How to get your RIB into a trailer video, ideal for beginners
This comes up quite a lot from people new to RIBs. JBT Marine have just made this video with some basic top tips. The only thing I would add to that is have a safety chain on the trailer very close to the winch, that you can simply attach before pulling the rig up the slipway just in case your winch fails
This comes up quite a lot from people new to RIBs. JBT Marine have just made this video with some basic top tips. The only thing I would add to that is have a safety chain on the trailer very close to the winch, that you can simply attach before pulling the rig up the slipway just in case your winch fails
[ EDIT: Fixed now. He had the full URL between the youtube tags instead of just the video ID number. JK ]
Whilst in some ways that video might be helpful for new comers I wonder if actually it makes things worse:
obviously a very sheltered slipway
obviosuly a nice solid / wide slipway
the trailer/car were already 'in place' which is also part of it
probably had a practice run to make sure everything was right - off camera to start with
had a fairly serious tow vehicle which he was happy to put quite far in
had a spare pair of hands or two to get boat attached to winch
no pressure from anyone else waiting to use the slipway
so he made it look incredibly easy... take away some of those things (or not raise the engine enough on a shallow slip - something he never mentioned) and the fun starts! The real skill is not doing what he did - but doing it in tricky conditions, knowing how to correct when it starts to go wrong and when to hit reverse and line it up again.
If you watch that video then go and try it yourself in less ideal circumstances and balls it up you lose confidence. Hopefully they'll produce a whole series including getting onto a bunked trailer on a shallow slip with a significant crosswind and the tide going out, single handed using only a 2wd family car!
Edit - ahha! When you embed a video you only need the video number ie. 61V4yJ8laIo between the youtube tags - not the whole URL.
Despite spending two years using a trailer to launch I now have the luxury of dry stacks but have trailers in reserve, BUT that slipway was almost level and with roller trailer surely the engine off comes after connecting the bow eye to trailer- Certainly the Hamble Point slip is very steep and with strong cross tides so this vid is a great introduction to how to achieve a good recovery in calm locations
Christ Lads give the man a break.Something with so many variables is not going to give all the info someone needs.Use this thread to give the info that will help others and make it positive .
Whilst in some ways that video might be helpful for new comers I wonder if actually it makes things worse:
My advise would be to practise on a similar slip if you are doing this for the first time! Practise makes perfect.....
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the trailer/car were already 'in place' which is also part of it
Do you not do it like that then?
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probably had a practise run to make sure everything was right - off camera to start with
It's not rocket science
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had a fairly serious tow vehicle which he was happy to put quite far in
I would have been quite happy doing that with a Fiat Punto. Nothing wrong with reserving up to the water edge IMHO
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had a spare pair of hands or two to get boat attached to winch
Most people have a second pair of hands. Even then it's not really necessary after some practise. He does exactly what I do when I'm on my own - lean over the front and attach the winch strap.
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no pressure from anyone else waiting to use the slipway
If you're calm, confident and prepared other people waiting shouldn't be an issue. At this time of year slipways are deserted - a good time to do some practise.
My advise would be to practise on a similar slip if you are doing this for the first time! Practise makes perfect.....
not wanting to be pedantic - but then the first time you practice becomes your first time... ...although doing it in a cross current, singlehanded etc is probably not the best start.
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Do you not do it like that then?
usually not - I usually bugger it up and end up with the trailer squint! But my point was that getting the boat onto the trailer once the trailer is in the right place is only part of the challenge. You need to get the trailer in the water at the right depth which is really the 'clever bit' of smooth recovery but he didn't show this.
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I would have been quite happy doing that with a Fiat Punto. Nothing wrong with reserving up to the water edge IMHO
except that if you put a punto that far back in the water the exhaust would be under the water.
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Most people have a second pair of hands.
freaks! I'm not sure 'most' people do. Mostly I am either on my own or Mrs P is busy keeping the kids safely out the way.
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Even then it's not really necessary after some practise. He does exactly what I do when I'm on my own - lean over the front and attach the winch strap.
I wasn't suggesting he did anything wrong - just perhaps did it in the easiest scenario. A relative beginner on there own might be concerned about whether to leave the engine in gear (but leaving the console and committing the cardinal sin of disconnecting the kill cord) to keep in on the trailer etc.
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If you're calm, confident and prepared other people waiting shouldn't be an issue.
but beginners aren't !
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At this time of year slipways are deserted - a good time to do some practise.
and that is potentially a 'helpful' hint.
I'm not criticising him Tim, I'm just suggesting that the video implies it will always be dead easy - and its not. He didn't highlight things to think about like wind/current washing you sideways. And he didn't point out that probably the key thing is briefing/communication with everyone - so if you want someone to lean over the front and hook you up, make sure they no when (and when not to so if you over cook it you don't impale them on the winch post) etc.
Really apart from emphasising to stay central in the boat he didn't give any useful tips for the newcomer, IMHO. All he did was show he was good at doing it in what was a very controlled situation!
TBH I think on this forum he is preaching to the converted. We have pretty much all launched and recovered a boat on a trailer, and I'm sure we've all made a cock up at some point as well.
This video would have been helpful to me prior to my first ever recovery, as it would have given me some good visual experience of how it is generally done. As it happens, I have still learnt two things namely 1) standing in the middle will help alignment (obvious really) and 2) using the engine if there is enough water depth to drive the boat up the trailer to save on some winching.
What do you need a trailer for, you could carry your boat!
Actually you can't - I've tied! But if you get it squint on the trailer (which obviously never happens to me you understand!) you can straighten it up without refloating...
Actually you can't - I've tied! But if you get it squint on the trailer (which obviously never happens to me you understand!) you can straighten it up without refloating...
You should see the mess on I had trying to get my SR4 off the trailer, bloody flooding hull!
A good video to start off with, if if helps ANYONE, then that's got to be a good thing!
Perhaps some of the more experienced guys on here could do an even better one to continue the series
I never forget our first time launching/recovering, had a nice large crowd of watchers out at Yarmouth slipway at the start of the summer... nothing like pressure
(but eternal thanks to neilda, who happened to bump into us and gave us a hand!)
they should try make a beach version if that was here all you would see is the top of the cab on the pickup .you have to go miles out to get enough depth here... lol no nice concrete slips
Another tip is if you are new to boating or new to the slip way if there are others recovering the boats watch them and see how they do it as you may find this usefull
Also watch you dont put the trailer in to the water tooo deep the wheels dont always need to be completly under on a steeper slip way
Edit - ahha! When you embed a video you only need the video number ie. 61V4yJ8laIo between the youtube tags - not the whole URL.
Aye.... took me a while to work that one out many posts back .. a wee sticky of that info would be handy for peeps .. cos it'll get lost in this thread, and its damn handy to know
Quite a helpful video I think - shows beginners that it needn't be a complete trauma. Yes it helps if you've got a good slip / trailer / tow vehicle / weather / tide etc - but you can chose where you launch, spec a good trailer and tow vehicle and chose your weather and tide.
After all Jonny's in the business of selling boats, many to first timers, not the rufty tufty Searider bunch! (Myself included).
Clewless
- I usually bugger it up and end up with the trailer squint
! But my point was that getting the boat onto the trailer once the trailer is in the right place is only part of the challenge. You need to get the trailer in the water at the right depth which is really the 'clever bit' of smooth recovery but he didn't show this.
I'm not sure 'most' people do. Mostly I am either on my own or Mrs P is busy keeping the kids safely out the way.
War Shot
