Driving Boat on Trailer

[Equis]

Hello,<br /><br />I am new to boating and am wanting to learn how to drive the boat on the trailer, it is built for this.<br /><br />I tried it once but it seemed the bow of the boat would lift really high when I powered on (so the stern drops) this went smooth but I was worried about hitting the prop on the bottom.<br /><br />When the boat is on teh trailer with the outboard down it doesn't touch the ground (bout 2 inchs off)<br /><br />Do you have the outboard on tilt when you drive on?<br /><br />Normally I have the trailer in so the wheels are just over halfway covered with water, this works well for winching on & off, maybee I should go deeper when driving on or off?<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Rhys

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Driving Boat on Trailer

Equis,<br /><br />You'll get a whole load of varying responses to this question. Plenty of previous threads, too.<br /><br />It's gotta vary with boat/trailer/ramp setup. I hate getting my vehicle undersides wet (salt water), so I reverse to the water's edge, unhook the towhitch having first put a line from ballhitch round trailer winchpost and back - with the free end in my hand - then ease the trailer down by paying out the line till boat floats. Engine half raised. (Mine's a light boat on a light trailer. Can't do this with big rigs - too heavy.)<br /><br />Reverse procedure to recover boat, powering on gently with engine half raised, pulling trailer out of the water with line tied to both trailer and vehicle, then rehitching trailer.<br /><br />Sounds complicated, but keeps vehicle dry, works every time, and takes minutes only. I've noticed that others are starting to copy this method locally.<br /><br />Ciao

 

[Maximerc]

Re: Driving Boat on Trailer

Like still fishing said you will get a diffrent answers. Not all setups are the same. Mine the tires are compleatley under with just a touch of fender showing. Angle of the ramp is another factor. Another factor that comes in on some of the older style trailers (two bunks and some keel rollers ) is the wind. My old trailer if it was windy I did not back it in as far on a windy day or the butt would float off the rear bunks. <br /><br />Still fishin.. I have never heard of any one unhooking from their trailer ! on the ramp ! <br />and how in the heck do you power on the trailer with out it hooked to something. Sounds like a dented tailgate or broken turnsignals to me. <br />I must admit though the thought of backing into seawater is not a pretty one.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Driving Boat on Trailer

Answering Maximerc's query ...<br /><br />My trailer has two upright guides at the stern, with plastic waste pipe over them which rotate if the boat nudges them. I ease - EASE - boat bows between these with motor half raised, and with boat heading in right direction, slip into neutral and hand guide the last few feet using the uprights. Uprights are clear of boat by approx half inch a side so positioning is not a big deal.<br /><br />Once bow is hooked to winch (open bows - just reach over and hook up) I pull trailer out with vehicle, using rope as above. Distance from trailer to vehicle is about fifteen feet, so no problem with busted lights. Once on the flat, trailer rolls a little, and I guide it the rest and lock on to the hitch. <br /><br />As I said - mine is a light outfit. I wouldn't want to try it with anything big. Also, we have no tide and no current on most of our slips, which helps. First time I thried it, I had several helpers in case anything went wrong - but they were'nt needed, and I've been doing it single-handed ever since.<br /><br />I just hate seawater eating my vehicle!

 

[11 footer]

Re: Driving Boat on Trailer

Every ramp,trailer and boat is a little different.<br /><br />When I launch or retrieve a boat, I like as little of the trailer in the water as posable, most people back in to deep.<br /><br />If the trailer is to deep, when driving the boat on you risk the boat just floating over the trailer, and maybe smashing into the winch and damaging the front of your boat (been there, done that )<br /><br />If your bow seems to be going to high, your motor is tilted to high, the lower the better. When the motor is tilted up, your pushing water, not pushing the boat. Its all about practice, it took my three trips for my dad and I to master it with out new to use 1980 Boston Whaler Montauk, but now with me in the boat and him in the truck the trailer is underwater for less then in minuet retrieving and even less when launching.