Going down in size

[Downhilldai]

Agreed

Once the bow is between the back rollers, just winch away - no problem (in calm water).

[Mollers]

If it's the flooding business that's bothering you, why not buy a 21st century rib rather than a Falklands vet. I'm with the Garf, drive it right up to the bow snubber, lean over and snap the safety chain onto the bow eye. My gang offer me no
help, they either arse about on the pontoon or just watch.

[no excuses]

I just leave mine in gear while i walk up and snap the hook and wind up the winch. Then go back and shut off the motor and pull the trailer out. I only back the trailer to the point that the top of the tires is still visable.

[Apherel]

Originally Posted by JSP

I'm too paranoid to do that.

More likely to leave it running as you pull the boat out.

The retrieval issues have been covered well in this post.

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24572

I'm now getting into much less trouble driving on than I used to trying to pull it on. I reckon the key to it all is having some way to fasten the boat to the post without having to lean over too far. If you can do this once the boat is onto the rollers, you can take your time and shouldn't get into trouble.

[Rogue Wave]

Hi Jon

exactly what problems are you having ob th slip.

cheera

[IBWET]

Originally Posted by JSP

It's the flooding hull that puts me off leaving it on a mooring. Have been told by a few that they always end up with water in the hull which I guess comes from the twin drains in the deck? And think I've read somewhere that searider decks aren't suited to have a access hole cut into them? Could be wrong on all counts though.
MikeCC who had the boat before me put a bilge pump inside the hull but it wouldn't work when I came to use it. Took me an hour to get the little fecker out of the back hole! I've now got a pump on the deck using the same wire's he put in.
Tell me, am I just being over the top here? Life's a little puddled at the moment and the RIB's my escape.

I cut a circular hole between the seats on a 4SR, fitted a witches hat and passed the cabling for a bilge pump and a depth sounder both fitted through the hole in the back. It's irrelevant to the floatation of the boat as the tubes support, before this hole (in this location) becomes an issue. Battery terminals are more of a worry,if the water inside the boat covers them, the flooded section of the boat becomes a cell in it's own right and eats all the submerged metal.

Investing in these vertical rollers for the trailer might be one to consider,they look effective(shouldn't be too hard to make). however I have no experience of using them so can't comment further.
Electric winch, I have used on someone else's boat, well worth it but pricey.

As DHD mentioned if it's still in gear on tic over after driving it on as long as some common sense is used, it will hold the boat in place while you exit clip on etc. combine this lot and it should be possible to hang on to big boat and big engine...

[JSP]

Have read all the replies here and want thank you for the help. Will be able to reply better later. Thanks lads

[JSP]

First off, Southport is full of fat birds but they appreciate the attention more

Here's what's happening at the slip next to were my boat is stored,
After doing all the checks to the boat and getting into my drysuit I reverse the trailer down the short, curved slip by hand as there's not enough room for the van. (At Knott end I was using Dave Wavelength's over the side method and found it great for launching but it's not an option at this one) Boat gets pushed off the trailer with no effort and walked around to a pontoon, tied off and so I can move the trailer. Last time I did this I had to give myself a bit as my heart condition decided that day I should have stayed at home.
After compossing myself I jump on the RIB and off I go and it transforms me! All stress, sh!t and Sh!te are left on land and I feel like new.

Coming back in, moor up and get the trailer. Tie the trailer off to a post at the top walk it back down the short slip and take up the slack on the rope and tie off. Pull the boat round by hand and get the bow into the rear rollers. Winch the rest on. Off I go.
The trouble is, due to my condition latley, I start to feel un well due to the recovery. Hense why I thought a lighter, smaller boat would be an option to lesson the physical strain.
But leaving it on a perminante river mooring would solve all of that.
My main concern with that is the flooding hull and things growing inside. If you've looked at a hull that hasn't been moved for a week or two you'll see how much growth is hanging off (well you do around here anyway, not sure about them there foreign waters you get down south ). Imagine that inside the hull?
So I'd need to seal the hull up. Was thinking last night and I believe MikeCC had the best idea. Block off the hull but with a bilge pump shoved in there and the pipe coming up through one of the drain holes in the floor.
Congrats if you've read all of the above and not gone to sleep

[Siochair]

I don't suppose there is a dry stack available to you nearby so someone else does all the donkey work for you and you get all the fun?

