Major trouble getting boat lined up with trailer at ramp...

[Steve]

I've been having a heck of a time getting my Mac lined up (and staying lined up) with the trailer when trying to get in outta the lake. Seems like I go so slow that with the slightest cross breeze I'm cock-eyed just before going through the goal posts onto the trailer. Any tips or tricks. BTW, I'm trying to do it w/ no ballast and rudders up. Is this my fatal flaw.

Just FYI I'm looking like an idiot after my fifth try and then backing off, doing a big circle and coming back at it. Guess God knows how to keep me humble with my cool James Bond boat.

[Rick Westlake]

I've been having a heck of a time getting my Mac lined up (and staying lined up) with the trailer when trying to get in outta the lake. Seems like I go so slow that with the slightest cross breeze I'm cock-eyed just before going through the goal posts onto the trailer. Any tips or tricks. BTW, I'm trying to do it w/ no ballast and rudders up. Is this my fatal flaw.

Steve, I would definitely start with adding ballast and using the rudders. I also use a few inches of centerboard. Our X's are light with a lot of freeboard; left light and "clean" they will weathercock all over the place! Ballast gives it more inertia, more resistance to being blown around. Centerboard gives it a "hard pivot" point in the center of the hull; the rudders give you a whole lot more directional control than you can get from the outboard alone - especially at slow "docking" speeds.

The next thing I must ask is - do you have a dock extending outward alongside the ramp? If you can get into the lee of a dock and bring the boat in to the dock, you could hand-line it onto the trailer. It might not look like "James Bond", but it WOULD show you as a careful, prudent, sensible and smart skipper.

Guess God knows how to keep me humble with my cool James Bond boat.

By the way, you aren't trying to motor the boat onto the trailer, are you? That may be "James Bond" but "IMJO" (in my jaundiced opinion)it's also dangerous to the boat, very easy to screw up, and terribly harmful to the bottom around the ramp. My thinking is more like Sir Miles Messervy - "M" - than like James Bond in this.

Your opinion, of course, may vary ... and I don't mean to be an @$$#0le about this ... but please be gentle about loading your boat on the trailer. Not only for your sake, but for the ramp's sake as well.

[MadMacX]

Steve,

I too had that problem the first few times I tried to retrieve my boat, so i followed some otherforum user suggestions and ran two lines from the goal posts to the two small tubes on the front of the trailer. It looks stupid but it does what I want it to do, namely, keep the boat lined up as I move it forward.

The second or third time i tried to retrieve my boat it was very windy and I just about had the thing sideways on the trailer. Of course the ramp was loaded, so I looked like the village idiot. I decided that day that I would go with the running lines idea. I will continue to do that until a better idea comes along.

Pat

[SkiDeep2001]

I'd be willing to bet we've all played "The Village Idiot" part a few times and I'm not talking a stage play here. Rob

[jcasale]

The first time out I crunched my nose and almost injured the Admiral. The Mac is not a bass boat or a jet ski and while it can be driven on it is always easier to walk it on as mentioned above. Welcome the club, we are slow to load, slow to go but once things are clicking we are the coolest thing on the water. With patience , practice and a few mods you'll be a pro in no time. Don't let anyone rush you or offer ideas for short cuts; they will be horribly silent if you damage you boat taking their advice.

now it's time for another plug...

All of the FREE public ramps in Jacksonville have long floating piers that allow us to safely walk on and off the trailer. The Jax rally next month is an awesome opportunity to see for yourselves...

John

[puggsy]

Walking the on is the ONLY proper way...powering is inconsiderate of other users, especially yachties who have to sink their trailers deeper. Sadly we still have those power boat idiots who do this.
The guide lines on the trailer seem to be he best option...whether they are semi solid PVC piping or simply tight rope, this will prevent the sideways movement...

[Capt Capsize]

Where I sail walking it on, is not an option, no docks and limited side ramp access. So I practiced away from the village to hide my idiocy. I used a couple of line floats and a 20 ft line and an 8ft section of 3/4inch PVC pipe to make a target. I practiced and practiced lining up and shooting through the contraption at different wind angles.

I found if I take a much longer run than most boats I can compensate for the lee drift and drive it on. I keep the rudders partially down. I keep the centerboard partially down with the line in hand. It reaches the driver seat due to a 2 to 1 purchase mod on the centerboard line. The trailer has goal posts, batter boards and a V line from the boards to the bow roller. Once the bow is past the goal posts I yank the centerboard up. And I sometimes I am still the village idiot, but then I always blame entropy.

