Getting boat off trailer

[JEWIENEWIE]

Just a quik question, i need to do some maintenance on my trailer and need to know the right procedure to get the boat off the trailer. I have 4.2 runabout, not big but how do i do it. Do i leave the trailer connected to the truck and just push her off slowly onto the soft grass, or is it better to have the traler not connected to the truck etc.
Jewie

[Argle]

I would not leave it connected but just ease it off gently onto some tyres (with no rims in them) once you have the bum on the first set of tyres just start to east the trailer forward and slip more tyres under as you go along. Having the tyres will protect the hull and also make it easier to get the boat back on.


Cheers and beers
Scott

[blaze]

IMO it is better to have the trailer connected to the car, the reason for this is to give you complete control over at least the trailer. I let the winch rope off about 4 foot but leave it connected then tie the back of the boat to fence/tree and slowly drive foward untill the winch reope is tight again. At this point let the winch rope go again but beware that it may now have some pressure on it, slowly let more rope out, at this time you may find that the boat will continue off the trailer by virtue of the motor weight. If not repeat the above but only go a couple of foot this time. Get the piture. Tyres are the go to sit the boat on. Use this system with all boats I have taken off trailers up to 23 foot to date.
cheers
blaze

[the gecko]

I did what blaze did too. Tie the boat to a fence and drive forward bit by bit. I was happy to put the boat straight on soft ground cos its aluminium hull. For a fibro boat, Id use tyres.

Andrew

[FNQCairns]

I like to leave connected and push/drive away onto tyres when getting off, and like to have the trailer free when loading and let the trailer come back down under the boats weight which is about the stage the boat and trailer are both supporting each other, so less risk of bent trailer ends or bent/broken boat backs which can happen.

cheers fnq

[JEWIENEWIE]

My boat is aluminium, and after the rain we have had in byron my lawn is super soft, should i be sweet to slide her off straight onto the lawn. The trailer is fitted with 10 nch wheels so not that high off the ground.?
Jewie

[ozbee]

that landing is far softer than a sandbar have faith it is a lot stronger than u think . best ive seen is a 4 metre come off the back of a landcruiser at 60 k on the beach they still went fishing unreal suppose thats why some people buy them unpainted

[jimbo59]

Do it blazes way it's spot on,have taken 25 foot berty's off that same way.Putting back on i reverse and get a slave to wind the winch.

[leezor]

Yep I agree with Blaze, took my Southwind SF20 off the same way. Managed it by myself in the back yard, only problem was a snapped winch cable when hauling it back onto the trailer. Replaced the cable with a nylon jobby and all was good.

Biggest drama I had was getting rid of the old tyres, the dump wanted $15 each to dispose of them. Ended up "donating" them to a tyre joints disposal pile one night ;)

[philh]

drop one of your mates off at the ramp and let them use the boat for the day. that way you have all day to work on the trailer.

[Wayne_Red]

Leave it connected to the trailer, undo the winch rope and push it off straight onto the grass. It will run off a little quick and the keel will hit the grass and leave a small divit. Then jump in the car and drive it away from under the boat. The motor skeg should be up far enough not to hit the grass, if it does hit it will also make a small divit with no problems
Putting it back on you can either winch it straight back on or drive the trailer under the boat half way on and winch it the rest.
Done it countless times beach launching and heaps of times on the grass. Easy as.
Regards Wayne

[disorderly]

Quote by Leezor "Biggest drama I had was getting rid of the old tyres, the dump wanted $15 each to dispose of them. Ended up "donating" them to a tyre joints disposal pile one night ;)""

Good thinking Lee.
Dont quite know how they could describe that in the court reports.Its like the opposite of stealing.
If you have the same problem again drop them at my place and I'll chuck them in the dam.

cheers Scott

[disorderly]

drop one of your mates off at the ramp and let them use the boat for the day. that way you have all day to work on the trailer.

I would not be game to try this method.

Chances are the trailer would not be serviceable by the afternoon and the boat and crew would be stranded.

Have to agree, the ease it off the trailer onto tyres method is definitely the way to go.

cheers Scott

[Dignity]

Do it blazes way it's spot on,have taken 25 foot berty's off that same way.Putting back on i reverse and get a slave to wind the winch.

agree - for putting it back on have even done it myself where you leave the gear in neutral hop out and start winding on the winch. The boat will start to draw the trailer in under itself and pull the car along as well. Don't know if I would try it this with a 25' though.

Only on level ground though

[jimbo59]

I buy some pretty ugly boats the 25 berty had a dog of a trailer that only just made it home,but when you pick them up for 2.5k you don't care to much about trailers:)

[Jabiru658]

Biggest drama I had was getting rid of the old tyres, the dump wanted $15 each to dispose of them. Ended up "donating" them to a tyre joints disposal pile one night ;)

That's a bit harsh on the tyre place though, they also have to pay for disposal as do we at work (although not $15 a tyre here). :-X

[Grand_Marlin]

Leave the trailer connected when taking boat off.

Disconnect the trailer when putting boat back on... it winds the trailer under the boat... doesnt drag the boat on the ground... takes all the pressure off the trailer.

Cheers

Pete

[Dignity]

Pete, when I did mine I left the trailer on but left it out of gear and no handbrake. the car and trailer just went back smoothly under the boat. I had thought of disconnecting the trailer but was a bit concerned about the front lifting and damaging something - maybe me

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Dignity,

Each to their own, and whatever works for whoever is fine :)

I do it a fair bit and find the way I do it works well.

I also forgot to mention that I always drop any boat (alloy or glass) on tyres.

Cheers

Pete