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16 May 2011, 17:05
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#1
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Herne Bay
Boat name: Red May
Make: Zodiac
Length: 4m +
Engine: 40hp Honda 4 Stroke
MMSI: Is quite long
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 653
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Launching issues
Now i'm posting for a mate here as i can launch and recover with my car quite easily, however its a different story for him.
They have just got themselves a new Rib x 535 on a bunk trailer. Our slipway at Herne Bay is quite a gentle slope so the cars wheels literally touch the salt waters edge ![eek](https://www.rib.net/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif) and the boat is still not far enough in. Of course he doesnt want to get the car wet, but its bloody hard work getting the boat off. Getting it back is much easier.
My question is, is it ok to extend the trailer using rope and if so whats a decent knott to use and where to you tie it to the trailer. Of course we would get a decent rope first rather than some cotton strands
Any ideas gratefully received.
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16 May 2011, 17:55
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#2
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RIBnet supporter
Country: UK - England
Town: Hants
Length: 8m +
Engine: 300hp plus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,072
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We used to do the same with a 650 on a bunked trailer.
Reverse trailer to top of slip so there is a little pressure down the slip and then chock both wheels and brake the trailer(if braked). Then with a good strong 14mm rope about 30fet long place a loop at each end then unhitch trailer from tow hhok, put one rope eye onto towhook and then feed the rope through the trailer and back to tow hook and attach other eye.
Now take up the rope slack and then unchock trailer and brake off. and slowly move down the slope (make sure trailer was straight before). Kepp your car engine running to keep brake pressure.
As the trailer enters the water you cn judge how deep it is needed to float off and then climb on , lower engine to suit and start engine, then disconnect boat from trailer winch.
Do this the opposite way to recover, if you recall where the tyres were in the wter for depth then the boat can just be driven on and winched last foot. Car tyres never get wet- you keep grip. Danger areas are not chocking trailer properly. Hope that gives an idea. I still use this method if needed on different launch sites when not on dry stack.
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16 May 2011, 18:12
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#3
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Herne Bay
Boat name: Red May
Make: Zodiac
Length: 4m +
Engine: 40hp Honda 4 Stroke
MMSI: Is quite long
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 653
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C2 RIBS
Hope that gives an idea.
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Thats brillaint, thankyou for taking the time to write that.
I will let him know and get some rope. When you said you feed it through the trailer whereabouts do you mean.
Sorry to be a little thick ![crazy](https://www.rib.net/forum/images/smilies/crazy.gif) but of course need to get it right.
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16 May 2011, 18:18
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#4
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RIBnet supporter
Country: UK - England
Town: Hants
Length: 8m +
Engine: 300hp plus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,072
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Quote:
Originally Posted by actions
Thats brillaint, thankyou for taking the time to write that.
I will let him know and get some rope. When you said you feed it through the trailer whereabouts do you mean.
Sorry to be a little thick ![crazy](https://www.rib.net/forum/images/smilies/crazy.gif) but of course need to get it right.
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The rope needs to be just fed through somewhere need the front , maybe the support post for the winch and about the height of the tow hitch on the car but the rope needs to move freely as it is not tied here just fed around support so it cannot come out. Everything you do must be slowly
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16 May 2011, 18:23
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#5
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Herne Bay
Boat name: Red May
Make: Zodiac
Length: 4m +
Engine: 40hp Honda 4 Stroke
MMSI: Is quite long
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 653
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C2 RIBS
The rope needs to be just fed through somewhere need the front , maybe the support post for the winch and about the height of the tow hitch on the car but the rope needs to move freely as it is not tied here just fed around support so it cannot come out. Everything you do must be slowly
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Perfect, i was thinking around the winch post by the main trailer bar, but didnt want to say that in case i was completly wrong.
Thanks for that. I will pop up in the morning and let him know that rope is ok and this is how to do it.
Hopefully will make life a lot easier.
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16 May 2011, 18:24
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#6
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Member
Country: UK - Channel Islands
Town: jersey
Boat name: Martini II
Make: Arctic 28/FC470
Length: 8m +
Engine: twin 225Opti/50hp 2t
MMSI: 235067688
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,030
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What about reversing down the slip with the trailer still connected to the car, when the trailer is in the water but not so deep you can't get to the tow hitch, then unhook the trailer with a rope attached?
