Electric Wakeboard Winch

• Design manufacture and troubleshooting of a relatively complicated device.

• TIG welding thin wall AL tubing

• Electrical system design including main power pack and controls circuitry

• Analyzing current performance and limitations in pursuit of a better second design.

Since the beginning of high school, I had wanted to make an electric wake board winch. The purpose of a wake board winch is to tow riders on water or snow in locations not suitable to boats or other towing vehicles. There are quite a few gas powered wake board winches on the market, but when I started this project there were no electric wake board winches around. The electric winch can be both lighter and quieter and also more controllable; all desirable features. I made the first big push on this project when when I was home during the beginnings of COVID buying all the parts, designing and assembling the frame, and getting everything working to some extent. Over the last few years I have been using the winch a whole bunch, and with the help of some of my more ECE savvy friends at school, improving the controls. Currently, I am working with others to design and build a version 2, taking lots of the learning from this version 1, as well as leveraging the resources that the Olin shop has available. I don't want to hand file any more key-ways if I can help it!