Re: How far should trailer go in for lauch & retrieval
This Old Boat<br />Make sure have a line on bow and stern cletes, I use one long line about twice the length of the boat. This way your dock mate can control your boat. Also get some good fenders, buy bigger than you think you need that way will not be buying bigger ones a year later.<br /><br />When launching keep wench strap on boat until bow at edge of the water. After remove strap back in slowly and note when the stern starts to float. Stop and note how deep trailer in water then back in until boat floats, stop and let boat clear the trailer then pull out and park trailer. When parking remember trailer will turn shorter than your truck so watch trailer in mirror to make sure does not hit trailer in next space.<br /><br />Retreiving back trailer in but stop before trailer get to point where boat stern was floating. Most new boater back in too deep. Leave in reverse and set parking brake to stop, now put in park go back and hook up wench and crank on trailer. If you did not back in to deep the boat will self center on the trailer so all you have to do is crank up to bow stop and put on saftey strap and your off. Again here your dock mate can help to get boat started straight. On windy days or docks with strong cross currents a good boat hook helps. If you back in too deep boat will be easy to crank up to bow stop but will not center on trailer, this is what many do then they pull out and find boat way off to one side so back in again and push it over then find out pushed to far so back in again and again. A little practice and you will get it dead center every time if you do not back in too deep.
