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Evenin' all.

My dealer supplied transom tie-downs are pulling loose and I need new ones. What sort of strength do I really need? I see many up to 1000lbs available at Walmart/Costco etc with the ratchet design. My local West has nothing but skinny 600lbs too long or too short - too expensive in comparison to less specialty stores

How wide should they be and their load capacity for my Dauntless 18? (It seems easy to compete this purchase but their are too many choices)

I have just snap down lever type at present so I wonder is the ratchet style is better or a pain.

I also saw another poor old Whaler who wasn't tied down at all after a sharp braking. Torn the poor little feller up. My mechanic suggested additional ties from the bow ring to the trailer to take the load off the transom tie-downs during a sudden stop.

Cheers.

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I bought some of the 3" wide ones from Walmart and they work fine. They buckle down and have a velcro cover over the buckle. I also run a good ratchet strap from the bow eye around the tongue and back up.

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I have 3 inch ones from somewhere on the stern and they work fine. For the bow, I rigged up two sections of chain that hook together with a turnbuckle. has worked for years.

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this is what I use there S/Steel no rust! they also have a nylon pad behind the buckle and velcro to hold the buckel tight and to the pad.

http://www.iboats.com/Stainless_Steel...w_id.38507

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Guts - These are more or less the version I have now. I snap them tight but when I get to my destination they have either popped open or are loose. Mine may be a poor imitation of the one's you bought.

I presume 600/1000 breaking is enough. It's not like they are taking the whole weight of the boat.

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Mark mine have never com loose. and can not come open becouse of the velcro straps. I can snap a pic. for you if you like mine are at least 12 years old.

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I think I have what Guts pictured. They have worked and held up very well for the five or six years I've had them. Never had one come loose though I did lose a cheaper version on the highway before purchasing the current straps.

Sorry for the edit. I just had to correct my accidental use of the word loose instead of lose.

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I just mounted some SS Boat Buckles I found on sale at West Marine. Never used them before but I love them so far, they bolt to the trailer and hook to the transom eye bolts, much easier to deal with than straps.
http://www.immioutdoors.com/boatbuckleboatbuckle

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I like the idea of those jharrell. How do you think they'll hold up to saltwater use?

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I was not sure how they would hold up since they will be submerged, but when I saw the stainless ones on sale (I only have seen the painted ones before), I had to try them out.

So far after a couple months they are holding up perfect and seem to be well made, saving me much time at the ramp.