Dump ballast before loading on trailer?

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

Almost always our ballast is empty when we load. On our final passage we drain in the water when we stop sailing. We tend to make mostly long multi-day trips so no driving in circles is required. Why clog up the ramp for 10 minutes when you can do it on the way to the dock. In practice our tank is usually empty far before then.

Having the ballast tank full around the dock doesn't do anything to improve the boats handling. If anything it makes handling worse as you have to put on the brakes earlier to stop the heavier boat. I don't find having the tank full reduces the way the wind affects the boat either.

When under power we always drain the tank. I have operated my X for over a 1000 Nautical miles of cruising under power with the tank empty without any handling problems from the boat. I only fill the tank for sailing, for anchoring overnight in a exposed anchorage, or if I expect a very rough passage with steep closely spaced waves. In the first two the full tank reduces side to side rolling, in the last condition the full tank reduces the boats tendancy to launch into the air off every second wave.

We also never drive the boat onto the trailer. We pick ramps with floats and just walk the boat onto the trailer using a bow and stern line keeping it under our complete control. Why release it from the dock and give it up to the wind and water gods wills as you try to drive on when you can keep it on a leash.

[Mark Prouty]

Having the ballast tank full around the dock doesn't do anything to improve the boats handling. If anything it makes handling worse as you have to put on the brakes earlier to stop the heavier boat. I don't find having the tank full reduces the way the wind affects the boat either.

Interesting observation. I can understand putting on the brakes (slow down the boat) earilier for a fully ballested boat. But doesn't it stand to reason that a fully ballasted boat won't blow as much in a cross wind because it is heavier. There is also less freeboard on a fully ballasted boat for the wind to push although this is probably nominal.

[Chip Hindes]

This takes a bit more time and so works particularly well on a cold, rainy Tuesday when no one else wants to use the ramp.

You got the time part right. It's kind of off subject but it brings up one of my pet peeves.

I'm quite conscious of ramp etiquette, as there are frequently long lines where we launch. I always try to do as much as possible in advance of actually being on the ramp. I run through the parking lot to get my trailer. I've practiced enough so I can back right down the ramp, first time every time.

I don't think it takes me more than about three minutes to back down, load up and be out of there, including an extra 30 seconds or so to finish draining the ballast (on the ramp). I think draining it on the ramp is preferable to draining it in the parking lot.

Most people appreciate courtesy and competence on the ramp, and don't begrudge a few extra seconds here and there as long as you're making good progress and especially doing only what needs to be done. I know I do. But cripes, I've seen a number of people take ten or twelve minutes on the ramp when there were others waiting. It takes some of these knuckleheads three or four tries just to back their trailer down the ramp. I once watched a guy with a Jeep CJ jacknife his trailer fourteen times (I counted) trying to back down the ramp. His wife was standing on the ramp the whole time shouting incoherently and waving her arms wildly. It would have been quite comical if I hadn't been just offshore motoring in circles waiting for him to clear the ramp dock. Finally, a volunteer bystander backed it for him.

I've waited and fumed while others get the boats on the trailers, pull part way up the ramp, and then realize the boat's crooked; so then they have to back down and refloat; some of them several times. Or they pull out, then start unloading and carrying stuff to the tow vehicle while blocking the ramp.

I know none of those on this board are like those I'm talking about.

Having observed discourtesy and downright incompetence on the ramps more times than I care to count, if anyone would ever have the audacity to complain about how long it takes me to drain the ballast, they may be told to put their heads where the sun don't shine. Nobody ever has.

End of rant.

[Mark Prouty]

Boat ramps can be very humorous to observe. I have seen people getting angry at themselves, their crew and others around them. At the end of a weekend day, I have observed intoxicated people trying to perform actions they probably aren't too good at sober. Someone could write a book.

[Jack O'Brien]

Chip wrote:

"I once watched a guy with a Jeep CJ jacknife his trailer fourteen times (I counted) trying to back down the ramp. His wife was standing on the ramp the whole time shouting incoherently and waving her arms wildly."

You know it HAD to be his wife - a girl friend would have walked away forever.

Allah, please bless our long-suffering wives.

[mark,97x]

did i mention that the mate backs the trailer down the ramp into the water and does the studder step pullout while i remain on the mac,,as for amusing she used to do it with my 4 cyd toyota p/u b4 we bought the dodge,and some folks (most of which,smoked tires and backed sideways)were amazed at her ability,and only 1x did i go crashing from the deck into the cockpit(which is where i now sit on retreivals)

[southwind]

To help guide and center my boat on the trailer I used a mod from the"Modification - trailer" section called "Trailer guides" by Robert Lee posted June 22, 2001. This work great. Not only does it guide the boat on and centers it but make a perfect place to stand on the trailer.[/url]

[mgg4]

One thought, though - you might want to change your tip regarding the goal post extensions - try drilling the vent-hole in the side of the extension tubes just below the lip of the cap, instead of in top of the cap - that way they won't collect rain!

There are drain holes at the bottom of the original goalposts. Any rain that might make it's way into the tops would drain out the bottom. However, either way you want to drill it would work.

