Easiest way back on the trailer????

[brokemerc]

I have a bayliner capri 1854 and my question is this. What is the easiest way to get the boat back on the trailer when your by yourself? I took mine out for the first time the other day and "Thank God" I had the ramp to myself because anyone watching probably would have wet themselves with laughter... I'm not new to boating but I am new to being a boat owner "Huge Difference".. Getting it off the trailer was easy, I took the rear hold down straps off, put the plug in, took the winch strap off, tied about a 50 foot rope to the bow which I held onto while backing into the water and she floated right off, tied her to the pier and parked my truck.. Silly me I thought "dang that was pretty easy".. Back on the trailer was a totally different animal.. After hooking the boat to the pier I backed the trailer into the water, unhooked the boat and luckily had a current in the direction of the trailer so the boat just kind of drifted in that direction which took forever,, when it got to about the center of the trailer I pulled it as far on the trailer with the rope as I could,, if it were summer wadeing knee deep wouldn't have been a problem but with 35 degree water the last part wasn't too much fun,, I first tried to walk down the trailer and quickly realized that falling would result in a injury and being wet so I just chose the getting wet part and walked out and hooked up the winch to the boat and winched it in.. Is there an easier way or should I just wear rubber boots next time????

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

you did it pretty much the way most do that do not drive on. having the guide ons, helps center the boat, and you can put the trailer in deeper, so you have less winching. i've been at it so long, and have my trailers set perfectly. i back the trailer down the ramp, get in the boat and idle over to the trailer, line it up, the guideons help, and idle right up the trailer, reach over the bow, hook the strap, step off on to the trailer tongue, couple of turns on the winch, and out i go. it takes practice,practice and more practice. every boat and trailer handles just a little different.






typing at same time

 

[ziggy]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

yer way of self loading is what i do too. wade in and get wet to hook up the winch strap....... i've not tried any 35* water though...... sounds pretty cool..... a buddy a mine likes to drive his bayliner onto the tailer. gets close enough to the winch that he can connect it from the inside of the boat + crank it up that final little bit..... he has a bunk trailer, i have a roller.... i can't seem to hit the center of my rollers for a power load. so i end up wadeing in......

 

[brokemerc]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

Thanks. I have the bunk boards on my trailer that swivel so their pretty good at centering the boat. I ordered the PVC Guide-Ons from cabelas and should get them today, they should help me center the boat on the trailer. I didn't even think about driving the boat on the trailer,, I think I have some self adhesive non skid that i'll put on the front of the trailer so that I can step off the boat onto the trailer and not end up on my back in the water.. This is a great time of year to practice due to not many boaters out. Thanks for the info...

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

Be careful walking on any part of the trailer. It's not the water that will hurt you. All that steel, aluminum, nuts, bolts, etc. will do a number on you. BTDT! Make sure all your rollers and bunks are set to allow the boat to easily be winched almost totally forward before the bunks support the transom clear of the last few rollers when looking aft. I upgraded to an eighteen footer last year and it has been a totally different experience than any of my previous boats which were all smaller. I am looking hard at an electric winch because I'm not a young buck anymore. Be safe and good luck!

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

Just keep a few things in mind when going on to trailer, water depth being the main concern. Some places dont permit powering onto trailer as the turbulance from the prop can create a hole at the end of the ramp. Make sure you are in deep enough and the guideons will help a ton. I usually put a mark or wrap of tape on my guideon. That way I know exactly how deep to be when backing in to retrieve. Then idle up to about back of trailer shut engine off raise drive and drift up to bow vee. Reach over front cinch up winch climb out onto tongue recheck tightness of winch cable then drive out with truck. If it isn't real crowded I like to pull up ramp till trailer is out of water get out and double check alignment of boat on trailer and pull plug real quick. Hope any of this helps good luck and keep at it thats the best thing you can do is just keep practicing.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

i have found that the swivel bunk brackets need to be tight in there postion, some times they can vibrate the wrong way going to the ramp, making load a real mess.

if you notice my guideons are really close to the boat. most set them too far apart, and the boats is still off center. also having a self centering keel roller really helps. mine is my second roller from the stern, as the stern roller usually does not come into play if you are deep enough in the water.

http://www.iboats.com/Self_Centerin...03955457--**********.708395168--view_id.56624

 

[beezee28]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

brokemerc, I did what you did when I unload and load my boat with just one exception, I left the winch hook to the boat when unloading and when the boat is in the water I unhook the strap and then try to push the boat off the trailer and if it is stuck I drive the trailer back a little and sure enough the boat float and I tie it to the dock. Usually the other boater will wait for you finish unloading without too much trouble. I have yet to hear anyone complaint being slow. As for loading I prefer to pull my boat to the trailer and then hook the strap and winch it up and then slowly drive up a little at a time so that the boat slowly settle in the middle of the trailer, once I checked that it is centered I drive out of the water and out of others way and finish tie down the boat. Now I haven't done this in 35deg water that would be coldddd.....

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

Easiest way back on the trailer????

Lots of practice.
Takes time to know just where to stop the truck. How deep the trailer needs to be. If you have a current, what side of the dock to stop on (if you have access to both sides).
Mine is a bear to load right being 8 feet wide at the transom but after all these years I can load it faster then most can unload. Even when I have help I have gotten so used to doing it alone that I still do it myself just because it's easier. You will get there.

 

[donnymac]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

I leave the fronts of my bunks exposed about 2". the boat almost guides itself on. If the trailer is too deep the boat just floats all over the place.

