Dropping a boat off a roller trailer using the bow line

[BogMonster]

At the moment I have a De Graaff roller trailer and I launch the boat into shallow water by rolling out the winch and then unhooking it from the bow eye.



I'd like to be able to push the boat down the rollers and restrain it using just the bow line and a couple of turns around some sort of fixed capstan fitted onto the trailer as a brake, the idea being that you don't then need to wade out and unhook, which depending on the gradient of the beach can involve nearly getting wet in wellies (and I don't have or want waders). The idea would be it would run down the rollers under control braking it with the bow line on the capstan, boat floats clear of them with the momentum of its movement and then you could flip the rope off the capstan and pull it back in to the beach alongside the trailer. Quicker, cleaner, easier, especially single-handed.


Has anybody ever done anything like this, and what sort of geometry did you use for where the bow line goes on at the trailer end? I'm thinking a slightly capstan-shaped fitting to stop the rope slipping off, and either on the winch post or maybe in front of it.


Thoughts please...

[treerat]

Yep, sort of matches what we do, I winch down to the first cross member, release the winch and use the painter around the cross member to lower.

Once floating, un wrap and jobs a good un.

I have used a carabineer on the cross member too, and that works really well and doesn't damage the trailer paint.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Let mine down on the winch till it floats off the trailer then pull the boat back by hand with the winch rope down the side of the trailer to uncouple

[Salty Pete]

I have an I Bolt attached to my roof rack on both side of the vehicle to which I attach a line either from midship for jetty launching or a bow line for beach launching.

Reverse the trailer so the boat will land in the water should it roll down accidently and disconnect the winch and the safety chain.

Reverse back and stop suddenly and the boat floats/rolls off the trailer.

Getting out of the vehicle I un-attach the line from the roof rack which is well clear of the water line and pull it over to the jetty or up to the beach.

[Scud85]

Originally Posted by BogMonster

At the moment I have a De Graaff roller trailer and I launch the boat into shallow water by rolling out the winch and then unhooking it from the bow eye.



I'd like to be able to push the boat down the rollers and restrain it using just the bow line and a couple of turns around some sort of fixed capstan fitted onto the trailer as a brake, the idea being that you don't then need to wade out and unhook, which depending on the gradient of the beach can involve nearly getting wet in wellies (and I don't have or want waders). The idea would be it would run down the rollers under control braking it with the bow line on the capstan, boat floats clear of them with the momentum of its movement and then you could flip the rope off the capstan and pull it back in to the beach alongside the trailer. Quicker, cleaner, easier, especially single-handed.


Has anybody ever done anything like this, and what sort of geometry did you use for where the bow line goes on at the trailer end? I'm thinking a slightly capstan-shaped fitting to stop the rope slipping off, and either on the winch post or maybe in front of it.


Thoughts please...

I did this today for the 1st time and it worked a treat. I've tried everything else and made a total mess of it.

I suppose it depends on your boat and trailer on what you're going to do.

Using the bowline to lower the boat off the trailer, rather than the winch works for me.