The trailer should be far enough in so the resistance of the water would control the speed of the trailer the rest of the way in, negating the use of chocks etc.
When you've done it once you should know how long the rope needs to be so you can make something up and permanently attach it to the trailer. Maybe put a sling hook or similar on the end to attach to the car. If you use one of those tow bars with the ball hitch and pin underneath you could clip the rope to the pin leaving the ball free to re/disconnect the trailer.
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16 May 2011, 18:28
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#7
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Herne Bay
Boat name: Red May
Make: Zodiac
Length: 4m +
Engine: 40hp Honda 4 Stroke
MMSI: Is quite long
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 653
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Quote:
Originally Posted by martini
What about reversing down the slip with the trailer still connected to the car, when the trailer is in the water but not so deep you can't get to the tow hitch, then unhook the trailer with a rope attached?
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Cheers Martini,
Another one for us to try. Its really annoying because it only needs another metre or so to make life easier.
We will try both i think and see what we find the easiest and safest
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16 May 2011, 18:28
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#8
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Salisbury
Boat name: Blue C
Make: XS 600
Length: 6m +
Engine: 125hp Opti
MMSI: 235082826/235909566
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,439
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16 May 2011, 18:33
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#9
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Herne Bay
Boat name: Red May
Make: Zodiac
Length: 4m +
Engine: 40hp Honda 4 Stroke
MMSI: Is quite long
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 653
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ashbypower
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Good point, not seen it myself in the flesh yet but seen some you tube clips.
I have a secondary clip and wire on the winch post attached to the towing eye of the boat just in case.
Did however see someone get it stupidly wrong on Sunday and manage to take their speed boat across the ramp and hit with some force the side of it. Needless to say they damaged the lower leg..... A very expensive mistake.
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29 May 2011, 20:51
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#10
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: London/Oxford
Make: Ribcrafts
Length: 5m +
Engine: 150hp/2x115hp
MMSI: 235090215
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,247
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.....I would suggest that you use a bowline to tie the rope between the car and trailer.
Better yet consider a strap instead of rope.
Chris
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30 May 2011, 12:11
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#11
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Plymouth
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,693
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Hi all
Interesting points. Tried similar myself many a time. There is also the option of buying a trailer extension.
These come in many types like one with a tow ball to fit into the trailer and hitch the other end to click onto car (but these can be very difficult to reverse with having an extra pivoting point). check out eBay item number 110690429731 for example
The better one is a system which folds out when needed from storage along/inside the drawbar of the trailer. It secures to the winch post bracket and simply extends the length without having to remove from the towing car
Links for some examples
http://captainslog.janktheproofer.co...rextension.htm
http://cheshireart.co.uk/
The cheapest quick fix is the last link and pictures which supplies a cable system (safer than rope) around £65 delivered
Hope that helps
Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007
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30 May 2011, 14:20
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#12
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RIBnet admin team
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,626
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For launching (if I dont have enough depth) I generally use an approach more like Maritini described than Ian's.
Reverse car down slip with trailer attached. Tie rope to car. Tie other end around the winchpost (I use a clove hitch at both ends - but that may not be best). Put jockey wheel down. Uncouple trailer. Let trailer roll back into water (I have a small trailer and boat) - it rarely "runs" very far because its usually shallow and rocky slips that give me an issue. If it were steep then you would probably want some degree of control. It often needs me to wade in and give it an extra push to get the required depth. Start engine. Uncouple boat. drive boat off then drive car slowly to top of slip and relink trailer to car (or if the trailer is not too far out just pull it back in on the rope and hook it up at the bottom of slip).
The rope is mainly here to stop the trailer running away and going too deep. I prefer this to trying to reverse with a "flexible" rope as Ian described - as you have no steerage on the trailer.
If I were doing this on every launch I'd have a metal bar as per B&O's post.
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30 May 2011, 16:01
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#13
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Member
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: Wildheart
Make: Humber/Delta Seasafe
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60 Clamshell
MMSI: 235068449
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,671
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I used the Martini / Polwart method when I had a bunk trailer.
