[Rhodes22-list] Trailer Launching and Retrieving

[Rik Sandberg]

Bryan,

We ( Rod Ellner and I) have actually done the "winch the trailer up to 
the boat thing". You don't pull the boat down to the trailer, you pull 
the trailer up to the boat. We used a pair of 1/2 braided dock lines for 
the task. Tie the lines to the trailer right below the winches and pass 
the lines up to the winch on each side. Back the boat back into the 
water, deep. You will need room for the front of the bunks to raise up. 
Then just raise the trailer up to the boat raising each winch a little 
at a time. The boat will hold the trailer up easily. when you have it 
up, winch the bow ahead that last foot and you should be good. You will 
need to have some one holding the boat and trailer in place, because it 
will be free to float off to one side or the other once the trailer 
wheels are off the ramp. You don't want to have to do this every time. 
Is your vehicle hitch height set so the trailer is level, or better yet, 
slanting toward the front just a bit when parked on level ground??

Rik

Steve Alm wrote:

>Bryan,
>
>I understand your problem well.  Quite a few of us have had the same
>difficulty getting the boat far enough forward on the trailer.  In order to
>get sufficient tongue weight, I had to remove the outboard and lash it on
>the tongue, remove the rudder assembly and stow it forward along with any
>other gear that could be moved forward.  In other words a major pain in the
>butt!  I solved the problem by adding a second axle to the trailer.  I know,
>I know - pretty drastic and not inexpensive, but it totally fixed the
>problem.  
>
>Before adding the second axle, it didn't seem to matter how steep the ramp
>was.  The boat came out of the water in about the same place on the trailer
>no matter what.  I kinda doubt your idea to float the trailer will help, but
>it's worth a try.  Be sure to use two lines - port and starboard - so the
>trailer and/or boat doesn't tilt to one side.  Don't use nylon line because
>it will stretch too much.  Maybe chains would be best.  Put a plug in the
>aft cockpit drain because the extra weight will probably force water back up
>the drain hole decreasing buoyancy.  If you have an adjustable bow stop on
>the trailer, be sure it's all the way forward.  You may have to back in and
>out several times tightening the winch each time.  Proceed SLOWLY and watch
>for anything to go wrong.  Should one of the lines/chains let go, you'd have
>a much bigger problem!  I'm talking myself out of this - it sounds too
>scary.
>
>Good luck and let us know if/when you try it.
>
>Slim
>
>On 1/14/05 12:08 PM, "Bryan Childs" <bchilds1 at peoplepc.com> wrote:
>
>  
>
>>First, thanks for all the help in determining the surface coating for my dingy
>>floor boards.  I am adding the West resin. The job is almost done.
>>
>>Another question relating to launching the Rhodes, actually retrieving it.  I
>>have a single axle trailer and it is very important to get the boat as forward
>>on the trailer as possible.  For ramps with a gentle slope it is not
>>difficult, but for steep sloop ramps it is near impossible.  When the boat is
>>pulled out it rotates from it's steep position to a position that is to far
>>back.  I thought of a solution and would like to run it by the group.
>>
>>Pull the boat out.  For a steep sloop ramp the boat will be too far rearward.
>>Then tie the stern of the boat to the rear of the trailer and put it back in
>>the water.  I would only need to go back to take some of the load off the
>>trailer.  I should be able to move the boat forward on the trailer.  Then when
>>it comes out it will not rotate back.  Has anyone tied this?
>>
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>>    
>>
>
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>