That Horrible Sound....

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by Mextli

Make sure the slip doesn't just end half a metre further when in murky waters

All of ours do, at least at low tide, seems to come with the territory around here.

[m chappelow]

Originally Posted by SPR

I believe it is in UK!

S.

Unbraked trailers by law in the uk regardless of size must have a safety chain fitted to keep it in line should the trailer become detached from the tow vehicle.

Braked trailers must have a Brake away cable fitted to the braking system to allow the trailer brakes to be applied should it become uncoupled or detached when moving .

don't think the cable needs to be strong enough to keep the trailer in line with the tow vehicle as with the unbraked trailers Just as long as it applies the brakes it can snap.

[SPR]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

Unbraked trailers by law in the uk regardless of size must have a safety chain fitted to keep it in line should the trailer become detached from the tow vehicle.

Braked trailers must have a Brake away cable fitted to allow the trailer brakes to be applied should it become uncoupled when moving .

that what I thought , I know many folk don't - I have chain on my unbraked and I was glad when it popped off going up a hill! Bent shackle but could been worse!

S.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Poly

At least they hadn't screwed deck fittings through the hull and into the bunks though, eh Mollers!

Etched in your memory too I see

[BumbleAbout]

I also have a second winch safety rope (About a foot of 12mm 3 strand spliced to a snap hook at one end and the winch post at the other) which prevents accidental winch runout - once the winch handle starts rotating and the boat is slipping back on the trailer there is little you can do without something like this (don't ask how I know, but the winch safety gets used for every launch and recovery now!).

[Andy B]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

Unbraked trailers by law in the uk regardless of size must have a safety chain fitted to keep it in line should the trailer become detached from the tow vehicle.

Braked trailers must have a Brake away cable fitted to the braking system to allow the trailer brakes to be applied should it become uncoupled or detached when moving .

don't think the cable needs to be strong enough to keep the trailer in line with the tow vehicle as with the unbraked trailers Just as long as it applies the brakes it can snap.

All very true but i think you've missed the point!
The chain there talking about it usually fixed from your winch post to the bow eye.
This way if the winch fails your boat won’t just roll off the back of the trailer on the slipway.

[Hightower]

I'm not too sure that a safety chain from the winch to bow eye is such a good idea as it's difficult to tension. The idea is to take the strain off of the winch and providing a secondary safety device. Much better to get a ratchet strap and use that.

[Pikey Dave]

After having webbing straps fail on me in the past, I now have a 10mm Dyneema (Kevlar) rope, spliced onto a stainless 3/4 tonne hook. I have a safety chain fastened to the trailer which goes to the bow eye. The winch is braked so I can control the boat once it starts rolling off. The winch handle is removable to stop broken arms & smashed teeth if it all goes tits up. Here's the drill:-
Reverse to bottom of slip (in low box)
Take weight off safety chain with winch & remove safety chain.
Remove winch handle
Give boat a shove & control descent using winch brake.
Recovery is a reversal, I always make sure the safety chain is attached to the eye before pulling up the slip.

Once the boat is off the slip, it's secured to the trailer with 3 ratchet straps, 2 at the stern through the towing eyes & 1 at the bow through the bow eye. The safety chain & winch strap play no part in holding the boat down. If all the straps failed or some numpty forgot to put them onthe safety chain would allow the boat to roll about 50mm back off the trailer & then stop it.

[9D280]

I have a "triangle" of backup - two wires and the drawbar. A big chunky wire back to the frame that is taught when winched fully home. The other (admiteddly smaller) wire heads forwards to the winch post, and is arranged such that it is slack enough to get the shackle onto the bow eye about 1.5" ahead of "home".

Theory is that there's a heap of energy will need restrained should I have a head on shunt at speed (e.g numptie doing the "oh, he''s got a trailer so will be doing 20MPH so I can pull out in front of him" scenario).

The "slip catch" (forward wire that will be slack most of the time) is there for exactly that - to stop it rolling off the back if the winch strap snaps. 6" of movement won't be a problem on a slip, and there are also two ratchet straps at the stern to stop it rolling back when on the road.

[m chappelow]

Originally Posted by Andy B

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]All very true but i think you've missed the e trailer on the slipway.

Not missed the point at all just clarifiying with SPR,s earlier post about the legal aspect ,
think after running a club and public having use of the slipway for the last 30 years i know a little about boat/ trailer and winching accidents ,

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Nick, that s wrong, I don t know which trailer you have but my RIBA trailer did ! FOR SURE ! same system as a car ...

What happens when you revers the trailer?
In the uk you have auto revers which means the brakes will not work going backwards!
I do remember when I first started towing years ago you had to flip a leaver over to stop the brakes coming on when reversing, is this what you have?

