How to load boat onto trailer without power

[tonymi]

This is my first post, so I'll start with an introduction. Some friends got me interested in sailing a couple of years back. I took the ASA Basic Keelboat 101 class last summer, sailed rental boats (Hunter 216s) a few times, then decided to start shopping for my own. I was lured by the MacGregor dual sailing/powering ability so I started following this web site and recently bought a new 26M from John Gerber at Super Sport Marine in Nebraska. I'm storing the boat in Nebraska until spring when John will deliver it to me in Lawrence, KS. I've never owned a boat of any kind before and have very little on-the-water experience, but have learned a lot from this site and from books.

I'm trying to decide whether to rent a slip or just use dry storage. One factor in my decision is how hard it is to load the boat back on the trailer. The video makes it look easy to just drive the boat on, but I recently learned that that practice is frowned upon at some ramps due to erosion. So I'd like to know exactly how one person can do it without power. It seems like I have seen threads on trailer loading before but I couldn't find any via the archive search. Could someone either (a) point me to a previous discussion or (b) tell me a way to do it? I remember a post or two recommending running lines from the goal posts to the front of the trailer to help guide the boat in, but how do you pull the boat on? Do you attach a line to the bow, then stand on the trailer and pull it? How do you control sideways drift? Or if your trailer is close enough to the dock, can you maneuver the boat on from the side? Do you have to winch it most of the way? Would I be wise to invest in a pair of hip waders?

Thanks.

[Hardcrab]

I launch and retrieve about 50% of the time, singlehanded, with no difficulity at all.
If you have a dock to work with, it's a very simple thing to do.
Back down the trailer close to the dock, about a foot away.
Just walk the boat along (with either bow and stern lines or the boat itself) for 95% of the way, hop to the trailer with the bow line in hand, hook up, and crank the rest of the way.

If given the option, have the wind dead aft or blowing the boat away from the dock for best control of the process, IHMO.

[madguy]

Hi There.

I keep my boat trailered at Rutland Water in UK. and were not allowed motors.

I launch and retreive everytime and just stand on the hitch of the trailer and pull the mooring line and the boat just slides on. if it does ever need a bit more i just hit the brakes at about 5mph and it slides up to the V no probs.

never have any probs with retreive,,and its great to watch everyone else trying to retreive theres...some take an hour.....so funny.....i do get some really annoyed looks when i do mine in a couple of minutes.

Madguy

[Québec 1]

This is the thread you are looking for:

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... =9&t=14049

Normally and when possible I motor to the jetty and walk my M on to the trailer holding the fore and aft mooring lines. Of course I never forget to back my trailer down the ramp before mooring the boat to the docks and hook both the winch hook and the emergency hook to the boat before driving off
Q1

[robbarnes1965]

Hi and Happy New Year!

I hate trailoring! If you have a good spot to rent a slip that is not too far from home then I think it's the best. The easier it is to sail, the more you will get out of your investment.

I joined a yacht club 20 minutes from home(35 by city bus). I have even bicycled there. I just cast off and have fun. No waiting in line on a busy day to put her in and the cost of the slip is compareable to paying for the wear and tear on your car, trailor, boat and nerves. Yes it's free to park in the driveway but I think it's a guarantee that at least once a season you will damage the car, trailor or boat getting it in or out of the water. You will drop something over board, get injured or whatever. People claim to do it all in 20 minutes but I never have under an hour and that does not include transport time. I am off sailing in 5 minutes, usually, unless I have a lot of beer to load

The Mac is perfect for the lake I sail which is large but has several shallow areas tha I can raise the dagger to get though and bridges/locks that I can easilly lower the mast for. We also have canals where the motor is useful and I can get back quickly whereever I end up at the end of the dat with the 50hp.

Happy sailing,

Rob

[Kelly Hanson East]

Tony - I would get the slip for the first season and enjoy your boat. Conquer sailing first, then come back to the learning curve of trailering.

I did it 'all at once' and made it through, but looking back the years I had a slip my usage went up 5x.

Im a driveway sailor now with my but that is because I own 4 other boats!!

[skeedaddy]

I'm a trailer guy who wishes he had a slip.

I grew up with power boats...mostly ski boats and fishing boats in the 20 foot plus/minus range. So, getting the boat on the trailer isn't so bad. It's the set up and tear down of the mast and gear that get my time. I started sailing Hobie Cats and stepping the mast was just part of the adventure. I was hoping it would take less time with my Mac but it really doesn't. I've been doing it for years now (Hobie and Mac combined) and I think i'm pretty good at it, but I'd still rather have the time with my family instead of shackling, stepping, running gear, etc. My kids aren't old enough to begin helping out yet. We've just started the conversation about the Captain (daddy) needing one or two first mates on board.