[Bluecrab]

Where I sail walking it on, is not an option,

Same where I sail, they have one long dock off to the side where I can set up at when it's not busy but the ones at the launch are way to short. It's not just Mac's, I see a lot of people sideways on there trailer.

I was taught by a friend with a 34 ft keel boat to bring the boat in slow (up wind) and get a feel for how much you drift with a little forward momentum. In our keel boat class we were told, when you get close give short burst of throttle to keep it moving slow. Rudders down and a few inches of dagger board. Some say "if you are not board, you're going to fast" And yes, practice, practice, practice.

Sometimes, I will try to have some toss a bow line when I get close and they can help keep it lined up with the v block. Also the PO put 4 ft long 3 in diameter PVC pipes on the guides. They help us keep the boat centered as we pull out.

I have be hit by other boats twice now just tide to the dock during take down. I guess the blue hull just blends with the water and I must look invisible.

Wally

[Divecoz]

Walking the on is the ONLY proper way...powering is inconsiderate of other users, especially yachties who have to sink their trailers deeper. Sadly we still have those power boat idiots who do this.
...

I beg to differ with you..for this reason... when you power load any boat. You DONT! bump your bow bareley onto the trailer and then hit WOT...for those who dont know .... by the time your bow is past the rear bunk your motors in neutral and your gliding up onto the trailer... there is big difference between slamming the dang thing on ( like some hillbilly redneck) often because you have the trailer way to high up the ramp and with dry pads , and now your forced into using WOT ( or so you think) to push her up the trailer . I have powered my M boat on (and many others) almost every-time with very low RPM in fact I only drug .... her on once.
#1. You should be able the thread a needle with your trailer.... No Excuse not to be able to back her into anywhere any time ... If you cannot ... go practice in the lot at walmart after they close the store.
#2. Dip the trailer yes get those pads good and wet !! It takes all of 10 extra seconds and if you back her like a pro, as you should be able to do. Then your in and out in half the time of 80% of the rest.
If you insist on having to walk her on, for what ever you reason or excuse... Then Get In the dang water!!!!! Get in and do it !! Have someone else drive her out and then ..... OUT OF THE WAY!
Get it done and get off the dang ramp and out of the way!! Others are waiting.....

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

At any ramp with a dock, it is faster, safer, and easier on the boat to simply float it on and off without the motor. This can be done quicker than driving under power and without all the drama of handling the boat under power with the boards up when there is wind and current. Practice this instead of loading under power which more and more is not even allowed at many ramps. Two people can pull her in faster than you can climb in and start the motor.

Either way, you should never need high power (motor or hand) to load a Mac. Sink the trailer until the fenders are 2"-4" under water and the boat will float in without any resistance or contact until the bow reaches the vee blocks. If it doesn't, you are not deep enough. Clip on the trailer winch rope at that point and pull her home from there. You will need at the fenders a good 4" deeper if you have ballast in. Personally, I always dump it if possible before I reach the ramp so I avoid the wait time while the tank drains.

[opie]

I drove my MacX onto the trailer the first few times I had it and then, after reading this board, I began to walk it on and have been very pleased with the walking-on results. I'll never go back to drive-on. Walking is actually quite quick and I feel much more in control. Use a 50+ foot dock line from one of the bow cleats. Get into the water anlke deep to get the right angle for pulling. Also, you must have goal-posts (or ropes guidelines) to help straighten the boat up as it gets pulled onto the bunks. I made my own 4 foot goalposts out of home-improvement-store angle brackets and some 2 inch PVC with tennis balls on top. Works like a charm, but I have to be vigilant with the galvanizing paint as the anodized brackets tend to rust. Without goal posts you may end up with the boat too far to the side. And don't ever put the trailer too far down into the water without goal posts or you may end up with the boat on top of the fender and the boat tipping over as you drive up the ramp. (been there..) I have all fins and motor up and have full ballast, but with the plug out and the valve open. As I am cranking it up onto the trailer, the ballast water is draining so that when I finally latch it to the padeye at the winch there is only a couple of minutes of wait time at the top of the ramp to empty the remaining 30 gallons or so. I find if I do not make eye contact with anyone waiting to use the ramp, I can manage the few minute wait for the ballast drain more calmly. I have never gotten a verbal complain or reprimand from anyone so I must not be that slow.....

On edit --- I suppose that the above only works at a ramp with a dock. I have never trailered from a location without a dock. Can you still walk-on the boat easily in a cross-wind without a dock? By that I mean I always have an assistant hold the stern with a line to help keep the boat straight and line-it-up if there is a major cross wind or very strong current. Without the dock there could not be an assistant back there.....

