Has anyone got a Balex Automatic Boat Loader, or seen one actually in use? Any impressions on how reliable they are at getting the boat onto the trailer, and their quality of manufacture?

Very good build quality and great if you’re at a ramp that is well protected so no waves come in and push your boat around. You don’t back your boat in as deep as you would with a trailer with a winch on it, so you let the weight of the boat push the boat down on the trailer holding it straight.

I have an electric winch on my boat works great. You can get them with remotes and power off and power on. Could be another option, my wife and daughter can work the winch while I hold the boat.

https://www.marine-deals.co.nz/boat-trailer-winches/powerwinch-rc30-electric-trailer-winch-12v-11500lb?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI55L1lu7EgAMVRtAWBR0_rw94EAQYASABEgJzUPD_BwE

There’s also this option where you use a cordless drill to turn your winch. Cheap way to see if an electric winch would solve your problem.

https://www.marine-deals.co.nz/boat-trailer-winches/sea-socket-trailer-boat-winch-attachment?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImqfEpO3EgAMV0GwPAh3L-QI-EAQYASABEgLNTPD_BwE

Not sure why a lot of trailers end up axle submerged. Most modern well set up trailers boat just slides off/on.

letsgetem wrote: Not backing the trailer in as far, would also reduce salt water causing rust!!! At the back where salt water gets, its rusting; at the front it isnt.  I am thinking I should get an electric winch, for my boat; the $1099 one at Marine Deals would do.

The winch I have had enough grunt to put my 6.0mtr tinny on dry, handy if there’s a big roll onto the beach. I just beach the boat and crank it onto the trailer.

I reckon those sea sockets would be worth a try, you would need a good cordless drill but the benefit would be charging the battery at home on the charger.

Electric trailer winches need a car battery to run off, you can either run heavy cables down to the back of the car then plug your winch into the plug or like I’ve done mount a separate battery on your trailer and hook a smart charger onto it when it’s sitting at home.

I tried winching with a Ryobi 18v drill. Started ok, with the boat partly supported in the water, then later it wouldnt move it.

Wouldn't have occurred to me to use a drill to winch in a boat. Seems rather small, especially with the power of a cordless.

I use one of the drill adaptors. 7.2m Challenger, so not particularly light. It rips it up on the 5:1 side, let alone the 10:1. You do need to make sure your drill speed is set to low, not one of the higher speeds. If I start to winch the same time as someone with a 5m boat does manually, I'll be 4 times faster. I'm not kidding.

Yup, high output is needed. I use a Dewalt 996. Just checking the specs it does 95nm. It's more expensive but I do a lot of heavy work and it's been exceptional. I think the 999 has superseded it, so you might find a deal somewhere. Any other brand with similar output will do the job, I think my mate uses a AEG. Don't know what model.