What not to do

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.
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
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
 
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.

190193486_1202500166848348_6428946460358995442_n.jpg


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
 
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

SSC_CPR_and_Patient_255.sized.jpg
 
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.
 
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).
 
starcrafttom":1rdauucx said:
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.
Click to expand...

It looks to me that the tow boat outfit is who shared the photo and it is more for advertising than humility. The boat owner still might be a nice guy, though. It is important for everyone to occasionally check for where their head is.
 
gulfcoast john":3v6nk1mc said:
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.

190193486_1202500166848348_6428946460358995442_n.jpg


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
Click to expand...
It's not. Posted on vessel assist channel islands face book page.
 
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
 
Tom, thank you so much for sharing on this subject. Don't let the few affect the what you believe and want to share for the benefit of most on this site. You have great wisdom when it comes to boating and fishing and I personally appreciate hearing from you in both these areas. When you made this post, the first thing that came to mind in seeing this Cape Cruiser on concrete is that someone or a pet may have run behind the boat while the trailer was being backed down the ramp and the driver had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the subject. Safety chains are there for a purpose and I appreciate your reminder to use them. I don't put trust in my strap. The strap is there for convenience but the chain is there for safety!
 
Tom was right, and I was wrong, and not for the first (or second) time.

The additional info is helpful! I agreed with all his rec’d.

Trailerboat #13 is even more reluctant to slide up or down lubed wet bunks, even with MANY horses pulling her, than any of her predecessors, down to a 15 ft Cobia 40 years ago, when fenders are above water.

My apologies Tom, I was not questioning your integrity in posting that pic; just Facebook when a picture has no caption or claim and might possibly exist just to promote hits or to inflame (we have permanently signed off Facebook for this reason).

When we eventually trailer out to Bellingham to explore your beautiful SJI and BC Inside Passage, we hope you will allow us to rent one of your rig storage spots!

Again, my apologies, and best wishes for your and everyone’s safe launching, loading, and travels.

I try hard to learn from my mistakes, and I have learned from this one.

Best!

John
 
starcrafttom":3av6yux5 said:
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.
Click to expand...

Wow, panties a little wadded up? :thup
 
tsturm":2e6wwx7f said:
starcrafttom":2e6wwx7f said:
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.
Click to expand...

Wow, panties a little wadded up? :thup
Click to expand...

Probably not that.

Most likely, it's human hard wired 'projection'; one guy blaming another for a
problem in the 1st guy's head. Like teaching your kids to 'never go boating'
because you are afraid of it from an early bad experience.

Very common and unavoidable, unfortunately.

Aye.
Grandpa used to say, "People are strange."
 
Back
Top