[tinker]

IMO its time to leave it on a mooring, first couple of weeks is a worry but once you are over that its usually fine, no theft or damage.(get insurance) You will also use it more.
No matter how small you go the issues are more or less the same, even a 3m sib takes effort to launch and recover.
After all, your only here once and you cannot take f**k all with you when go.

[ollyit]

the more times you do it, the better system you'll have in place, as hightower says - people want to be helpfull but I had the majority of good smooth recoveries on my own, as you do things in a certain order at your own pace, I definitely think how far in the trailer is in is a factor, I recover at a private slipway in eastney and is still fairly steep - I used to use the car and do the last 10ft of the towbar with rope, no way was I chucking the subaru in the sea! my jeep was another matter but now am lucky enough to have use of an electric winch to pull it up the slipway and then on to the car on concrete- its all about the rollers as someone else mention for guiding the keel - sometimes I stop half way and nudge it over using a shoulder barge if theres a fast tide running through but generally speaking once the front is on the front roller the rest tends to follow if the trailers set up right - again how far in the trailer is in can cause or not caise the boat to float over or hit obstructing bunks etc and can be frustrating and bloody hard graft, the winching requires a bit of welly and good footing and posture and winching technique - I feel your pain at times so dont think its you - but no way should you get rid of your sr based on this hang in there

that V6 is a lump also

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Siochair

I don't suppose there is a dry stack available to you nearby so someone else does all the donkey work for you and you get all the fun?

No, the part of the coast I live around isn't really a place for launching boats. Most are moored. I live 5 min walk from the beach (put PR8 3LQ in to google earth/maps) but have to travel to the other side of Preston. Liverpool is too dear!

[JSP]

Originally Posted by tinker

IMO its time to leave it on a mooring, first couple of weeks is a worry but once you are over that its usually fine, no theft or damage.(get insurance) You will also use it more.
No matter how small you go the issues are more or less the same, even a 3m sib takes effort to launch and recover.
After all, your only here once and you cannot take f**k all with you when go.

That's the way it's looking to go Tinker Just one more thing that has turned up I'm gonna try out first.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by ollyit

the more times you do it, the better system you'll have in place, as hightower says - people want to be helpfull but I had the majority of good smooth recoveries on my own, as you do things in a certain order at your own pace, I definitely think how far in the trailer is in is a factor, I recover at a private slipway in eastney and is still fairly steep - I used to use the car and do the last 10ft of the towbar with rope, no way was I chucking the subaru in the sea! my jeep was another matter but now am lucky enough to have use of an electric winch to pull it up the slipway and then on to the car on concrete- its all about the rollers as someone else mention for guiding the keel - sometimes I stop half way and nudge it over using a shoulder barge if theres a fast tide running through but generally speaking once the front is on the front roller the rest tends to follow if the trailers set up right - again how far in the trailer is in can cause or not caise the boat to float over or hit obstructing bunks etc and can be frustrating and bloody hard graft, the winching requires a bit of welly and good footing and posture and winching technique - I feel your pain at times so dont think its you - but no way should you get rid of your sr based on this hang in there

that V6 is a lump also

Olly mate, after reading your post I rang the guy who owns the boat yard and slip. Had a chat and he's letting me use his tractor that has a winch on the back. So this Sunday, health and wealth still in tact I'm going to use tractor to launch and recover. No more hand balling the trailer and if it comes to it I can use the winch on the tractor. If all goes well, happy days
If not, I'm going to antifoul her and after reading Chewy's thread on mooring his SR4 I'm going to leave the flooding hull open. I don't know why I didn't think of where there's no light, there's no growth

I said it when I first joined this site seeking advice and will say it again now. This site is top notch! Cheers lads

[IBWET]

Originally Posted by JSP

If not, I'm going to antifoul her and after reading Chewy's thread on mooring his SR4 I'm going to leave the flooding hull open. I don't know why I didn't think of where there's no light, there's no growth

I said it when I first joined this site seeking advice and will say it again now. This site is top notch! Cheers lads

Just not true,if were the case,flat botomed boats would only need antifouled round the water line. Your SR4 after a couple of months will have a flooding hull and a Zoo. Not my boat but i've actual experience of seeing this.