About the motor/trailer combo: I think the issue is running the motor at high speed to try to push the boat up on the trailer. Due to the upward angle of the boat on the trailer, the prop faces into the ground underneath the water. Thus, it blows out that dirt or sediment and creates a hole at the end of the ramp. Then, a longer trailer comes in gets stuck in that hole. Motor boats are notorious for using their large outboards running their boats up on the trailer.

I have a 9hp Nissan on my 1992 Mac Classic. I had a few initial troubles learning how to line my boat up with the trailer in a cross wind with such little horse power and no center board. The ramp I normally use does not have a dock running next to it. Learning how to use a crab angle to adjust for the wind and then straightening up before connecting with the trailer is what helped me.
I have used a ramp with a dock once or twice and I agree with the previous writers that it makes it much easier and can be done single handed with mooring lines. I'm thinking of changing my normal ramp later this Spring for one with a dock just for this.

I can't think of a time when I haven't had to do the 5mph/full break combo (also known, i think, as the Mac Bump) to get my boat the final 10 inches up the trailer.

However, if I had the option, I'd leave my boat slipped with my mast raised and just hop aboard for a sail whenever I could. It would take away the hour or two I spend in set up and tear down each sail.

[TAW02]

For those who trailor long distances over hot pavement, consider wheel bearing hubs and bearings. They will be road hot and really too warm to dunk into the water right away. Should wait awhile ... the longer the better. An hour in some cases (florida summer hot). Seems when a hub is hot, the likelyhood of water gulping in past the wheel seal is a good one! Water contamination in the bearing housing is not good and can be illiminated by simply wasting an hour while the hubs cool before dipping the trailer in cool waters.

Can you think of a good way to while-away-the-time while the hubs cool?

Owning a sailboat is the perfect solution! Time spent rigging the boat helps pass the time while the hubs cool.

COOL 'EH?

Big T

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

We powered the boat onto the trailer the first time we loaded, that was the last. Every other launch and load for the last 10 years has been done by hand. We always launch where there is a dock. It's a very simple process that really only has two requirements.

1. Get the trailer deep enough.

I find at all the ramps around here that means backing in until both fenders are a couple inches below the surface. At this depth the boat will float in over the trailer until the bow reaches the front most support block on the trailer. At that point the bow is close enough to clip in the winch line and winch the boat the rest of the way on. If the boat hangs up before reaching that front block either you are not deep enough (flat ramp) or you forgot to raise something like the center/dagger board or rudders/motor. Unfortunately getting that deep almost completely submerges the stock goal posts. I recommend extending them by buying a 10' section of PVC pipe and cutting it in half. You can then drop one over each goal post and they will be well clear of the water when backed in. Add a cap to the top of each pipe and drill a 3/8" hole in it to let the air escape so it doesn't float.

2. Have a long bow line.

I'd recommend at least a 25' bow line on the boat. We walk the boat forward along the dock to the trailer. The person at the stern line really is just in charge of the direction the boat is aimed. Using the stern line they can adjust as needed for any wind or current. If the wind is pinning the boat to the dock they might also want a boat hook in hand to push the boat away from the dock. The person at the bow with the longer line controls the speed and initial aim of the boat. Once the bow has passed the goal posts, that person goes all the way down the dock, hops off at the back of the tow vehicle down next to the trailer and then pulls the boat the rest of the way in while the stern person pushes or pulls the stern as needed to keep the boat straight. You need to have a long enough bow line to let you get to dry land and off the dock at the trailer without letting go of the line.

I'm also in the habit of slipping on my rubber boots before launching or loading. This lets me wade out next to the trailer tongue without worrying about getting wet. I also give the trailer a last minute turn before I stop backing in to angle it slightly toward the dock. Ideally you want it slightly cocked toward the dock for loading, with the fenders under the water and the extended goal post within a foot of the dock. Do this, and loading by hand will be so much simpler and stress free than powering the boat onto the trailer with all fins up.

[Kelly Hanson East]

Nicest compliment I ever got at Westport MA ramp (really busy) was when I was loading to pull out, and in pulls in Joe Powerboater - the good kind who is all set up to go, fenders out, ready to launch. He looks at me loading and scowls a bit, and 2 minutes later runs for his truck as he realises I am coming OUT! Walks over to me and said...I had you pegged for at least 20 minutes of fussing, appreciate it.....Captain.