Other thing as a note, I use an inflatable jockey, which makes rope recovery that bit easier as it doesn't tend to dig in & / or find every crevice on the slip as easily.....
The other option might be to rebuild the trailer- move the bunks forward and add a set of swing rollers at the rear?
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30 May 2011, 16:06
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#14
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Plymouth
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,693
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That's a good point worth looking at too
Dropping the height of the trailer support bunks where possible. As long as the boat stays off the mudguards drop it right down. Won't need as much depth to launch. May need to cut off the excess from the bottom of the fixing bracket so it does not catch on any speed humps or slipways etc
Make sure your happy with it's position before trimming though as once it's don't there's no going back
Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007
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30 May 2011, 18:34
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#15
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Herne Bay
Boat name: Red May
Make: Zodiac
Length: 4m +
Engine: 40hp Honda 4 Stroke
MMSI: Is quite long
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 653
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Thanks for all the replies.
We have safely used a heavy duty rope the past few occassions for both launch and recovery and has made it so so simple to float the boat off and back on.
I also prefer the cable option and will suggest that he maybe upgrade to this due to it being stronger seeing as he always launches from the same slip.
Cheers Chaps.
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30 May 2011, 19:09
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#16
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Member
Country: UK - Wales
Town: Ebbw Vale, Gwent
Boat name: Seabay
Make: Avon, Bonwitco
Length: 3m +
Engine: 4,25,35 Johnsons
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C2 RIBS
We used to do the same with a 650 on a bunked trailer.
Reverse trailer to top of slip so there is a little pressure down the slip and then chock both wheels and brake the trailer(if braked). Then with a good strong 14mm rope about 30fet long place a loop at each end then unhitch trailer from tow hhok, put one rope eye onto towhook and then feed the rope through the trailer and back to tow hook and attach other eye.
Now take up the rope slack and then unchock trailer and brake off. and slowly move down the slope (make sure trailer was straight before). Kepp your car engine running to keep brake pressure.
As the trailer enters the water you cn judge how deep it is needed to float off and then climb on , lower engine to suit and start engine, then disconnect boat from trailer winch.
Do this the opposite way to recover, if you recall where the tyres were in the wter for depth then the boat can just be driven on and winched last foot. Car tyres never get wet- you keep grip. Danger areas are not chocking trailer properly. Hope that gives an idea. I still use this method if needed on different launch sites when not on dry stack.
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I tried this over the weekend using a rwd Transit and it worked a treat. Thank you
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01 June 2011, 16:11
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#17
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Member
Country: Ireland
Town: Dun Laoghaire
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 86
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C2 RIBS
We used to do the same with a 650 on a bunked trailer.
Reverse trailer to top of slip so there is a little pressure down the slip and then chock both wheels and brake the trailer(if braked). Then with a good strong 14mm rope about 30fet long place a loop at each end then unhitch trailer from tow hhok, put one rope eye onto towhook and then feed the rope through the trailer and back to tow hook and attach other eye.
Now take up the rope slack and then unchock trailer and brake off. and slowly move down the slope (make sure trailer was straight before). Kepp your car engine running to keep brake pressure.
As the trailer enters the water you cn judge how deep it is needed to float off and then climb on , lower engine to suit and start engine, then disconnect boat from trailer winch.
Do this the opposite way to recover, if you recall where the tyres were in the wter for depth then the boat can just be driven on and winched last foot. Car tyres never get wet- you keep grip. Danger areas are not chocking trailer properly. Hope that gives an idea. I still use this method if needed on different launch sites when not on dry stack.
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I have seen a couple of accidents happen on slipways with Auto Reversing brakes. DO NOT RELY ON YOUR HANDBRAKE TO HOLD YOUR TRAILER IN REVERSE ON A HILL. The brakes will probably hold for a few seconds or longer but the auto reversing brake shoes may let go. If you are lucky you will look like an idiot. ![sick](https://www.rib.net/forum/images/smilies/sick.gif) ![sick](https://www.rib.net/forum/images/smilies/sick.gif) If only one side brakes lets loose the trailer could turn and head off the side of the slip. ![idea](https://www.rib.net/forum/images/smilies/brainbulb.gif) ![idea](https://www.rib.net/forum/images/smilies/brainbulb.gif) . ouch!
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