Getting a boat off trailer

[OLDIRON]

Hi. I know this must sound like a stupid question, but I need to get my newly aquired 13' boat off the trailer for repair and paint in my garage. My first thought was to lower the hitch to the ground and somehow block up the stern and then raise the hitch letting the stern down on the blocks. That would get the stern off the trailer. But now what do I do? How do you get the bow up and off? It's not a big boat but it's heavy. 1958 fiberglass over plywood. What kind of a cradle do I have to build to support the boat? Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

most guys strap the rear of the boat to some type of anchor, like a tree or eye hook and pull the trailer slightly forward and then use cribbing or jacks underneath the stern, then they pull a little more forward and do the same to the bow until the weight of the boat is supported and then you just pull away, reverse the procedure to put the boat back on the trailer, you may have to use a floor jack to get the bow back on the bunks of the trailer.

 

[jevery]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

I like post #3

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=287541&highlight=boat+trailer

 

[OLDIRON]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

most guys strap the rear of the boat to some type of anchor, like a tree or eye hook and pull the trailer slightly forward and then use cribbing or jacks underneath the stern, then they pull a little more forward and do the same to the bow until the weight of the boat is supported and then you just pull away, reverse the procedure to put the boat back on the trailer, you may have to use a floor jack to get the bow back on the bunks of the trailer.

Thanks capt. Although I don't have a tree in my garage, LOL, this may work for me if I can put some big eyelag screws into one or more of the wall studs. You have given me some new ideas now. Still don't know what to block it with. Maybe 4x4's and cinder blocks.Not sure about the safety of that.

 

[OLDIRON]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

I like post #3

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=287541&highlight=boat+trailer

More great ideas. I like the stacked up old tire thing also.I think I can get my hands on plenty of those.Thanks.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

I hate to have to say "Oh Crap", or "I wish I woulda", so I tend to over-engineer things. I built 2 stands out of 2x4's, and carpeted the top with remnants. They are higher than the trailer so I can slip the trailer under the boat, which is also an ideal height to work on the boat. They are also wide enough that the boat can be rolled over to do the bottom.

With the trailer attached to the car, pull the boat back 3 feet. No need for a tree, but be sure to keep the winch attached. Then move it into position, lower the tongue of the trailer and place one stand under the transom. Raise the tongue until the transom is firmly planted on the stand, then move the trailer forward until the stern roller is about midships. Then slide in the second stand. Pull the trailer forward a few more feet, move the second stand forward, raise the tongue a few more inches and viola, the boat is off the trailer. Reverse procedure to put it back on.

 

[OLDIRON]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

I hate to have to say "Oh Crap", or "I wish I woulda", so I tend to over-engineer things. I built 2 stands out of 2x4's, and carpeted the top with remnants. They are higher than the trailer so I can slip the trailer under the boat, which is also an ideal height to work on the boat. They are also wide enough that the boat can be rolled over to do the bottom.

With the trailer attached to the car, pull the boat back 3 feet. No need for a tree, but be sure to keep the winch attached. Then move it into position, lower the tongue of the trailer and place one stand under the transom. Raise the tongue until the transom is firmly planted on the stand, then move the trailer forward until the stern roller is about midships. Then slide in the second stand. Pull the trailer forward a few more feet, move the second stand forward, raise the tongue a few more inches and viola, the boat is off the trailer. Reverse procedure to put it back on.

Jim, this looks good and maybe the best way for me. I don't tend to over-engineer, but I do somtimes over-think.Thanks.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

If you used the exact title of your question in the "search" boxc you would have been taken the the multitude of ways to do this.

 

[OLDIRON]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

If you used the exact title of your question in the "search" boxc you would have been taken the the multitude of ways to do this.

Thanks Silvetip. I will do that today.

 

[grahamh]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

Your boat is only 13', if there's not motor on it you can probably just get some strong guys. We 4 of us were able to get a 16' off of and onto the trailer.

 

[stylesabu]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

i got a 16' aluminum boat with 75hp motor off trailer and on to blocks and 4x4's by myself with the help of a floor jack. Its not that hard

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

Thanks capt. Although I don't have a tree in my garage, LOL, this may work for me if I can put some big eyelag screws into one or more of the wall studs.

as tempted as i've been to do that exact same thing, but don't even THINK of doing that! Your project of getting the boat off the trailer could get really expensive really quickly.

 

[DianneB]

Re: Getting a boat off trailer

as tempted as i've been to do that exact same thing, but don't even THINK of doing that! Your project of getting the boat off the trailer could get really expensive really quickly.

I occasionally have need to winch some heavy piece of dead equipment into the shop, too heavy to safely pull against the garage wall so I fashioned an anchor that consists of a piece of re-bar formed into a closed eye at one end (inside) that passes through a hole in the wall to anchor posts driven into the ground outside the garage and braced to the concrete foundation - no forces are applied to the wood structure at all and it is capable of pulling many thousands of pounds.