Association Forum - Getting the boat ALL THE WAY up on the trailer.

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Getting the boat ALL THE WAY up on the trailer.

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Dave Brown
Navigator

Member Avatar

USA
174 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/25/2014 : 09:27:05

As I read the forum from time to time, The Q. comes up
as to Getting the boat all the way up on the trailer.
Be it ether a Water B. or a wing keel, Everyone has there
own way. I have my way, And not every boat ramp is the
same. Some go out forever, and some go ST down.
Your turn, What works for you ??
Dave B.

______________/)______________/)__________/))))______________
.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2014 : 13:10:29

Travelift!

Edited by - on

Dave Brown
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
174 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2014 : 13:37:02

Now that's one way !!
Dave
#411
____________/)__________/)_________/))))____________
.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2014 : 14:45:29

The Ramps we use at Black Point Marina in Miami are pretty steep. We finally figured out that we don't need to use the Tongue extension or strap launch. But getting the boat back out is a slight challenge.

We tie the boat to the dock and setup the LP air blower to empty most of the WB contents, the Bow barely breaks water.
While Peggy is emptying the ballast, I get the truck and line it up on the ramp, then back it down till the wheels are not quite touching water.

We manhandle the boat with dock lines 'into' the trailer, careful to get the bow up on the lowered bow bunk.

Next I connect up the winch strap and haul the boat forwards, I can get it to within about 3"of the bow stop on the trailer.

Now Peggy pulls the boat out while I line up the stern so that it is equally between the guide poles.

Once lined up, Peggy pulls the boat out till the WB drain is out of the water and we let it drain dry.

I climb onboard and close the WB valve under the Cabin step.

Now we back the boat into the water again and can now pull the boat up almost those last couple of inches, but not quite.

With the chain now in place we pull the boat to the rinse down station, using the hose to wet the bunks I slave away at the bow winch to pull the boat the last inch.

Once washed down, we prep the boat and trailer for the road (we haul it about 60 miles), straps front and back with twists to prevent flapping.

Then we haul her onto the roadway.

Paul

Edited by - on

Dave Brown
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
174 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2014 : 11:08:29

I Have found that dish soap works the best.
Wet the bunks, or pads down with water,
squirt dish soap on the bunks, or pads.
Use your hand to "fuzz" the soap up. Back trailer into
water. Now put the boat on the trailer.
Tighten the bow winch, Hauling up the boat to where ever you can get it. Once the boat is on the trailer, this is where the soap works.
after winching the boat to somewhere near the bow pad,
( with in 12", or less ) I pull the boat out, and onto level ground.
Now I drive 10' ( about 10mph ) then slam on the brakes.
Get out and take up the slack on the winch. Some times I need
to do this a few times, but the boat moves each time.
This soap thing works, I have help put lots of boats on trailers this way. Try it, and lets us all know if it works for you.
My 2 cents.
_________________/)_______________/)____________/))))____________
.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2014 : 16:55:59

I inch my boat up onto it's bow snubbers almost exactly like Dave does. Get a little speed on, stomp on the brakes, boat slides forward an inch or two, tighten winch, rinse & repeat. My problem is I usually forget the soap, but it still works as long as the pads are wet.

Edited by - on

Chief RA
Chief Technical Advisor

Members Avatar

USA
191 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2014 : 07:03:37

I use the same braking method as described above. One caution; make sure all U bolts on the brake axle are tight! As some of you know, I launched my boat in Bodega Bay last fall and pulled it in November. (15 yrs old and first ocean dip for boat!) I tapped the brakes to slide boat forward and promptly ripped the brake axle loose! Best we can figure is the 700 mi. trip down from Washington dropped my U bolt nuts on I5 freeway!
Chief

PS: After thinking more about this I need to point out that my boat is a wing keel and sits on pads, not runners. More weight, less wetted carpet surface may cause more sliding problems? Comments/opinions?

Edited by - Chief RA on 04/15/2014 07:38:10

CJRoxs
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
114 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2014 : 22:07:33

Wow. I have never heard of loading a sail boat by these methods. Every sailboat I had I would back the trailer into the water as far as I could. Then motor the boat on the trailer as far as I could. I would then have my son/wife hook up the strap and tighten. Then I would crank it the last few inches. The ramps here are fairly steep. I have done this with shoal draft keels and center board boats.

I will say I do not have a trailer for my 250 ( yet ), but I can't imagine doing it any differently. It would seem that the trailer design should make it fairly easy to load the boat it is designed to carry. If not I would be looking at doing some modifications.

Am I the only one who thinks this?

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2014 : 09:05:15

I have a '95 WB also with a trail rite trailer. Retrieving is done on a deep water ramp, water ballast emptied. Trailer all the way in so boat can float up to winch bumper. Never had to winch it. Only problem is if wind blows, stern needs to be guided on so centerboard is lined up with bottom bunk board. EnCon here in N.Y. would love to see dishsoap used in there lake. Big Bucks fine.

Edited by - on

Chief RA
Chief Technical Advisor

Members Avatar

USA
191 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2014 : 10:20:16

I have owned heavy boats for 40+ yrs and unless you want to pull the bow eye out of your boat you will not get that boat up tight once you pull her out of the water! WB's are much lighter for obvious reasons and you are getting away with the crank up concept but that will not work for the heavy ones! I need 6.5' of water just to float this boat on or off the trailer. As the boat/trailer is pulled out the aft sloping bow naturally rotates back as the stern lowers on the trailer, coupled with a drawback due to truck generated forward momentum,ramp slope and boat weight. I do wish you guys were right though! Thanks, Chief

Edited by - Chief RA on 04/17/2014 10:28:49

bear
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2014 : 10:28:33

Only been doing this for 13 years, works for me, maybe not a heavier boat.

Edited by - on

CJRoxs
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
114 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2014 : 13:31:11

When cranking it the last few inches, the boat is still floating. Not much weight to pull. My wife andor son couldn't crank the weight of the boat.

Edited by - on

Dave Brown
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
174 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2014 : 21:27:37

To all,
Thanks for the input. We all have our way of doing things, and
it seems to work for each of us. We all back the trailer in, some too far, some not far enough, some just right. Then we drive, push, or pull the boat on to the trailer.
But now for the unknown factor, THE RAMP ANGLE !! Is it like this /, or like this ____. this.
This ramp angle thing, is why this topic started. No matter where I place the trailer, deep, or shallow, No matter how hard I crank the boat up, its never "all the way up" when its out of the water.
SO, I tapped the brakes. And yes, the soap thing, It works well for me. NOTE: I will now on make sure I use only the good soap.

Dave B.
_______________/)________________/)___________/)))))___________
.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.