launching from and returning to trailer

[DanaDCole]

I haven't even started to build my boat yet, but I find myself thinking a lot about this problem: I sailed with Captain Charlie on his PocketShip a while back, and we had quite a bit of trouble getting his boat off and especially back on the trailer in a fairly brisk cross-wind. I don't see how I would do it by myself. Just so you'll know, we launched from the trailer and used a long line to pull it over to the dock, then reversed the process getting it back on the trailer--not a very elegant solution. He said later that he should have "driven" it off and on with the outboard. That would have meant that he would have used a stepladder to board and debark the boat, and I would have driven his vehicle. So I have some questions about doing this single-handed:

Are you able to climb up into the anchor well while the boat is still on the trailer and clamber back to the stern to drive it off?

When returning to shore, is it possible to reverse this process, i.e., drive the boat onto the trailer, then climb out of it somehow? (And hope it does not slide back down into the water in the meantime.)

If the answer to the above questions is no, what does one do? One idea might be to put a small stepladder by the bow when launching and climb into the anchor well that way and then back to the stern. When returning to the dock, one would put the ladder in the anchor well after backing the trailer into the water, then lower it to the ground after driving onto the trailer. Both these operations require the boat to stay in place while you are climbing in or out.

Is there a better way I haven't thought of? There is usually someone around to help, but sometimes not, or at any rate not someone you can trust for whatever reason.

Also, I want to try to use the motor as little as possible and am always trying to figure out ways to avoid it. I'm not very good at sculling, though, and even if I were I don't think it would work very well in this situation, especially with a cross-wind.

[Dave Archer]

Launching Precious Little off of her trailer is no sweat. I just have to find a boat ramp with enough depth if I want to launch with the trailer attached to the car. If the ramp is shallow, then I push the trailer using just the jockey wheel out into sufficient depth to get her to float off. The bowsprit is a great leaver too. I attach a rope onto the bow to just pull her back into the shallow water for easy boarding etc. To retrieve the trailer, I use a length of rope back to the vehicle and tow it out.

Getting Precious Little back onto the trailer is not easy. There is no way that you can see the bottom of the keelson to align it with the carpeted box channel. It's quite deep in the water. If the trailer is too deep, it is easy to miss! to help with this I have constructed little "wings" to guide the keelson into the right place but in a cross wind it is not easy. Again the bowsprit is a useful lever. I must say that I am still a novice as Precious Little has only been in the water about 6 times now.

Good luck with your build. It is worth every minute. Don't count the dollars!

[DanaDCole]

Dave,

Thanks for your ideas. I found out recently about a product that might help with the ramp problem you discussed. It is a tongue extension that mounts under your trailer when hauling, and can be added to the tongue when launching. Here is the website: http://xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com .

The thing is expensive, but I would think some of the engineers out there, like Pete (Tattoo) could figure out how to build one. I've been thinking of fabricating a short version for my little Skerry trailer just to make it easier to back. The trailer is so short that if you screw up and it gets a little too far out of line it's really hard to get it going back the way you want it to. The upside of that, though, is that if I ever get really good at backing that little devil I should be great with the longer ones!

Anyway, thanks for your ideas and insights--very helpful. I agree it's pretty hard to be sure the keel is in the trough (unless you want to do some scuba diving) and I like your idea for the "wings." Do you have any pictures?

The lake I usually sail on has another ramp on the other side that is in a little sheltered cove. I think on windier days I'll use that one. A longer drive, but probably worth the trouble.

[3wtk]

To align the keel with the U-shaped channel the following solution I saw in Europe a couple of years ago might help. A lot of trailers had 2 inflatable tires mounted at the end of the channel. The tires are mounted in the horizontal plane with the circumference of the tires in line with the walls of the channel. As the keel approaches the channel the tires will guide it. The soft tires will not damage the keel. Here is a link to inflatable tires with plastic rims: http://www.amazon.com/Low-Speed-Pneumat ... lastic+rim.

[captain charlie]

I'm not sure that I understand how Dave gets on his boat when launching - using a ladder of some sort? I tried a rope ladder to get out of the water into the boat and didn't have much luck. I ended up using the foot shoe that Pete had recommended, on the transom. But without a sandy bottom, I'd be afraid my boat would run on the rocks before I could get control. The last two times I launched by myself, I made sure it was at a place that had a dock close by. Any thoughts on this? captain charlie

[DanaDCole]

John Harris says he steps on the trailer spare and climbs into the anchor well. Of course he's a bit taller than most. I still think it might work to put the stepladder near the bow and use it to climb in. May have to go to a 6-foot stepladder.

Then when you return, put the ladder in the anchor well after you back the trailer into the water and while the boat is still tied to the dock. Then if you are able to motor it far enough onto the trailer you can climb to the well and lower the ladder from there.

I admit the returning part seems kind of worrisome. For one thing you would need to do some tests to figure out exactly how far to back the trailer in. Then practice lowering the ladder, etc.

It would be necessary to have a helper when you are working out both these operations, and the helper should have a line that is attached to the bow. I'm trying all this out in my head, and it could be completely bogus. Hope I can figure it out when I get my boat built. Otherwise it will become a pretty yard ornament.