[dnv]

Another aspect to consider is the car
Last weekend we were with 6 RIBs of 5.5m to 8.5m size at the Baltic. Steep ramp, and with a RIB on the trailer and the trailer on the hook and not fully down the Landy's traction/engine/whatever control decided to enter panick mode. There was the rig, close to the water but not close enough and no power left...
Funny thing, and my new argument for mechanical controls.

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

After having webbing straps fail on me in the past, I now have a 10mm Dyneema (Kevlar) rope, spliced onto a stainless 3/4 tonne hook. I have a safety chain fastened to the trailer which goes to the bow eye. The winch is braked so I can control the boat once it starts rolling off. The winch handle is removable to stop broken arms & smashed teeth if it all goes tits up. Here's the drill:-
Reverse to bottom of slip (in low box)
Take weight off safety chain with winch & remove safety chain.
Remove winch handle
Give boat a shove & control descent using winch brake.
Recovery is a reversal, I always make sure the safety chain is attached to the eye before pulling up the slip.

Once the boat is off the slip, it's secured to the trailer with 3 ratchet straps, 2 at the stern through the towing eyes & 1 at the bow through the bow eye. The safety chain & winch strap play no part in holding the boat down. If all the straps failed or some numpty forgot to put them onthe safety chain would allow the boat to roll about 50mm back off the trailer & then stop it.

What he said.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Hightower

I'm not too sure that a safety chain from the winch to bow eye is such a good idea as it's difficult to tension. The idea is to take the strain off of the winch and providing a secondary safety device. Much better to get a ratchet strap and use that.

Idea is not to tension it; it's a backup in case the primary tensioning device (i.e. ratchet strap or winch itself) fails.

That said, I have my chain fairly long, and cinch it up shorter using a steel hook through one of the links.

jky

[falcon0310]

its very simple dont rush

[Boatnomad]

Originally Posted by spartacus

Always leave the car in gear on the slipway (engine switched off) while you float the boat off. If the handbrake cable gives way... then there will be absolutely nothing you can do to stop it sliding back.

Only in Quebec! How not to launch your SeaDoo... - YouTube

[Silverfox]

Classic. Although the back doors both nearly closed on him, which could have been bad!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Gilles

i m always using handbrake of the trailer and placing a wheel stop at the back from my car and gear box engaged reverse back . cannot move

Surely you leave your car in first not reverse on a slipway? In reverse if it is steep enough worst case it will actually start the car.

Originally Posted by m chappelow

don't think the cable needs to be strong enough to keep the trailer in line with the tow vehicle as with the unbraked trailers Just as long as it applies the brakes it can snap.

In fact it should be weak enough to snap after applying the brakes. A trailer with the brakes locked on disconnected from the tow hook but chained to the car could be messy.

Originally Posted by willk

Etched in your memory too I see

well it would be rude to forget!

Originally Posted by Andy B

All very true but i think you've missed the point!
The chain there talking about it usually fixed from your winch post to the bow eye.
This way if the winch fails your boat won’t just roll off the back of the trailer on the slipway.

Both are important. Easy in the haste of hooking up the trailer not to connect the ball properly and then at the top of the slipway it disconnects and rolls back down.

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

What happens when you revers the trailer?
In the uk you have auto revers which means the brakes will not work going backwards!
I do remember when I first started towing years ago you had to flip a leaver over to stop the brakes coming on when reversing, is this what you have?

I've only limited experience with braked trailers - but surely the handbrake works in both directions (as opposed to the brakes when driving). Otherwise you are towing up a hill and loose the trailer the cable pulls the brakes on, snaps, and it rolls backwards? or if you park on a slight slope and apply handbrake then disconnect the car it rolls away?

[Dry Run]

Originally Posted by Hightower

Of course you should stop feeding the algae and weed on the slipway with Grow More

Just so you know Hightower - the slipway is pressure washed EVERY month and then treated with "Ecoslip" a marine friendly inhibitor - not sure that isn't an oximoron. We are of course subject to the tide conditions, but strive to ensure that we get as low to the bottom of the slipway as possible. This was never done before I (KB Dry Stack) took over the management of the slipway. So I think we do our bit!

[kubcat]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

Unbraked trailers by law in the uk regardless of size must have a safety chain fitted to keep it in line should the trailer become detached from the tow vehicle.

Braked trailers must have a Brake away cable fitted to the braking system to allow the trailer brakes to be applied should it become uncoupled or detached when moving .

don't think the cable needs to be strong enough to keep the trailer in line with the tow vehicle as with the unbraked trailers Just as long as it applies the brakes it can snap.

In Australia we must have safety chains on all trailers including those fitted with a breakaway system.

Hand brakes must also be fitted on all braked trailers although many don't due to brakes seizing due to rust. These hand brakes are often operated from the trailer (not the car) by a ratcheting mechanism and they hold the brakes on regardless of which direction you try to move the trailer. Admittedly many drum brakes do not work as effectively in reverse but it should be enough to hold the trailer if stationary.