What not to do

starcrafttom · Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 1:03 pm Post subject: What not to do

Do not take your safety chain off until the boat is in the water. Yes you will get your feet wet but that is a small price to pay compared to the other possibility. This goes for bunks as well as roller trailers. NOT MY BOAT> https://www.facebook.com/TowBoatUSVentura/photos/a.463925037372535/1202500163515015/

DayBreak · Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 1:48 pm Post subject:

Ouch! That is a 23 Venture or older Cape Cruiser.

Tom, your advise also goes with making sure your safety chain is attached to the boat before pulling out and driving up the ramp. Complacency will eventually lead to this type of mishap.

Hunkydory · Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 2:18 pm Post subject:

No safety chain for me when launching, but I do attach during retrieval. The safety chain will bind when the stern rises going in the water & then I can’t get it loose. Also, most of the ramps I use are on the shallow side, so it takes a quick stop in reverse to get the boat loose of the trailer. Otherwise I’m straining to push it off or truck deeper in the water, then I prefer. So my method for launch is to disconnect the safety chain, but leave the winch strap connected with enough slack to quick stop to get the entire boat floating between the trailer quides. For extra caution, most of the time, I also keep a line attached from the cleat behind the windless to the trailer winch stand with the same amount of slack in it as the trailer winch strap.

I’ve never had the hint of a problem with the boat leaving the trailer before desired, but on some very shallow launches, like directly into the Yukon River on a gravel bar it has been a fight to get it off.

Jay

RobMcClain · Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 3:02 pm Post subject:

This surprises me. The ramp doesn’t look very steep and the trailer has full bunks. This boat is a Cape Cruiser build because the full hull stripe goes all the way to the bow, unlike the traditional C-Dory bow stripe applied to all of their models, including the Venture. We have a 2006 Venture model Cape Cruiser on a bunk trailer and our launching technique is similar to what Jay does. I take off the safety chain but keep the winch strap attached with a few inches of slack until much of the boat is in the water. I then remove the winch strap and back the trailer down a bit more to float off the boat. Our boat needs a lot of water under it before it will budge backward and off the trailer even a few inches, and we’ve been on some pretty steep ramps. Can’t imagine it sliding off the trailer, especially on such a shallow ramp. I wonder if there is more to the story captured by the photo…. Regardless of the ramp slope though, we’ll never start the launching process without the winch strap attached.

Rob

lloyds · Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 4:43 pm Post subject:

Saw about a 30' boston whaler on a triple axle trailer start to back down the ramp last summer at newport, chain and winch unhooked. Had to stay and watch, expected a real disaster, but nope, they survived. Port of newport has a pretty steep ramp. I tend to leave strap and chain hooked as I have a roller trailer. Strap broke last year, which for me would have been really bad if the boat had taken off.

colbysmith · Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 5:49 pm Post subject:

I also unhook the safety chain. However I leave the winch strap attached, and unroll a very short distance of it. I've never had my Searay Sundancer, CD-22 or CD-25 begin to slide off the bunks, and that's even on very steep ramps. (Although on steep ramps, I don't unhook the safety chain or loosen the winch strap until I'm down next to the water.) Must have been a very slick bottom on this boat, with liquid rollers or something on the bunks. Colby

tsturm · Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 7:30 pm Post subject:

I also un hook both at the top of the ramp, Always have Thumbs Up

gulfcoast john · Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 7:36 pm Post subject:

I’m not buying it. I bet it’s a photo stunt. The boat isn’t in deep enough to be floating. Did the boat sink there at a higher tide?

There are only two pictures, but in the next picture the boat is on floatation bags getting pulled out into the water and the trailer is gone.

[img]https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/190193486_1202500166848348_6428946460358995442_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=a26aad&_nc_ohc=0UsR6PCjp10AX8YI6Ep&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=f508696b9e25a3e27749bd8210ae5d0d&oe=60CFEE82[/img]

Why would a boat that can float need to be supported on floatation bags?

A trailer has nothing to do with that situation. I don’t buy that this boat could slide off that dry bunk trailer at that ramp under any reasonable conditions, including Colby’s. Maybe with a custom truck reverse gear that allows backing down at 10 MPH before slamming on the custom super brakes, but why would any owner do that?

Our experience mirrors Hunky Dorys’. The safety chain is too short to allow a do-over on a really steep ramp. I reel out 2-3 feet of winch strap and disconnect as I climb aboard to start engines and power off. Eileen then backs the truck in another foot or two on my signal until the front fender is 2-4 inches underwater. At most ramps I can then back off with minimal reverse throttle...under 2000RPM.

I concur with ‘use a safety chain in addition to winch strap and don’t disconnect either until the trailer is in the water’ but the boat doesn’t need to be floating (roller trailers exception).

Interesting pictures, and I wonder what happened there. Alternate speculation welcome. TowboatUS is not revealing what happened here, just pictures without context or comment.

John

hardee · Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 8:40 pm Post subject:

Totally agree, there has to be more to that story. The V-23 didn't slide off that bunk trailer, (at least VERY highly unlikely) on that ramp, even with Dry Roller spray on the bunks.... I use that and always unhook the chain prior to going over the break at the top of the ramp. The Winch strap stays on until I am back to the water, but the boat has never slid 1 inch until it is backed into the water deep enough to cover the trailer fenders.

It would be nice and helpful to have the rest of that story.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

starcrafttom · Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 1:36 pm Post subject:

wow? so people are just lying for attention??? If the bunks were wet it will slide. I have seen boat slide off bunks before including my old ski boat that I had to pick up off the road. Not sure if this is was on launch or retrieve. The bags under the ass end to roll it down to the water seemed like a great idea but I guess some people are not that smart. Just because it has not happened to you or you cant seem to figure it out does not make it a fake . Starting to wander why I even share stuff like this here. The guy that it happened to was nice enough to share his embarrassing mistake as a warning to others and you guys shit on it. Pull your heads out.

flagold · Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 3:12 pm Post subject:

It happens. Those bunks can get very slick especially with a boat used a lot. The two Whaler Walkarounds I ran I used to launch solo because after unhooking the chain, a gentle nudge and they'd slide right down the bunks as if greased (and actually they are water+oils all it takes).

TyBoo · Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 3:48 pm Post subject:

cmetzenberg · Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 5:43 pm Post subject:

cmetzenberg · Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 5:46 pm Post subject:

bobjarrard · Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 7:12 pm Post subject: line over the bow

I have used a line over the bow and out to a turn block on the trailer winch riser post and then back along the side of the boat. If you use a floating line, no danger in just letting her run once you are free of the trailer and with a tag line you can bring the main line back to you without going forward. There are also fancy pull to snap open devices but that costs a lot more than a bit of line and maybe one turning swiveling block from the junk box at the local chandlery. Happy Boating this Weekend. If you are at Mead near the dam end, give me a call and come have a brew and or bite with us. Bob Jarrard 714 686-2728
PS: If you are at Powell, hope ya got a long pole or good oars!!! BJ