Q5 owners 2011/12 retrieve setup?

Curious on launch/retrieve guidelines from other Q5 owners of similar trailer/boat model as the 2011-2012 years (not sure how far back since it was changed...) I have a 2012.

On a typical ramp how much of your wheels or carpet is out of water (if any?) on retrieve? crank on or power on?

Only been out once and it was an awkward/stressful pickup... i think i blacked out the trailer depth. lol

Would like a decent good starting point to start my trial and error

Re: Q5 owners 2011/12 retrieve setup?

I don't know about the Q5 specifically but I have had 3 different boats and I have pretty much done the same thing with all of them. When launching I back in until the back of the boat just starts to float. When retrieving I leave just a little bit of the fenders on the trailer out of the water, maybe 1 inch. I think it helps to back the trailer in far enough to get the bunks wet and then pull it back out. I have always powered on, seems to work pretty good. It also helps a lot to have someone in the truck that knows what they are doing.

Re: Q5 owners 2011/12 retrieve setup?

BoatDrinksQ5 said:

Curious on launch/retrieve guidelines from other Q5 owners of similar trailer/boat model as the 2011-2012 years (not sure how far back since it was changed...) I have a 2012.

On a typical ramp how much of your wheels or carpet is out of water (if any?) on retrieve? crank on or power on?

Only been out once and it was an awkward/stressful pickup... i think i blacked out the trailer depth. lol

Would like a decent good starting point to start my trial and error

Click to expand...

I'm guessing your ding this by yourself. When I launch I back it in until I see the boat lift up off of the trainer and then give it one more feet back. Set the E brake, shift into park. At this point I can walk on the trailer tongue without getting wet and get into the boat and power off.

Landing the boat:

Back all the way down until the trailer is completely submerged to wet the entire bunks. This will help winching it up later if needed. Pull forward until I can see the top of the fender wells of the trainer, this give me good reference on the center of the trainer. power up until I get scared of hitting bottom with the skeg. Cut power, raise trim/tilt, drift on the trailer. This gets me centered on the trailer and then climb out on the tongue from the front of the boat and winch it up onto the roller where it needs to be. This can be challenging in high winds or waves near the shore. Don?t be afraid or embarrassed to "chicken out and go around again".

Re: Q5 owners 2011/12 retrieve setup?

I have a 2007 Q4 which is the same length and trailer setup as your Q5.
I have my launch and retrieve down to a tee now.

Back in just till you see the stern just start to rise then full lock on the car/truck steering wheel and unhook the bow strap.

Similar to retrieve but as a general rule I back the trailer in till the top of the fenders are just visible.
This I vary slightly if the boat has the mother in law on as it will be lower in the water :facepalm: and vise versa.

I always winch on and never see the need to power on if you have set the whole thing up properly.
Plus you'll mess up some ramps with the propwash and risk damaging your prop/skeg.
Pull the boat out the stop when you are just clear of the water to make sure the stern is sitting correctly on the back of the trailer. It should be if you have backed in the correct depth and winched it on but good to check before you drive off and strap up, if not just back up into the water again to get the stern to settle.

Take you time and don't panic. Slow and easy and remember you wont have steering in neutral!

Good luck my friend.

Re: Q5 owners 2011/12 retrieve setup?

Thanks guys with this knowledge the past half dozen times i have taken the boat out it has went very smoothly. Helps to have the confidence of how it "should" be done...knowing that it should work for me also. Have been very happy so far with how the boat gets back on the trailer and the ability to pull it up with the winch the last foot or two. I did spray some Aerospace 303 on the top foot of the bunks...just to reduce the resistance a little. Might move up to a touch of silicone spray.

Still feels a little dicey because of wind, fenders close to bunks, steering slop, and bow wander...but has worked out great so far.