Launching a C-Dory TomCat

[TWO-DAWGS]

Hello:
The one problem I have had with my TomCat is that it sits very high on the trailer because the twin hulls require the hull bottom(s) to be over the trailer wheels. On a steep ramp and deep water that is not a problem. But on a shallow ramp, it can be very difficult to get the boat to start to move off the trailer. Well I had a good idea, for once. I through-bolted a smaller (1500 lbs) winch below the main winch on the winch post, ran a heavy nylon rope to the back of the trailer and through a heavy-duty block (pulley) and back up to the front of the trailer. This works because there is nothing but empty space in between the twin-hulls. Now when I get in a shallow water launch situation, I snap the hook on the bow eye and winch the boat right off the trailer. I have no idea if this is an original idea, but it works great. I thought other TomCat owners might be able to use the idea too. It also means that I have a line on the boat until I unhook it in case I am by myself or my line handler is caught napping. Yf, TWO-DAWGS.

[Brock]

I came across the above post while trolling through the bilge of the archives. I was wondering how it would work on a TC 255? It seems like a good idea. Anyone heard of this being done?

Two Dogs? You out there?

Brock

[thataway]

I had considered this for the 255 (hadn't seen this post before). I would use a snatch block and cable--but it could not go all of the way back on my float on trailer--I have cross bars (and I believe that the Easyloaders for the 255 also have cross bars) in the center bunks as braces. Thus you could only use the aft line about 12 feet from the bow eye. Also the geometry would allow the line to rub on the hull. I had considered a mount for an electric winch for pulling the boat on the first 10 feet of the trailer mounted low--that winch uses cable. The winch I have on the stand winch uses strap.

We have slicks on the foreward 8 feet of the bunks, and this allows fairly easy launching. Our hulls are above the fenders. I measured 32" as my trailer sits unloaded, and Discovery's is 31" off the ground loaded. So they seem comperable.

I haven't measured the depth when we launched--but one has to have at least 36" at the aft end to even get water around the hulls--and probably closer to 48" to begin to float the boat off the trailer. So far the ramps we have used have been adequate. But I am thinking of building an 8 foot long I beam dolly, which would have a trailer hitch right over a set of High capacity 12" wheels--that the hitch would rest on--and then the foreward end of this I beam would have another trailer hitch on it--no brakes, and it would involve blocking the trailer tires after the boat was at the water's edge. But I can envision this as being light weight and getting the boat at least 8 feet further down the ramp. As Brent pointed out, it would have to be done at a time when the ramp is not busy. I would also have safety chains on the trailer.

We have powered on and off of the trailer thus far--and only used the winch to snug up the boat after it was on the level. Also we recommend a chain from the frame to the bow eye because of the slicks.

[Bob Cat]

I have launched and retrieved Dive Cat, or vice versa when she had a slip, over 30 times. It took awhile to figure out the formula that works for me.

I back the truck down until the dual rears are about 3' from the water. The stern of the boat is floating but the bow is dry. I release the strap and chain, block the rear truck tires, and power her off. The electric/hydraulic brake assy is well clear of the water. I, too, have the bunk slicks at the forward end of the trailer.

To retrieve, I back the trailer into the same position, block the tires on both sides, and guide the hull into the right position by hand. Then, I power on slowly, moving the engines back and forth a little to align with the guides and move forward. I have learned when to stop! Then with the engines engaged, I hook up the strap and manually crank in the last 6-8" so the eye is right below the roller. This puts the stern exactly at the end of the bunks for maximum support.

Hook up the chain, remove the chocks, and tow up slowly.

