Tilt trailer: how? why?

[jtexas]

I've had my old (vintage 1980) dilly tilt trailer for over a year now, and haven't been able to figure it out, so now I have to ask. <br /><br />I remember as a kid seeing boats stored in side yards all over town, with their bows tilted way up high in the air. I guess takes less space & drains better.<br /><br />But how do you keep the boat from falling off?<br /><br />I feel silly asking, but what else can I do?<br /><br />thanks,<br />jtw

 

[notinbig]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Bow line wrapped around the winch?

 

[all thumbs]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

I have an old 12 ft. on a tilt and it would fall off. but small enough to push back down by hand.

 

[DJ]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Transom tie down straps.<br /><br />Don't believe me? Try launching a boat with them still attached. Trust me, it doesn't work.

 

[BillP]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Lock the tilt so the boat stays flat. Most tilts have a chain that fits in a slot for varying the amount of tilt angle.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

OK now I have to ask another question even more basic. How do you properly use the tilting feature of these trailers when launching and retrieving the boat ? Had mine a year now and have not uses this feature once. Afraid of something going terribly wrong and damaging something.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Rod, you mean the tilt feature is for launching? I thought it was just for storage.

 

[all thumbs]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

I use the tilt for launching where I can't back into water too far Like earth ramps . But I also have a very small boat that is easy to handle.

 

[TELMANMN]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Depending on the launching ramp, the water level and how long you have used the boat, the tilt feature is usefull. <br /> If a shallow landing then take tie down off, from the transom, then pull tilt lever of trailer and back down. Once out to vehicle's back wheels at or near the water(depending on if a 4 wheel drive then can go in half further) then let the bow tie down and give a push.(may need waders.) <br /> If a deeper landing where you can simply back out (again after you take the transom off and the bow tie downs off) one can let it float but make sure you have a line on the bow to keep it from floating away.

 

[BillP]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Tilt trailers are your friend on shallow ramps or if you want to launch off a seawall. You can practice loading and unloading on dry land to understand how it works but the boat bottom will drag on the turf. Be sure to have the trailer hooked up to the car.<br /><br />Like allthumbs sez, for normal launching back down until the tires just touch the water. You don't need to dunk the trailer. Go to the adjustment chain and set it so the tilt doesn't let the back of the trailer doesn't bottom out on earth. You don't want the transom to be a "lawn dart" in the bottom when it slides off. If too long it will also break the rear bunks (been there and done it). It takes practice to know how much tilt is needed. Then push the boat off into the water. For retrieving, do the same. When finished, snug the chain on the shortest length and engage the tilt lock.

 

[levittownnick]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Too much of a good thing aint no good.<br /><br />I suggest that you set up the limit chain with the tie down straps firmly in place. When you set-up remember you only need a small angle or the transom of the boat will hit bottom before the boat is floating. With the tie down straps on and the chain adjusted to limit the tilt ( Remember the trailer must be attached to the tow vehicle. unlatch the tilt bolt and lift the bow of the boat to cause the trailer to tilt. When you are satisfied that the tilt angle is correct, remove the tie downs but keep the bow eye secured to the winch, back down so that the lower 1/3 of the trailer tires are in the water and loosten the winch and tilt bolt. Good luck.<br />It may be a good idea to use less tilt until your sure of everything.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

I never have yet encountered a ramp where I had to go as deep as my exhaust pipe to float it off & power it back on, but I got an upcoming camping trip where they have an "unimproved ramp" whatever that means. Might be a good time to experiment.<br /><br />I'm still having a little trouble visualizing: <br />You just pull the pin & let gravity take it's course?<br /><br />I assume the motor needs to be tilted full up for this procedure?<br /><br />I guess for loading you have to winch it on?<br /><br />Launching off a seawall? I'd like to see that!<br /><br />thanks for all the help, guys!<br /><br />john

 

[levittownnick]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Yes the motor needs to be tilted up or it will bottom out.<br />I have never had the need to get my car tires wet much less up near the exhaust. The trailer tires should be about 1/3 submerged.<br />Because with a tilt trailer, the boat will roll off (We are talking roller bunks?) by the force of gravity, I can only envison using the winch to load the boat.<br />As for launching off a seawall, I don't think I even want to see that.

 

[BillP]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

I launched and retrieved this 14' PennYan w/15hp Evinrude off our old house seawall 100s of times. The trailer tongue was secured with a telephone pole guywire eye screwed into the ground and the drop was approx 3'. This is the only pic I have and it dates late 1960s. I've used a tilt trailer to set the following boats on dry land and then winched them up later...14' ply skiff, 18' Larson trihull, 21' ply Trojan and 20 glass Proline. It's very easy to do. My tilts have always had only keel rollers and plain bunks. If set up right the boats slide off with a one handed push off.<br /><br />

 

[roscoe]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

My old boat is a little bow heavy, so I have to lift the bow a little to get the tilt and launch started.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Thanks guys. This is something I have to try out. I can see how this could be advantagous. The boat launch at the end of my street (1 minute away !!) is very shallow and I typically have to back up till the rear truck wheels are wet. Not clear on the retreiving though. Do you leave the trailer in the tilt mode then winch the boat up onto the trailer ? Would that not put a great deal of stress on the hull ? I assume the trailer will "fall" back into position once the boat is winched on far enough.

 

[BillP]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

You have it right for retrieval. If pulling over dry land it does put stress on the hull but none of my boats showed any problem from it. Let the tilt go back so the center roller will be close to the ground or water. It needs to be low enough for the bow to easily walk up on it. Just hook the strap to the bow eye and winch in until the bow is almost ready to drop level. Stop winching at that point and manually pull the bow down so it doesn't slam hard. Then finish winching and lock it down. This is why tilt trailers are so good. Launch on almost any shoreline. It just takes a little practice.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

Hey this is sounding better all the time. When I bought this package a year ago I thought the trailer (home-made)was a piece of crap. But after cleaning, painting, replacing the bunks, wiring, new keel rollers, moving the axles to obtain proper tongue weight it is looking very nice. And now I also have a feature that many others do not. Alrighty then, next time I launch it will be time to try out this tilt feature.

 

[shadowrider01]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

man this thread is awsome i had a friend come over the other day to check out our new to us boat n it is sitting on a wreck of a trailer it needs alot of help new bunks carpet rollers and sanded down with fresh paint also lights n wiring then to add it needs some new suports that are welded on the sides that hold the bunks on looks like these might be home made
but as we were looking over the trailer he pointed out this pin up close to my tounge it sits right under my bow the trailer says dilly on both fenders but me being new to boating didnt know it was a tilting trailer till now
i have been searching high n low for a vid on how this works cuz i am a little worried with how far i have to back into the water with this trailer just to get the boat to float a tad bit. i drive a ford exsplorer and when i load the boat i have to back in the water till its up over my rear bumper my exuast is full submerged (not cool) then i still have to really work to shove it off at that point my friend is the one who told me what a tilt trailer is for but i need actual step by steps on how this is done and he wasnt for sure how to do it himself i have a 1975 16 ft fabulus with a manual tilt n trim 1975 70 hp evenrude pretty good sized boat and sits taller than my exsplorer when on the trailer so this thread has given me some good pointers as to how this is done thanks fellas

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Tilt trailer: how? why?

glad you searched and found the info you needed but there is no need to post on a 5 year old thread