Why you need to tie the stern down...

Nos4r2 · 25 January 2008, 02:22

Just found this. Definitely a lesson on why the stern needs to be held down with a ratchet strap!

Stoo · 25 January 2008, 04:20

His method does make it easier to back-up though...

columbiachop · 25 January 2008, 06:38

and the bow...

BogMonster · 25 January 2008, 10:42

Ingenious - completely removes the requirement for a trailer

Interesting thought - I never tie my stern down but then I only travel very slowly to and from the slip so the chances of that are minimal.

Daibheid · 25 January 2008, 11:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by columbiachop

and the bow...

Read the legend on the side of the boat!

Daibheid · 25 January 2008, 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Just found this. Definitely a lesson on why the stern needs to be held down with a ratchet strap!

Actually Nos I think it's a bow tie-down/back stops this. Most boats I see the rear straps are led forward quite a bit to get on to a beam allowing the boat a metre or more movement up the trailer in a sudden stop. Not everyone realises the dynamic effect of the boat moving that much can break a strap that could lift multiples of the boat's weight. I always tie the painter or a strap back along the trailer to avoid this and also to help the rear tie-downs stay tight by preventing the boat inching forward.

Brilliant picture - keep 'em coming!

Erin · 25 January 2008, 12:01

No I think you've all missed the point! The reason he was upset was his second boat had slid off the back of the trailer and was half a mile back up the freeway

The one on the 'roofbars' is fine.

alt · 25 January 2008, 12:06

As said above, I think this is a case of not tieing the FRONT down. Your winch stops the boat from rolling back, but what about rolling forward?

Usually if i'm travelling any great distane the boat is held:
On the winch (Stop it from falling back)
Another strap on the winch-eye, tied about 2m back the trailer (To stop boat rolling forward)
2 x on the stern

Still though, priceless picture!

9D280 · 25 January 2008, 12:21

I'd second the front one for braking. I've got a totally independent rope goes from the bow eye on the rib back to the trailer chassis so it's already tight if the boat moves forward.
What the rear does is stops the back of the boat being impaled on the rollers by the weight of the engine etc should a pothole manage to separate them. Also should something really nasty happen and it rolls then there's only one flying lump instead of two.

As Daibheid says - the dynamic loading is huge - even a small rib will weigh around half a ton, and you've all seen the ads for wearing rear seat belts, and that's only at 30mph..... There was a pic in the Laser class association mag a while ago iof someone who managed to put their boat in the boot of their Corsa with an E- stop on the motorway- and those things only weigh 58Kg in full sailing mode and don't tend to sit on roller trailers!

On a more humourous note, do you think his truck has bearing savers?

Nos4r2 · 25 January 2008, 14:28

Ok, so this is what happens when you don't tie down properly

I get the impression it had neither bow or stern ties given how intact it is on the top/transom.

jyasaki · 25 January 2008, 16:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

No I think you've all missed the point! The reason he was upset was his second boat had slid off the back of the trailer and was half a mile back up the freeway

The one on the 'roofbars' is fine.

I actually saw a group that trailered a hardboat (Seaswirl Striper, I think; about an 18 footer) with a 16' inflatable tied upside-down on top. On top of the truck (pickup with a shell) was another inflatable, probably around 12'. They got everything launched pretty quick, but took about an hour getting motors onto the inflatables. Recovery took forever.

Funny thing was, the group of 6 or 7 guys were hook and line fishing, and were out of the harbor for a grand total of about a half hour. Not sure what that was all about.

jky

jyasaki · 25 January 2008, 16:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9D280

As Daibheid says - the dynamic loading is huge -

Take a look at the trailer tongue; I assume that bend was put in it by the hull going over the winch stand. Big loads indeed.

jky

yorfuoj · 25 January 2008, 16:54

It occured to me too !

I was trailering a 9m Tomcat catamaran, with 220hp Steyr, when a small car moved brutally in front of my 4x4, so I went close to the pavement, and the front wheel of the 2 axle trailer hit the kerb, and broke the tyre.
The boat jumped and moved sideway, then fall on the mudgard.
By chance there was a truck with a crane just behind me ... 5 minutes later I restarted ! Otherwise the traffic would have been stop for 1 hour at least.

There was no rear tie-down - just a strong chain going from the bow back to the trailer chassis.

The chain has another advantage, when correctly sized in length, I use it as a bow stop when working the manual winch.

Nasher · 25 January 2008, 17:08

I hate starting posts with 'years ago', but......

Years ago, my father and I went off the road going up the A3 in his company Sierra with a Flatacraft Force4 towing behind.

The RIB was tied and straped to the winch post of an almost new trailer, and there was a ratchet strap at the back holding the boat down.

We went down a bank and hit a tree whilst slowing down from about 40MPH.
I remember a crunch and the bonnet coming up as we hit the tree, then a huge crash as the Flatacraft landed on top of the car shattering the tailgate glass and sunroof.

The winch post had been ripped off the trailer, and the ratchet strap had broken at the ratchet.

A crane was called to lift the boat onto the trailer, then onto a flatbed, and another flat bed used to recover the car.

The car was written off, but the RIB escaped with a few scratches and was unharmed in any other way. I Inherited it a couple of years later and kept it for quite a few years.

Nasher.

Simon B · 25 January 2008, 17:11

Looks like it's taken out the winch post by bending it down, that's some force, might review the straps we use to tie to the transom.

Paul Beaurain · 25 January 2008, 22:10

When you stop quickly - say by running into a lampost the load/deceleration would be 10-20g. so even the biggest straps would just snap.
look again at the trailer and see how the main chassis has kinked. Had the boat not been restrained it would not have buckled the trailer.
paul

Nos4r2 · 25 January 2008, 22:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Beaurain

When you stop quickly - say by running into a lampost the load/deceleration would be 10-20g. so even the biggest straps would just snap.
look again at the trailer and see how the main chassis has kinked. Had the boat not been restrained it would not have buckled the trailer.
paul

Depends on the bow snubber-if it had a 2 roller bow snubber it could have done that as the winch came away and got jammed between the rollers.

I suppose conjecture is pretty pointless really though.

Bigmuz7 · 25 January 2008, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Depends on the bow snubber-if it had a 2 roller bow snubber it could have done that as the winch came away and got jammed between the rollers.

I suppose conjecture is pretty pointless really though.

Yeah.. I think this is worthy of a thread in its self indeed.. I think people underestimate the dynamics of their boat in a dead stop situation, and some tying down tips would be appreciated.. I have my views but would be interested to hear others in these circumstances