Powering a RIB on to a Trailer

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Trailer Bloke

Also a big problem for slipway owners is prop wash undermining the end of the slip.

So I would say by powering the boat onto the trailer you are risking damaging your boat, prop or trailer and also being antisocial in destroying the end of the slipway

I shouldn't think that 5-10 seconds of thrust from a prop every now and then will undermine concrete slipways and do much more damage than the tidal flows as it floods and ebbs.

Fair enough it does cause some uptake from my slipway otherwise I wouldn't have the problem with stones being sucked up and hitting the prop (hense this thread). But on my local slip far more damage is done by the tow vehicals used to launch and recovery boats as they wheel spin up the gravel slip.

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Trailer Bloke

Most trailers on the market are designed to have the boat winched onto them.

The better quality trailers with out center rollers are much better- the problem with centre rollers is that the boat if it is being powered onto the trailer can come off the rollers and damage the boat.

Also a big problem for slipway owners is prop wash undermining the end of the slip.

So I would say by powering the boat onto the trailer you are risking damaging your boat, prop or trailer and also being antisocial in destroying the end of the slipway

I have never seen a boat trailer without a winch - it doesn't mean you have to winch the boat on!

Trailer without centre rollers do not support the keel of the boat - not so good for the boat either!

Prop wash does no damage at all to a concrete slip unless it is in poor condition already

Sorry but I disagree with all of your comments! All IMHO of course!

For example slipways in Salcombe, Plymouth, Dartmouth and the new one in Torquay all local to me are all in good condition and by powering the boat onto the trailer you are out of the way in a fraction of the time compared to winching it on making it possible for more boat owners to use the slip and get their boats out faster.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Hightower

Thing is, when you start to push on to the trailer the stern is in plenty of water as the boat is at an angle to the trailer. When the boat is fully on the trailer, the prop distance to the slip/sea bed is reduced to whatever hight your RIB sits on the trailer.

Is it?

I know when I recover, at the point where I'm ready to pull the trailer out of the water, the rear of the boat is still floating. The bow is tied off to the winchpost, but there is still a substantial angle between the boat and trailer.

Oh, and the ramp washout thing is true, but usually applies to short concrete slipways where falling off the end is an issue to begin with. Power loading exacerbates the drop off.

jky

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

Is it?

I know when I recover, at the point where I'm ready to pull the trailer out of the water, the rear of the boat is still floating. The bow is tied off to the winchpost, but there is still a substantial angle between the boat and trailer.

jky

You must use a substantially steeper slip or push the trailer in much further than I do.

[sarahscottiedog]

I have seen a Ribcraft 7.8 (same as mine) powered onto a trailer and the Trailer did not have a winch. No it wasn't just broken, or removed there was no plate for the winch just a rubber stop . Boat was powered all the way on! I was impressed and a little surprised to say the least !

[biffer]

Originally Posted by sarahscottiedog

I have seen a Ribcraft 7.8 (same as mine) powered onto a trailer and the Trailer did not have a winch. No it wasn't just broken, or removed there was no plate for the winch just a rubber stop . Boat was powered all the way on! I was impressed and a little surprised to say the least !

i have never had a winch on my trailer and my boats 8.3 inboard diesel, Cookee is right about keel rollers, i have swinging rear beam, 2 more smaller ones further forward either side of the centre keel roller beam, this lot centre's the boat even if i get it wrong, then i have two more swinging posts forward of that lot to steady the boat, i get it on and off on my own, it takes me longer to walk back to the car after parking the boat than to launch, i bet i could launch, do a circle and put the boat back on the trailer in under two minutes and i'm willing to put money on it, any takers