It’s that time again. You know, end of the sailing season for us that live north of 38N. My marina closes Oct 14th so I knew I would have to get my M out and put her into storage soon. The winds have been too strong and gusty to safely put her on the trailer, so I waited all week for the winds do die off. Never happened. Had to take her out in 50 mile an hour winds. Not good. I was almost knocked off the boat several times while taking down the mast, sails, rigging etc. When it was time to drive her onto the trailer the winds were 90 degrees to the ramp at 30-55 mph. I remember thinking how I could not believe the winds were so strong for the whole week. Can’t remember that ever happening before. Anyway, I was underhanded the day I took her out. Just me and one helper. So I figured I would try and drive the boat onto the trailer.
With the winds at 90 degrees, I had to leave the keel down to the last second and come at the trailer with more speed than I would have liked, pulling the board up just as I crossed over the back of the trailer. Just as I did that, the boat took off leeward, I tried to compensate, the boat crabbed, the bow crossed over to the right of the big V and ….. CRUNCH!! The bow pushed the right hand piece of felt covered wood off the steel plate it was attached to at the bottom V on the bed of the trailer and the plate cut into the hull and left a 2 inch gash a ¼ inch deep. It did not go through, but it is well into the glass.
1. Any tips for driving the boat onto the trailer?
2. Any tips on how to repair the damage?
Thanks in advance.
G
Last edited by beene on Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
We never drive onto the trailer, we only float it on by hand using lines, but then we always pick ramps with docks. The last 3 trips we haven't even put the trailer in the water, we have used sling launches that just pick the boat up out of the water and set it on the trailer. Much easier, we could get spoiled real fast.
I had trouble with the trailer crossbar removing the gel coat down to the glass on the bow when I first got the boat. It hit the metal bar before the bow vee block. I installed a roller to guide it into the vee block. The roller doesn't carry any weight when fully loaded, it just gets the bow smoothly into the block. We usually float the boat up to the roller, then winch it onto the roller and into the bow block.
I repaired the damage with white Marine Tex. It's easy to mix and use. It will trowel very smooth with any wet object. Keep the plastic trowel or you finger wet and you can shape and smooth it to a finish that will require no sanding. It's a pretty good match to the white mac gel coat. If your's is blue you might have a tougher time.
Mind you we're at 48 degrees North and often use the boat year round. Boating can be very nice in the winter, we had a lovely new years trip a few years ago out watching the midnight fireworks show at the space needle. Not everyone north of 38 degrees has to pack it in for the winter.
That sling thing sounds nice. Not usually available where I launch. The roller sounds like a great idea, will have to look into that. Thanks for the tip on the patch kit, my hull is white also, so should do the trick.
I am at 44N and the lake freezes solid enough that trucks drive right out on it and go ice fishing in the winter. So all year use is NOT going to happen for me anyway. I am happy for you though. Can’t imagine being able to sail all year.
I use some PVC guide post extenders, I found them in the mods section under trailering. If you search you can find a mod with PVC side rails as well. I don't drive on either, I walk it on with a a 40 foot line running from the bow to the stern, gives great control. I keep a boathook at hand to push the boat away from the dock if needed. If I have help I put them up front to pull forward and clip the bow strap on. So far I haven't needed to add a roller, but it's on my list.
I too use the walk on method . But occasionaly I am by myself, so I use the technique that has been discussed earlier here on the board. I tie a lie from one of the uprights, around the winch post and back to the other upright at the rear of the trailer. This gives me a V shaped fence to guide me in and on the trailer. Thanks to whomever came up with this.
beene wrote:1. Any tips for driving the boat onto the trailer?
2. Any tips on how to repair the damage?
Yeah, what Duane said on both counts. It really is soo much easier to pull the boat onto the trailer than to drive it on... I know, driving it on just seems like the more manly thing to do... Believe me, I fought long and hard on this. But, I finally just succumed to the FACT that pulling the boat on is really the best way to go...
Also, if your ramp has a dock upwind, just tie the boat loosely to the dock, such that the wind holds it well off the dock. Then, you can back the trailer right under the boat... This looks at least as cool as driving the boat on...
Ohh, and yeah, there is a MarineTex'd spot on the bow of my boat too... Two things here: 1 - wear gloves, at least (the stuff ain't hypoallergenic); and 2 - pay attention to temperature (you need the putty and the boat to be warm)... If you have AC available, a shop light with a regular high wattage incandecent bulb might do the trick...
