Christening the new boat

[ecoronad]

I assume you the boat/trailer is drive on/drive off. Otherwise if it's done by winch, during retrieve with a strong cross or tail wind, we usually connect the end of the bow rope to the back corner from where the wind is coming from to help maintain the alignment of the boat to the trailer when retrieving. This gives us total control of the front and back of the boat and use the wind to our advantage. But of course practice makes perfect when it comes to using things for the first time. Good haul btw.

[purple5ive]

Sounds like a great technique. Ill have to figure it out for next time.
So attach the winch rope at the back of the boat on the side of where the wind is coming from.them wind the winch handle to get the boat in?
So 2 people needed yeah

[ecoronad]

Sounds like a great technique. Ill have to figure it out for next time.
So attach the winch rope at the back of the boat on the side of where the wind is coming from.them wind the winch handle to get the boat in?
So 2 people needed yeah

Yes two people required. See attached pic. Person B is standing on the jetty controlling the boat with the rope attached to the bow and the port/stern of the boat, hence the rope needs to be fairly long. Person B uses the wind to allow the boat to drift towards the trailer whilst holding the attached rope. Person A standing at the trailer then connects the winch cable to the boat and commence winching the boat onto the trailer. Person B releases the rope only once the boat is onto the trailer rollers.

We use this technique when the wind is blowing the boat towards the trailer. Hope this helps.

[purple5ive]

ahh ok i gte it.
in my case, the wind was coming from where you have written BOAT. and was pushing me into the jetty. if i adjusted too much i was on the ramp, too little and i hit the jetty loll. due to being new the steering and throttle was quite tight, so by the time i made adjustments it was too late.

[ecoronad]

If you're using the steering and throttle then I assume your driving the boat onto the trailer.

Otherwise,

At the mornington boat ramp, if the wind is from the north west (where I've written BOAT), then what I usually do is have the last roller just under the water. I drive the boat towards the trailer with just enough to throttle to allow me to steer the boat towards the roller. Once close enough to the trailer, I cut the engine and sit on the bow of the boat with my feet dangling over the bow and allow the wind to drift me towards the trailer. Along the side of the rollers of the trailer we have a solid bit of timber that allows us to stand on the trailer quite comfortably. I step of the bow of the boat onto the timber and attach the winch cable to the boat.

The second person (driver of the car/trailer) then commences winching the boat onto the trailer whilst I make sure the keel of the boat is aligned to the rollers. As the boat is being winch onto the trailer, the timber allows me to stand comfortably on the trailer without losing balance. Being a poly boat, you should have no problems keeping the boat steady during the winching process. Just remember to use the last roller as a pivot point to keep the stern of the boat aligned to the trailer. Having somewhere to stand on the back of the trailer is the key. That's why the timber is there.

I also use this technique when there is no jetty and the wind is pushing the boat towards the shore line.

[purple5ive]

Thanks. Ill have to do something similar.
I don't have rollers. Cant use them on poly boats. Skids only. And they were all out of the water. It was a tough time to retrieve due to the weather and everything else against me haha.
Im sure ill do better next time. Famous last words

[frozenpod]

The Skids need to be in the water mate.

How far back was your trailer into the water?

Rough guide for trailer depth (depends on design of boat, trailer and angle of the ramp).

Launching check when the rear chines just start touching the water then go back roughly another 0.5m.

Retreaving, rear chines touching the water work out roughly the trailer location when you are launching.

[purple5ive]

Yeah i.know the skids have to be in the water. But if any of you were there on the day. The waves were so bad that if the car was backed in any more, water would have come past the rear wheels and almost half way down the vehicle. So i didnt want to chance it by backing in any more.
Besides that i got an extendable drawbar made for exactly these kind of situations but didnt end up using it as i thought we wouldnt need it. And the decky didnt know how to release the extension.
My fault really.

[Davo44]

Hey nice boat and good effort. Just curious as to what boat it is. Thanks

[ducky]

Nice work mate. Might have been hairy but would give you a fair bit of confidence about what it can handle now.