Blank of the hull put a small bilge pump in there (I've done this and it works)
and a good boat cover so you don't need to leave the pump on' on the mooring.one idea that's possible is before you leave it fill the hull via the bung at he back with a hose (Fresh Water) before you leave it. Then use the pump to empty when you use it - Zoo's don't like fresh water.

Ask any diver if things can only grow in light.

[chewy]

You get light going under neath flat bottom boats though.

I think you'd get some growth but not alot.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by IBWET

Just not true,if were the case,flat botomed boats would only need antifouled round the water line. Your SR4 after a couple of months will have a flooding hull and a Zoo. Not my boat but i've actual experience of seeing this.

Blank of the hull put a small bilge pump in there (I've done this and it works)
and a good boat cover so you don't need to leave the pump on' on the mooring.one idea that's possible is before you leave it fill the hull via the bung at he back with a hose (Fresh Water) before you leave it. Then use the pump to empty when you use it - Zoo's don't like fresh water.

Ask any diver if things can only grow in light.

Bugger off IBWET, you've well pished on my fire now
I've noticed on boats that are moored up against the wall that only the side that gets the sun has grow, the other side seems to just get that brown line. But from what you say it'll still get messed up. Cheers for the info mate
Will redo MikeCC's bilge pump if it comes to leaving it on a permanent mooring the same as what you've suggested.

[IBWET]

Originally Posted by JSP

Bugger off IBWET, you've well pished on my fire now
I've noticed on boats that are moored up against the wall that only the side that gets the sun has grow, the other side seems to just get that brown line. But from what you say it'll still get messed up. Cheers for the info mate
Will redo MikeCC's bilge pump if it comes to leaving it on a permanent mooring the same as what you've suggested.

That's true for some of the stuff; actual seaweed has problems without sun, but mussels and barnacles don't, from my experience they are the real issue,the brown slime just pressure washes off, people antifoul mainly for these other sod's (It would be a lot less expensive to just pressure wash).

The cover was to stop you needing to leave the pump on for the duration of the mooring) flat batt's etc.

That's a good set up with the tractor, I think if you use the winch even once,you find the money for one on your trailer...

[JSP]

Originally Posted by IBWET

That's true for some of the stuff; actual seaweed has problems without sun, but mussels and barnacles don't, from my experience they are the real issue,the brown slime just pressure washes off, people antifoul mainly for these other sod's (It would be a lot less expensive to just pressure wash).

The cover was to stop you needing to leave the pump on for the duration of the mooring) flat batt's etc.

That's a good set up with the tractor, I think if you use the winch even once,you find the money for one on your trailer...

I've spent cold days scrapping the bloody things off my brothers hull and even colder days laying on my back and jetwashing under the drop keel. I've seen how much of a grip they have and that's why I worried about inside the hull. God I hope tomorrow goes well
Already got a fitted cover

[Pete7]

John, I grew up in Ainsdale and spent many an hour riding a trials bike across the beach and sand hills in the days when you could before the tree huggers banned anything exciting . You can launch from the beach but not on your owner it would take a 4x4 and a couple of young lads. You would have to use the gullies available at half tide. Does the sea fishing club still launch with a tractor across the beach? might be worth a chat with them.

Which is the other slip you mentioned btw?

If you do keep her on the water then you need to do something with the flooding hull, even a flap to keep the light out. If weed and soft corals start growing in there you will never be able to clean them out and it will stink when you lift it out of the water. We used to pass a 4m Avon in Strangford which lived on a mooring. The owner lived on board and this was his tender. There was a forest growing inside his hull, yuk.

Pete