Tilt trailer operation

[Indymike]

Helo all. New guy on the pond here. Just bought a project...73 16' Saf T Mate W/ 73 115 Johnson.<br />and a 73 shorlander tilt trailer. Lauched the boat the other day and just floated it off with no problems. No problems bringing it back in either.Question is what are the benefits of a tilt trailer and what is the procedure used wth them.<br /><br />Mike

 

[roscoe]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

The tilt mechanism will make itself useful when or if you ever have to use a very shallow boat ramp.<br /><br />Back the trailer in the water, unhook the winch strap, release the tilt, push upward and back on the boat, SPLASH.<br /><br />Loading can be a bit tricky, but better than nothing if the water is only a foot deep.

 

[BillP]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

Tilt trailers are great. They launch and retrieve where a float-on can't...over seawalls, shallow ramps and water that barely floats the boat. I've even unloaded and loaded a 21' outboard on my driveway to free the trailer up for another boat.<br /><br />On regular ramps you can back the trailer down until the tires just touch the water. Then release the tilt and slide the boat off. The running gear never gets wet this way and only the back of the frame gets wet.

 

[brother chris]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

Well, they have their ups and downs...literally.<br />The boat I have has a tilt trailer and my buddy who owned it before me said one time he loaded his boat onto the trailer after a great day of boating. <br />Once he started going up the ramp, the clip released and his skeg took the brunt of it. <br />So he put a lock on it and when he sold me the boat/trailer/motor, I asked where the key was for the lock. <br />He said he put the lock on it and right after that, he threw the key away.<br />When the skeg took the brunt of it, it cost him to replace the skeg.<br />So the tilt trailer is a good idea, but make sure the clip is on properly when trailering the boat.<br />Cheers,<br />Chris...

 

[BillP]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

The tilt trailers I've owned had a spring loaded lever that automatically locked when the frame hinged down. When the boat rides forward on the trailer it locks. The mechanism had to be manually released everytime. My tilts also had chains that fit into a slot to adjust the tilt angle and worked as a backup lock. Unless something was broken it was pretty foolproof.

 

[Indymike]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

Thanks for the info . All this makes sense. Mine has the spring loaded pins to lock it when it hinges down and a sfety chain as well. One thing that troubles me though is if you are loading in tilt mode ( rather than floating it on ) seems to me the entire weight of the boat is on the winch mechanism and the bow eye. Sounds a bit stressful on both to me. Any thoughts....<br /><br />Thanks, Mike

 

[gewf631]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

...the entire weight of the boat is on the winch mechanism and the bow eye

That's how those of us with roller trailers do it all the time!

 

[brother chris]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

My trailer had the same spring loaded pin, but it still happened to my bud who owned the boat before me. <br />I'm just saying that I would not use it unless you have to....it costs too much to forget. <br />Happy boating and I hope it never happens to you. <br />Brother Chris...

 

[BillP]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

Originally posted by Indymike:<br /> Thanks for the info . All this makes sense. Mine has the spring loaded pins to lock it when it hinges down and a sfety chain as well. One thing that troubles me though is if you are loading in tilt mode ( rather than floating it on ) seems to me the entire weight of the boat is on the winch mechanism and the bow eye. Sounds a bit stressful on both to me. Any thoughts....<br /><br />Thanks, Mike

Stress hasn't been a problem with my tilts or boats and I'm talking 100s of launchings on different rigs. Like Ed F mentioned, it's done all the time. Rollers make the operation easy but the trailer and bow eye need to be sized correctly too.

 

[Indymike]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

Thanks guys. I'll give it shot launching and loading it this way. Floats on and off real nice but as was mentioned the tilt could be real handy at a shallow ramp.<br /><br />Mike

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

Friend of mine on a real steep launch at the cabin would power it up on a roller trailer (16foot 75HP) as another person would snag the bow eye with the hook (winch locked with a short amount of rope out)...of course we were young and stupid and very drunk at the end of the weekend, but it worked!

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

Originally posted by brother chris:<br /> He said he put the lock on it and right after that, he threw the key away.<br />

I've been to that school.<br /><br />I had a tilt mechanism do that too.... once.<br /><br />But I didn't fix it with a lock. <br /><br />I was so darn mad, I used about 1/2 pound of welding rods to make sure that thing never tilted again.<br /><br />They are a good idea for light boats & shallow angled ramps......... neither of which I will ever have to contend with.<br /><br /><br />Ed.

 

[Indymike]

Re: Tilt trailer operation

Winger , it sounds like you can still get a bit fired up over that mishap. Slow deep breaths...hehe.<br /><br />Like the time the center link came loose on my '66 Gran Prix. Luckily it was the middle of winter , 10 inches of snow on the ground and I was doing about 10 mph in the neighborhood and not 70 on the highway. Some jackleg didn't put a cotter pin in the castle nut . Still P's me off 30 years later.<br /><br />Mike