide tension opposite the winch pulley up high.
Put a ratchet strap on the trap wires and lightly tension.
With the wireless remote I can walk over to the boat and watch for any hangups and make sure the mast goes up clean.
Works a treat!

-Todd

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Todd
Hobie 21SE
Bellingham, WA

power lift is finally done. pipe used is 1" x 1/4" wall. i mounted winch to a Harbor Freight "Hitch Extension" instead of trailer, making it usable for other duties. In retrospect, the "wireless" thing would be nice. I will be figuring out something for the proper length for attaching to trap lines for mast during the lift and lowering. all in all, it works well. The gin pole when not in use folds forward, and rests nicely on the trailer tongue. The length of it allows it to just clear the mast stand and rest just behind the hitch.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3kLbjllB_DSczdJMloyS3ZXTTQ