During the three weeks between the time we ordered our 26M in July and the day we took delivery (August 4th) we watched the Mac video almost every night, and got lulled into thinking that it was easy to drive on to the trailer, and that the goal-posts would give good visual clues, and the V-bar at the front would give you protection against running the boat into your vehicle so that you could be 'firm' about driving it on. Real life is not quite the same as the video. No doubt, the goalposts do help, but not much. Visibilty of what is close in front of the boat is all but nil from the helm, and it is all to easy to be too aggressive when driving the boat. First the motor drowns out any warning noises there might be, and you don't have any real 'feel' for obstructions (not until they have caused significant damage). Trying to align the boat with the trailer in anything more than a gentle crosswind or current is, I found, cause for anxiety. If you have other factors such as a line up of other boaters, a narrow approach channel, and a crown of onlookers (any weekend at Grand Bend), you can rachet up the anxiety level a few notches, and it becomes hard to maintain your cool, calm, savoir faire. I found that the difficulty in recovering the boat started to affect my decision on whether to go sailing or not...if it looked like the wind was in a direction that would make it difficult, we didn't go. Crazy.
In September we took the boat to Belleville, and there we tried the "pull it on the trailer gently" approach, which I found much more relaxing, and a lot easier on the boat. Granted, we didn't have much wind to contend with, but even if we had, pulling the boat on is the way to go. If you have a choice, be on the lee side of the dock so the wind is blowing the boat off the dock, then make sure you have good long lines on the bow and stern so that you can draw the boat in straight. You need at least two people, unless it is dead calm.
For pics of the damage I did to my boat powering it on, see:
picassaweb.google.com/rickjnav/theboat
Nice ALbum Rick - and I appreciate seeing those PFDs on all the time (one of my many missions on this board, second only to promoting pea green hull colour)
for safety's sake, just say NO if the wind is 50 mph at right angles to the ramp. Retreat and wait to the wind dies to 20 mph or less on some other day or night. Damage to yourself or crew, the boat or trailer is not worth the risk of either driving on, or trying to handle with lines.
Night Sailor wrote:just say NO if the wind is 50 mph at right angles to the ramp.
Ok, 50mph is a little heavy winds...
But, if the wind is at a right angle to the ramp AND if the dock is upwind, (and the wind isn't hurricane force), I'd argue this is actually a good thing... See my note above about backing the trailer under the boat. Use the wind to hold the boat off the dock, the boat being tied to the dock with slack.
Well, I almost always drive my boat onto the trailer as there is no dock at my main ramp. I've damaged the trailer but never the boat. I once forgot that my ballast was full and knocked off the front V block. But this was partially because it was rusted out....especially the bolts. I replaced it with a new block and added a roller. Also, one of my goalposts busted off in a crosswind, but it was also rusted mostly through at the time.
With a protected ramp, you shouldn't have it too bad but if the conditions are not good and I don't think the bow will make it into the snub area, then I halt a few feet short of that and ask my wife to catch the bow and winch it in the last few feet. If I am singlehanding at a ramp with a dock , then I will use the double line method to walk it on, but this situation doesn't present itself very often around my neck of the woods.
great pictures. My first time putting my boat on the trailer was in a small craft advisory with heavy winds off my port stern. I successfully docked it right in front of the ramp then backed the trailer 10 feet in front of it. I told my wife,"no problem, I'm just going to give it a little reverse to port to get it a couple of feet off the dock, then just drive it on". Famous last words....
As I turned the wheel to port and put it in reverse, it just drifted back straight along the dock. As I left the end of the dock and the wind started pushing me starboard towards the rocks and wall, I noticed that the engine was not adhering to my steering commands. The ring-ding that holds the motor steering bar onto the rudder bar was missing!!! I had no way to steer the boat! Fortunately, I was able to put the bar over the pin long enough to straighten out and head back to the dock before it fell off again. And, more fortunately, my wife stayed on the dock, I yelled to my 12 yr old son to throw her a bow line and get it cleated. I thought I just lost my new boat. After replacing the ring-ding at the dock (now I am on the opposite side of the ramp.), I again motored out to make a run into the trailer. After 4 attempts I was able to get the right speed and the right crab into the wind to guide onto the trailer. Wheeew! It was easily an hour evolution.
The next time I had to put it back on, my wife was supposed to meet me at the dock to help dock and trailer. I got there before her, backed the trailer in and decided that I couldn't drive it on myself without someone at the winch to catch the bow and winch it in. So, I just grabbed the bow and stern lines and gently (and easily) walked it onto the trailer. I held onto the bow line as I rounded the nose and winched it up. All in about 3 minutes.
Now, I just walk it on. Takes only a few minutes, and I can almost guarantee it gets on in the first approach. I even got the orange boat hook from West Marine that allows me to hook the winch to the back of the boat hook so I can reach it to the nose if it too far. Don't think I will ever drive it on again.
I powered on the first two times 'cause the other ramp guys were doing it. The last 8 times I walked it on with ropes and it is easy! Btw, I'm counting, and with 23 days as an X owner, we have been out 10 times (without the mast). All using trailer each time. We've got it down to about 15 minutes from ramp arrival to motor away.
I am getting docking experience on various restaurant, hotel and city docks. The admiral docked almost by herself tonight. (Yes, "night". With water-side lights in abundance, we can motor way after dark (but only at 3 hours on each side of high tide due to the poor ramp we use there.))
I try to anchor two or three times each trip. My skills (never owned a boat before) and the admiral's are improving. November will be a "mast-on" next step.