[Snyds]

For what it's worth, I learned here to use ONE line attached to bow and stern, it changed my life!!!! It's actually an old halyard so whatever size that is... I stuff it all between the padding and the seat back while motoring in, dock it (whole other topic with great advise right here), that line is long enough to hook the stern and bow with it. Now I run up to the truck, check the trailer real quick and open my tailgate, back it in as close to the dock as possible (I need my back tires about an inch deep), set brake jump out, un-tie the boat using the long rope it's super easy to control.
Pulling it forward when it gets too close to the dock I give it a little kick, get some momentum, it's easy to get it on. Now I drop the line, jump on my tailgate (or bumper if I forget) grab the rail on the bow (where the mast mounts) push it back a few feet then give it a big pull into the v. Conect winch, tighten, connect safty chain, jump back to dock, toss the rope into the cockpit, check the motor is up!!! Pull it out slow, pull out of the way, brake check (mac bump). Now I check lights and I'm outta there!!! Remember, if you dry store it, the trees hanging over the road!!!!!!!

Wow that was long winded, sorry!!! And I'm on my phone so sorry about the spelling and horrible grammer!

[dreamer]

Snyds great idea with the long rope, gotta try that one.
When launching I leave the rear hatch of the Durango open with rear seats folded down, back up until water is around the bottom of the carpeted v, get out of truck, re-enter through rear door, crawl to back of truck, then I step on trailer tongue to release trailer winch and hook. This way you don,t need to get feet wet. I have always walked the back on the trailer when retrieving, I find it fairly easy to do solo with some practise. If you happen to forget raising the daggerboard or rudders all the way up you may just get a scrape as opposed to breaking something if you motored on.

[c130king]

1. Get the trailer deep enough.

I find at all the ramps around here that means backing in until both fenders are a couple inches below the surface.

Duane,

I agree. However the issue sometimes is the ramps are not steep enough and to get your trailer fenders a couple inches below the surface means backing in so far that your truck tires are way in the water.

Last time I pulled the boat out I had this issue. I had the trailer backed in as far as I could with the back tires of the truck in the water. The front notch where the bow sits on the trailer was still high & dry. It was difficult to get the bow up on the notch (and I still had the ballast in...forgot to dump it ahead of time...which made this a little more difficult). I had to push the boat back out and pull hard to get some momentum...about 3 times...but I got it eventually. And then once out and mast secured I did the ole' "Mac Bump" to get the boat all the way up into the bow roller.

But like you I powered the boat onto the trailer very first time I loaded onto the trailer. And the only other time I have ever done it since was the one time there was no dock...and that was a fun experience as once again the water was VERY shallow and I couldn't have the rudders down and had the engine part way tilted up...got a good pair of shoes soaked that day...

Jim

[Don T]

Hello,
Nicest comment we ever got was at the public ramp in St Helens. Lynn and I did our usual dock side sashay, I ran up and got the van, we were loaded and up the ramp in less than 5 minutes from docking to outta there. As we were pulling the Otter out, one of these two "older" guys who were sitting on a bench next to the ramp said "guess we have to give them an A." The couple who pulled in after us began with the skipper (man) yelling at his first mate (wife presumably). I didn't here their grade but assumed it lowered the curve.

Like Duane, we walk the boat onto the trailer.

[Chinook]

When people see us tie up at the ramp dock, we often attract attention. They seem amazed that a standard boat trailer and pickup can do the job. They seem to figure that the boat is conventionally ballasted, and must have a deep keel. They also assume it will take forever to get her out. We approached our takeout ramp on Lake Champlain one Sunday afternoon, and saw that it was very busy. There had been an event on the lake that day for classic wooden motor launches, and they were queing up to take out. With a light breeze, we had to slowly circle just beyond the dock, waiting our turn to move in and tie up. Those wooden boat owners were more than slow in getting out of the water, and each time a spot at the dock opened up, another would cut in before we could approach. After a while this got old. I finally got an opportunity and tied up so I could retrieve the truck and trailer. One arrogant power boat owner was really obnoxious, growling at my audacity in trying to get out of the water. I think he figured I'd block the ramp while taking the rig down. In 5 minutes we were pulled out. His wife walked over, while we were lowering the mast in the parking lot and out of every one's way and apologized for her husband's boorish behavior.

Speaking of boat launch scenes, those of you in the Seattle area might want to visit Coulon Park in Renton, on Lake Washington on some sunny Sunday afternoon during the peak of boating season. Don't bring the boat, just a comfortable folding chair and a cooler of iced beverages. It's unbelievably entertaining to just sit and watch the mob scene at the boat ramp lanes, with all the boats trying to get off the water.