Recovering

[Chopppywaters]

Hey everytime i try to put my boat back on the trailer from the water i always end up getting the boat slanted or not on the keel rollers. Anyone have any tips for getting the boat on the trailer correctly?

[Biggles]

I find that not putting the trailer in the water too far and using the winch to pull it on to the rollers under pressure seems to get the best results.

[Chopppywaters]

hm..so how far do i drive the boat up?

[Nos4r2]

you don't. You get your feet wet and do it by hand.

[Chopppywaters]

lol i guess that sounds right

[Alex Brown]

You don't have to get your feet wet provided you plan ahead first....
I normally put the hook at least half way down the trailer before putting the bow of the boat onto the first set of rollers, hook up, turn off engine, and then very carefully climb up the trailer to the winch. One day it'll catch me out and I'll get wet, but for now, it works just nicely

Try and make sure any weight you have on board is central and the boat is level before winching - if it's slightly out, the boat will lean over as its being winched up.

-Alex

[Milan]

Originally Posted by Alex Brown

You don't have to get your feet wet provided you plan ahead first....
I normally put the hook at least half way down the trailer before putting the bow of the boat onto the first set of rollers, hook up, turn off engine, and then very carefully climb up the trailer to the winch. One day it'll catch me out and I'll get wet, but for now, it works just nicely

Try and make sure any weight you have on board is central and the boat is level before winching - if it's slightly out, the boat will lean over as its being winched up.

-Alex

what happens when you get a cross wind blowing the boat or a current pulling it

[geoff]

Try clicking on the attachments. They should run little animated clips to show how its done.

[Alex Brown]

I like those animated gifs Geoff - great

I find that once the bow of the boat is inbetween the rollers at the back of the trailer, it won't go anywhere unless you pop the engine back into neutral again. It does come down to timing, sometimes I can have maybe 3 or 4 attempts before being happy that the boat is going to go straight into the exact location without damaging the hull on another part of the trailer. Be prepared to go into reverse at a moments notice.

-Alex

[myndit]

Whilst waiting for my ice cream in Ryde the other day, I saw a great display of boatmanship by a hardboat driver.

Went a bit like this:

Arrive at waiting pontoon, tie up and bring car and trailer down slip
Position trailer EXACTLY at the correct height above water.
Jump back on boat, pilot up to trailer.
When just in the correct position, blip the power and drive the boat up on to the waiting trailer using the engine and inertia.
The skipper then jumped out (dry land) hooked on and wound in the last 20mm by hand.

Perfect, brave and slightly foolish!

Doug

[Chopppywaters]

It was auto pilot..no hard boat could do that!

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by myndit

Perfect, brave and slightly foolish!

Why foolish? What would be your preferred technique, and why?

Sounds like an exam question, but I'd be interested to hear your answers!

John

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by geoff

Try clicking on the attachments. They should run little animated clips to show how its done.

Neat animations!

This technique may work well in some situations, but not all.

In my experience it's likely to cause trouble if the slipway is steep. As the trailer is turned across the slipway it won't be level. This can mean that it's almost impossible to get the boat correctly positioned on the trailer.

Learnt this the hard way on the public slipway at Putney on the Thames a few years ago . . .

John

[The Garfish]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Why foolish?

kwite rite torl fing. yew ribnobburs downt apreshiate de skil rekwired too pinn de trakters dryvers hed agaynst de fkin winscrene wiv de poynt ov de bowe

wen iz noze iz skwashed upp flatt agaynst de screne iz de tyme too taik de powir orf

gArf

[timboli]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Neat animations!

This technique may work well in some situations, but not all.

In my experience it's likely to cause trouble if the slipway is steep. As the trailer is turned across the slipway it won't be level. This can mean that it's almost impossible to get the boat correctly positioned on the trailer.

Learnt this the hard way on the public slipway at Putney on the Thames a few years ago . . .

John

I agree,in my (limited)experience,if the trailer isnt pretty level,the boat tends to come out askew,I also found this out the hard way when recovering on an uneven beach.This was with an admiral roller trailer with the swing beam and launched just over the axle.

[eupa]

ok this is not perhaps the best way - but remember I am SOLO at Nieuport

I am using a public slipway so cannot hog it for more than 30 minutes.

- park boat ( as near to ramp as possible)
- Positiion trailer as FAR AS POSSIBLE without drowning the SUV.
on the trailer ,wedge a small aluminium ladder at about 50% down the trailer.
place the line and hook on the top of the ladder. The ladder- about 2meters-
should be centered on the trailer as it will serve to line up the boat.

Return to boat and aim for ladder- at about 5 knts. If the boat is lined up Ok it should go the 50% quite easily. Leave engine in minimum forward and pick up line and hook. Attach to boat / remove ladder /stop engines.
Get out at Front and winch remaining 50% boat up


it should winch up quite smoothly -Check that boat is centered and that all
rollers are free and not jammed.- while there is still buyonacy - it is easier to move the boat - if you have to realign a bit. Dont forget - the harder it is to winch up- means the harder it will be to relaunch.

The negative in this is that engines are turning while you are scambling around- its is not a good safety proceedure - but it is necessary to keep the boat in place while attaching a line.

Do it very slow and if possible with the wind behind you and AT HIGH WATER

jonathan