Bob Cat

[TWO-DAWGS]

HI: This is TWO-DAWGS (not two dogs). Congrats to all you new TomCat owners, we have really enjoyed our power cat in all kinds of water and weather. I don't see why the "reverse winch" (as we call it) wouldn't work just fine on the 255 (same hull). We have used this process many times now, and it works just great. We frequently launch at sites that have low tidal water or just poor grade. With the reverse winch, we slide the boat right off with no problem. We have even used it when the boat was barely in the water. I have, of course, powered the boat off many times when I had a another crew member to back me in, but the reverse winch works fine when I am by myself. By the way the rope does not rub on the hull, as I mounted the second winch just a bit lower so the rope sits below the hull except for the part attached to the bow eye, which moves with the boat as it moves off the trailer. Having the second winch on the trailer takes away any worry about launching, and that makes life easier too. Good luck, and happy boating. TWO-DAWGS

[rogerbum]

Two Dawgs - those guys in So Cal and Fla probably don't appreciate the wide variety of conditions you can run into at a single launch site due to the large tidal variation we see up here (+/- 14'). +/- a few feet is more common to the south of us. I like the dual winch idea - seems clever to me.

[thataway]

One of the potential issues on the TC 255 and a line or cable for launch, is the center cell molded into the wind deck (Nanocelle--not spelled correctly) which is on the center line--I believe it is not present on the 24. One might put the block off set, or even use a snatch block thru the bow eye, with the leads off set to avoid this structure. Our boat is lift kept so I will have to wait until we pull out next time to trailer.

How much clearance is there from the hull and cable on the reverse winch launch?

Bob Austin

[Seaboldski]

Hey Two-Doggies,

Got any pictures of that two winch set-up and/or the boat being launched? Sounds slick.

[John S]

Two-Dawgs have you had any trouble with your trailer gouging your hull, we've had hell. EZ-Loader just recently sent us all new carpet to replace on the bunks. The carpet had worn completely thru on the edges. They also sent me a couple 2X6's covered in bunk slicks to mount between the front bow supports horizontally. This was to keep the bow from contacting the trailer between the bunk supports while driving on to the trailer.

Just one more comment. With all the hell we've had launching and retrieving our TC24 it is worth mentioning that the front winch eye support may not be as strong as you think. We were attempting to winch our boat on the trailer last summer and heard fiberglass popping sounds coming from around the eye and it began to bulge. I discovered a tiny 2" X 3" starboard backing in the anchor line locker. We reglassed the entire area and added a giant piece of starboard backing. Talking with the EZ-Loader rep about the weak winch eye, he told me about hearing the exact same thing when they were demoing this trailer application years ago at the C-Dory factory. He told me the factory reps said it was not big deal, nothing to worry about.

Here is a photo of our hull getting eaten by our trailer with these launches that keep the front of the hull out of the water.
Worth noting, we installed bunk slicks on the front trailer bunks at the end of the season, we think this will help out with future launchings.

Others may also recall that our way of dealing with this launching problem on the TC24 was to install the extend-a-hitch to our trailer, which lengthened our trailer tongue approximately 5' http://www.xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com
John

[thataway]

Our trailer seems to be much different than the Eazyloader--we had basically sold bunks for the hull support (no space between them).
Although the tongue is 3 x 4 galvanized tubing--the frame is 5 x 8 Aluminum I beams, which bolt on the top to the tubing, but have a solid plate under the bottom bolted to the I beams--and there is not enough room put a tongue extension which would slide under the current hitch/tongue. Also any thing below the I beams would hang up on the driveway at my house...I wish I could use some similar tongue extension--I'll have to revisit that--and see if I can find a tongue extension which can be put on temporillarly. Might have to be custom welded. Thanks.


Bob Austin

[drjohn71a]

Dive Cat,

Bob, I am wondering how steep the ramp is that you are using. Here in the Midwest, most ramps are very very shallow. I am very concerned about getting the TomCat off the trailer, since my experience in my other large, high-trailered boats was that you had to 'float' the boat off the trailer by backing in pretty far.

I am trying to get EZ-Loader to raise the installation height of the electric/hydraulic control unit on my new trailer in order to float the boat off without submerging the control unit. So far, their only answer has been that raising the control box up and off the tongue would be a "liability problem"...

John

[thataway]

Discovery's electric hyraulic controller is raised up off of the tongue--and when I put on EH conversion, mine will be. I agree that for those of us who may have to use shallow ramps, that the electric part needs to be clear of the water--especially since we often launch in salt water.