--Mark

[Richard O'Brien]

In Roger's new video he is shown motoring onto the trailer pretty hard. He says this causes no problems, as the big V, and "goalposts" keep it aligned, and they an take it? Anyone else do this? I always hook it up and crank it on, except for that last couple of inches you can never get until the boat is completely resting on the trailer.

[mgg4]

In Roger's new video he is shown motoring onto the trailer pretty hard. He says this causes no problems, as the big V, and "goalposts" keep it aligned, and they an take it? Anyone else do this? I always hook it up and crank it on, except for that last couple of inches you can never get until the boat is completely resting on the trailer.

Because of the configuration of the ramp where I launch, I power onto the trailer every time I recover. The first few times were a challenge, but now I've got it mostly figured out. Every once in a while something strange happens, and I get cross-wise to the trailer, but so far I've not had to dig out the gel coat repair kit for over a year. (Yes, there is a story there, and if you're interested I'll tell it again.)

The most important advice I can give anyone attempting to power onto the trailer is that a slow pace works better. Best to have just enough way on to maintain steerage, and not enough to do damage if you hit something you aren't aiming at. Also a longer run gives you a chance to work out the crab angles and get aligned with the trailer better.

Other advice is to make sure when you back your trailer in, put the bow bunks in the water so that at least half of each bunk is submerged. This will reduce the impact of the boat on the bunks, and you won't have to replace the bunks. (Yes, there is another story there, related to the first one.)

Would I drive on if I had a choice? Probably not. I would much rather walk the boat on, as there is MUCH less chance for something screwy happening. However, when you have to, it's nice to know how.



--Mark

[kmclemore]

One thought, though - you might want to change your tip regarding the goal post extensions - try drilling the vent-hole in the side of the extension tubes just below the lip of the cap, instead of in top of the cap - that way they won't collect rain!

There are drain holes at the bottom of the original goalposts. Any rain that might make it's way into the tops would drain out the bottom. However, either way you want to drill it would work.--Mark

Yeah, I agree, Mark, but often those drain holes in the bottom are clogged with debris or rust bits... and even if the drains are clear, we all know the high-quality steel that these puppies are made of - they rust with little more than humidity nearby(!)... just thought changing the vent location might help prevent future problems.

[Frank C]

Actually, rain is definitely the lesser problem if you're sailing mostly on saltwater. The problem with most Mac trailers in my marina is the saltwater residue that remains inside the goal posts.

I've never added the PVC goal post covers, but I would drill a couple of lateral holes just beneath the PVC endcap. It permits flooding the PVC to keep the PVC from floating.

The other problem you'll note in a saltwater dry lot is the bottom rest where the PVC rests on the curve of the metal post. That spot is usually extra-corroded - I guess because the contact point holds some salt water right there. I think I'd like to cut them a little short so they don't quite rest on metal at the bottom. And when rinsing the brakes, a quick flush of the goal posts with fresh water couldn't hurt, eh?

[Greg]

In Roger's new video he is shown motoring onto the trailer pretty hard. He says this causes no problems, as the big V, and "goalposts" keep it aligned, and they an take it? Anyone else do this? I always hook it up and crank it on, except for that last couple of inches you can never get until the boat is completely resting on the trailer.

The water ballast was full on my last retrieve so the boat sat a little lower in the water since I usually drain the ballast before loading. I backed the vehicle in the water up to the rims, which is more than I normally have to, but the bow still sat too low to slide onto the foreward bunks. I pushed the boat back a couple feet and pulled hard to bump her up onto the bunks and the bunks broke right off. I had to run the boat out to drain the ballast , then hand position the foreward bunks to load. The factory 2x4's are not pressure treated and the bolts are steel- not stainless. 2002 trailer- rotten bunkboards and almost rusted through bolts- I wouldn,t recommend motoring the boat onto the trailer, especially with full ballast.
Greg

[DLT]

Yeah, I learned this lesson the hard way too. I bent the hull out of a bow bunk board support, pulling the bolt (with a very small head by the way) through the board, thereby leaving the support free to gouge my boat...

It takes more time, but I've become a convert to launching and loading by hand, i.e. not driving the boat onto the trailer, but pulling it on with a bow line...

It is just easier and I simply don't get frustrated this way...

I do, however, keep the ballast in until I get it on the trailer.

Typically, I:

Power the boat to the dock at the ramp, with full ballast and boards down.
Then, after tieing off, pull up the boards and raise motor.
Remove the forward tank vent plug (leaving the plug in the dam) and open the transom valve.

This way, as soon as the boat gets inclined on the trailer, the tank starts draining. I pull the boat out, get it seated on the trailer, and park it ~300' from the ramp before I close the transom valve. By then, the tank is empty, having lost the vast majority (if not all) of the water on the long pull up the ramp...

[Miami]

If you pull the boat out with ballast in, and bring the boat to level ground before the water ballast has completely drained, will all the ballast drain?

In other words, will ALL the water drain from the ballast tank when the 26X is on level ground?

It seems, from eyeballing the curvature of the boat bottom, that some of the water ballast remains in the boat if you rely on draining on level ground.

I don't have much experience with this as I only launched my boat once in late May when I bought it and have never taken it out of the water yet.