Bow Eye Tension when NOT in Use....

[Red 08 Xstar]

No, what would be the point??

[wheelerd]

Originally Posted by MattsCraft

Hey could be a good theft deterrent, guy tries to steal my boat, does a Don Garlits (Dating Myself) burn out and leaves the boat on the drive way. Trashed the out gear, lost the trailer, but hey I still have my boat

Ya, I saw Big Daddy Garlits run a couple of times back in the 70s.

[bcd]

I would have to disagree and say you are actually doing more damage to release the tension and then crank it back down before towing again. From a fatigue standpoint (slowly failing the eyehook by repeated loading, not a one type overload failure), it is overall strain damage or cycles that cause failure. Everytime you crank down on your eyehook, you apply load onto the eyehook, which "stretches" the eyehook and causes a cycle of fatigue "damage". You then drive down the road and hit bumps which cause increases and decreases in the loading, which result in smaller cycles of "damage". If you get home and release the eyehook load, and then crank it back down again, you just added another cycle of damage. Holding the eyehook under a constant load (sitting in your garage still cranked down tight) does no further damage to the eyehook. Fatigue failures happen after the overall amount of strain "damage" is too much for the material to handle. The largest "damage" cycles are the ones with the greatest change in load, which would be cranking the boat down tight.

[Sullivan]

It must be winter time if this is the kind of stuff you guys are talking about. And its just the beginning of winter.

[willyt]

this may just be my boat specifically (2007 xstar), but i always release the tension as well - but my bow stays right where it was on the trailer. Never thought about this from a bow-eye perspective, i was just trying to lengthen the life of the strap

[thatsmrmastercraft]

Originally Posted by bcd

I would have to disagree and say you are actually doing more damage to release the tension and then crank it back down before towing again. From a fatigue standpoint (slowly failing the eyehook by repeated loading, not a one type overload failure), it is overall strain damage or cycles that cause failure. Everytime you crank down on your eyehook, you apply load onto the eyehook, which "stretches" the eyehook and causes a cycle of fatigue "damage". You then drive down the road and hit bumps which cause increases and decreases in the loading, which result in smaller cycles of "damage". If you get home and release the eyehook load, and then crank it back down again, you just added another cycle of damage. Holding the eyehook under a constant load (sitting in your garage still cranked down tight) does no further damage to the eyehook. Fatigue failures happen after the overall amount of strain "damage" is too much for the material to handle. The largest "damage" cycles are the ones with the greatest change in load, which would be cranking the boat down tight.

I think the concern has to do with the strain on the glass around the bow eye would what one would want to protect. I really don't imagine that anyone is seriously thinking that their bow eye is in danger of stretching and breaking. But I'm not a metallurgist, I'm just a salesman.

[bcd]

Originally Posted by thatsmrmastercraft

I think the concern has to do with the strain on the glass around the bow eye would what one would want to protect. I really don't imagine that anyone is seriously thinking that their bow eye is in danger of stretching and breaking. But I'm not a metallurgist, I'm just a salesman.

When I said eyehook, I was referring to whole eyehook area, including the fiberglass as the area of concern. Sorry, I wasn't very clear. The same issues would affect both the fiberglass and the metal hook, but obviously, the glass would be the weaker of the two.

[mikeg205]

Originally Posted by thatsmrmastercraft

. But I'm not a metallurgist, I'm just a salesman.

....thread jack.... just a salesman?!!! pshaw...it's one of the greatest professions....when done well...and I assume you do it well....

point of reference...what do you call a medical student who graduates last from the lowest ranked medical school? -

Most of the leadership in this country and my state (Illinois) when to IVY League or some other highly ranked university...

So never just a salesman....

[thatsmrmastercraft]

Originally Posted by mikeg205

....thread jack.... just a salesman?!!! pshaw...it's one of the greatest professions....when done well...and I assume you do it well....

point of reference...what do you call a medical student who graduates last from the lowest ranked medical school? -

Most of the leadership in this country and my state (Illinois) when to IVY League or some other highly ranked university...

So never just a salesman....

That was a little "tongue in cheek", but thanks for the vote of confidence. At least it's not the oldest profession...............well, I guess it is at that.

[GoneBoatN]

Originally Posted by Sullivan

It must be winter time if this is the kind of stuff you guys are talking about. And its just the beginning of winter.