[Divecoz]

What works for me.
Launching:
Boat is completely readied, in......the staging area. Completely ready! I have 2 dock lines one on the forward cleat and one the aft, these are 30 foot dock lines.
I back the trailer and boat down the ramp with the ballast tank open. She floats off the trailer the tank is filling I pull the truck and trailer away and my "line man using what is in effect spring lines" guides the boat up against the dock...... I remove the truck to trailer parking area. This takes at most a couple minutes and I am out of everyone's way. I return, jump on board, start my trusty Mercury ...and pull away while some knucklehead is STILL playing and jerking around with his power boat for the next 10 to 20 minutes because he wasn't thinking and wasn't truly ready to launch.
Loading her up: As long as there are no horrendous waves or wind I am sitting just outside the loading area waiting for my trailer man to back the trailer down into the water wetting the bunks and then pull the trailer back out until they ( he or she ) see the top of the fenders showing . I glide the boat onto within 2 or 3 feet of the winch , for the love, your not popping a water skier out..... your gliding your boat onto its trailer. My driver knows to yell hooked and my ballast tank is already open and the engine is Right Now turned off and coming up and as soon as possible I am sitting as far aft as possible on top of the help seat holding onto the transom mast support. As He pulls away the tank is already draining.
I have always owned a 4x4 since I owned THIS boat, and its always in 4x4 low range for launching and loading and they gently pulls the boat out and into the staging area having cranked as much as "they can crank on the winch" Once they have parked I exit, I finish the crank and I get back in the truck. ( I spray my bunks with silicon spray before ever retrieval)We are at worst 99% done ,so we head out of the parking lot. On those rare occasions I haven't gotten her all the way up, I perform the Mac Bump I then jump out and re-tighten the winch and we are heading home . Seldom do need the transom strap to get her home, or at least Out of Everyones Way. My Total time ..........tying up that ramp? Never more than just a couple minutes.
When launching at my home port , my slip mate has always been there to help and by the time I launch her park my truck leave the launch ramp and motor over to my slip. Frank has driven over in his car and has casually walked down to my slip J-39 to Catch My Boat....Because we all ....consider it boater courtesy ....I will no doubt see that several other boaters are waiting with him to catch me . I slowly motor into position ( this is where wind can kill me ) Bu I manage to toss those two lines and they secure me to the dock . Its been less than about ...........90 minutes since Frank saw me driving into the lot for the first time this season.
I NEVER turn my motor off till those lines are secure. If you can honestly beat my time sloshing around in the water, your a Good Man Charley Brown. Especially on the retrieval. But to each his own.
It just takes practice and some thinking about what your doing and some organization IMHO.

[Québec 1]

Sink the trailer until the fenders are 2"-4" under water and the boat will float in without any resistance or contact until the bow reaches the vee blocks. If it doesn't, you are not deep enough. .

I have to agree with Duane cause that's what works for me. Additionally , I usually open my ballast valve and plug just before motoring to the submerged trailer . My ballast is always close to being empty or empty by the time it gets to the trailer (motoring or walking) and always closed and of course empty when being put in the water in order to allow my boat to float easily off the trailer.

Q1

[Bransher]

I am envious of those of you who have line handlers or recovery vehicle drivers. I am usually single-handed and sometimes it gets very interesting. I have not yet tried the rope from the guide poles to the winch but will try that next time. I also always walk the boat onto the trailer using two dock lines, but on a real windy day, it can be like trying to fly two kites. I figure I am providing a public service by entertaining the spectators.

[Rick Westlake]

I am envious of those of you who have line handlers or recovery vehicle drivers. I am usually single-handed and sometimes it gets very interesting. I have not yet tried the rope from the guide poles to the winch but will try that next time. I also always walk the boat onto the trailer using two dock lines, but on a real windy day, it can be like trying to fly two kites. I figure I am providing a public service by entertaining the spectators.

Same here!

We singlehanders have some extra problems with launch & recovery, don't we? I don't think I'd even try launching unless there was enough dock at the ramp for me to (1) pull the boat aside and tie it off while I park my trailer; and (2) tie up my boat, preferably in the lee of the dock (and hopefully out of another launcher's way), while I go and get the trailer. If someone's in a hurry and I'm "in the way" - I'm glad to say "Great, thanks, take this line and help me!"

As for my "dissing" the drive-on trailer loaders - sorry, I should know there are captains on this board who know how to do it right. We've all seen the "New York cabbie" approach, and know of the damage that "POWER-on" loading can do ... but you folks have described the right way to do it, and my hat's off to you.