 

[ironman3]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

Beezee28 made a good point to leave the wench hooked to the boat when unloading. I saw a guy unloading one day and he unhooked everything and took off all the straps at the top of the ramp. When he backed down the ramp he hit a bump and the boat bounced off the trailer and down the concrete ramp. The poor guy was sick. It was his dad's boat and his first time taking it out. Nice boat 18' Bayliner, scratched up pretty bad now. I felt so bad for the guy.
I always leave the winch hooked after I saw that.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

Be careful walking on any part of the trailer. It's not the water that will hurt you. All that steel, aluminum, nuts, bolts, etc. will do a number on you. BTDT! .....

The previous owner of my boat had a metal walk way about 18" wide welded to the outside of the "vee" around the front of the trailer. It makes it much safer to walk down to the boat to hook up the winch strap.

 

[brokemerc]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

Thanks for all the good info. I think the biggest problem I had was due to my bunk boards swiveling (I replaced all the hardware), the first time I loaded the boat it ended up resting on the inch and an half portion of the 2x4 bunk board,, not a pretty picture.. Yes I left the winch hooked until the boat was far enough in the water where I had to step on the trailer to unhook the winch strap,, then a couple of feet more and a slam on the brakes and off it floated. I got the 36" guide on's yesterday,, the suggestion to mark the PVC portion as to what depth the trailer has to be is a great idea.. Bottom line is practice is the key, loading and unloading a trailer leaves room for many mistakes and everyone laughs because they've all been there.. Thanks to all for the ideas.....

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

Two things that help me tremendously are to wax the bunks (yes, the bunks). This makes them not stick quite as bad on the wet bottom of the boat while also not being too slick for unloading. Second, after launch when I park the rig, I free spool the winch strap and take it back so the hook rests on the middle cross-member or axle. This way when I back in to load with the trailer partially under the boat, I simply jump in the boat and use my boat hook to grab the strap from the bow. Attach it, get out and winch away. I've been lauching a 24' for years this way. I highly suggest 3M grip tape on the top of your trailer. For ramps that do not have docks, I keep a pair of hip waders in the truck. Happy boatin'!

 

[brokemerc]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

My bunk boards have marine grade carpet on them.. I see where bass pro sells rectangle pieces of plastic to screw into them to allow the boat to slide easier,, not sure I want the chance of screws sticking out of my bunk boards though,, maybe scotch guard, waxing the hull is sure to help..

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

BEWARE the slick strips. I have seen more than one boat on the concrete due to these. They have Teflon and are very slick. Make sure your winch is in perfect shape if you use them. I took mine off and just waxed the bunk carpet.

 

[arboldt]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

I've sprayed the bunks with silicone lubricant. But be absolutely sure you leave the winch hook and safety cable on until you're in the water. A friend put silicone on the bunks of his jetski trailer but didn't fasten the bow. Then he had to figure out how to get his jetski off the concrete and back on the trailer.

 

[dwhite1031]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

I think I have some self adhesive non skid that i'll put on the front of the trailer so that I can step off the boat onto the trailer and not end up on my back in the water.. quote]

I put some non skid on the tongue of my trailer for that same purpose. Works great. But my first time to try it was on a steep ramp and I had to walk into the water a little to get up on the tongue.......moss on concrete.....butt in water.....back of head against tongue.....bad words from mouth......very sore back, neck, and head next day........​

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

I know this is an old post recently revived, but it's timeless information and there's an important point missing here on launch advice: the OP is from Virginia Beach and likely launching in salt water. There, you want to avoid dunking the trailer--you keep the axle dry if you can. of course, large boats can't do this. But for his 18': the best rig is a trailer with rollers and a power winch. You can nose over the first rollers and pull up from there, and push off to launch. Alternative is teflon pads on the bunks. Hard part is keeping it straight as it winds up, when you're solo, but well-set rollers will guide it up. Otherwise your helper is at the stern with a pole and a rope.
I used to have a 16' aluminum bow rider that we hand cranked without getting the axle wet and I have hand-cranked the 17' fiberglass when the power winch wouldn't work.
Get a winch that's bigger than rated for your boat for the dry pulls. I've pulled through/across mud and then up on the trailer. never stand in line with the cable, however.
I built a wooden (2x6) track down my trailer for walking down when I pull up solo but when you lauch/retrieve with a dry axle, usually the winch is not over water at all or at most short boots will work.
There's a system for hooknig up pulleys to pull your boat off the trailer, too. Can't say I endorse it, though.

So you fresh water guys, I'm envious, and you can dunk and power and float all day, but sometimes it's not good advice for the salties. And no, the bearings are not water tight no matter what they tell you!

 

[rjlipscomb]

Re: Easiest way back on the trailer????

PRACTICE and PRACTICE some more. I've been boating for several years and had always kept the boat in dry storage at the marina. Easy, Launch is a phone call and board the boat, return is tie up to the dock. Recently, moved to the desert and now have to use my Teflon bunks. I stick to weekdays until I am experienced enough to move quickly with the weekend crowd. I've made mistakes learning, but isn't that part of the fun. And yes, I'm sure old sea dogs have laughed at watching me power the boat almost over the trailer (only once). I think that I need to adjust my winch and bow roller. If the back of the boat is in water and not sitting down on the bunks, my winch handle won't turn past the bow (not enough clearance). I'm sure the folks that sold me the boat and trailer probably missed that point. I'm still looking for the best solution.