How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support boat

jstiene

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 16, 2011
Messages
49
Hello.

so I have a 17ft used bass tacker I purchased a few months ago and my winter project is upon me to getthe trailer repainted, then work on boat. It is in my garage, and I would like to somehow get the trailer out from under the bass boat, resulting in the boat sitting on supports in the garage, while I take the trailer out of the garage to have it worked on. I am hoping someone might have suggestions on how best to do this. In terms of weight, it is a 17ft bass tracker with a 40HP Merc outboard. Someone suggested starting with a floor jack at the back, lifting it, and putting jacks and other supports under it, and slowing pulling the trailer out as I work forward lifting the boat up slightly.

any suggestions on doing this without damaging my boat would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Joe
 

cyclops2

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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

IF IF you contacted the REAL company who made THAT HULL.....They can tell you where the STRONGEST CENTER LINE lift points are using 2" X 6 " boards that are on cheap Concrete Building Blocks higher than the trailer. Remove any guide on pipes. I would also remove the high front winch assembly to make the trailer slide out easy.
After raising the boat on the center line blocks. I would stack some more blocks....... OUTSIDE .....the trailer to take the 2 x 6" beams centered at the ...FACTORY...lift points. They need to be high enough to fully support the boat. Cut 4 pieces of scrap wood to press against the hull bottom & sheetrock screw them to the 2 x 6" cross beams.
Now the boat is solid enough to climb in & out of ...ANYWHERE....without it tipping. If you want to climb in & out of the bow. Add 2 more V braces in the bow.

You WILL HAVE to first raise the boat on the center line above the trailor. I would... NOT... reccomend you use the garage ceiling beams. Sometimes people have plenty of weight already on them. Also. They can be cheap, weak & undersized with knots that REALLY risk dropping the boat at ANY TIME.

There is ......ALWAYS...... more than 1 way to do any job. Just think out each way completly FIRST. So you do not get 1/2 way into the lift & get yourself into a " Oh no ". & then risk injury to boat & people.

The Paint spots under the 2 x 6s are done after the boat is on the trailer.. CAREFULLY. Install the front winch as soon as possible to avoid relifting the boat . Think 2 X . Do it 1 time.

Good luck
 

cyclops2

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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

depending on your trailer.

You could just jack the entire trailer & boat as 1 piece high enough. Put the center hull blocks under the boat. Lower the boat. Slide the 2x6s under it & onto the outside blocks. More than 1 way. Your call.

Removing the engine first, is obvious ??

We repair old woodies. We made up 2 roll around A framed chain hoists. simple & safe.

Painting or repairing a bottom is ALWAYS a pain in the butt due to moving supports & working upside down on creepers very often.


You MUST ALLOW enough time for each painting to...COMPLETLY ..... dry on the bottom before shifting ANY OF THE supports.
 

cyclops2

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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

There are a lot more steps to preparing a boat to be lifted........ CALL the boat manufacturer !!!!!! He will give a ton of things to do to prevent warping the hull on beams & lifting jacks. Remove everyting. Use 12" X 12" lifting pices on top of lifting jacks. Many other steps on some THIN HULLED boats...

Call the factory. They do it for a living & know where the strongest places are.
 

tpenfield

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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

This is a 17ft boat, let's not get carried away with calling the manufacturer, lifting points, warping, etc. Just invite about 8-10 of your buddies over and have them lift the boat off of the trailer.;)
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

Having had an early 80's Bass Tracker III in the family, those are built like tanks with .090" thick aluminum

my suggestion is to use the transom eyes in the back and a strap under the bow and hoist it up.

or pull everything from inside the boat, and get about 10people to lift while and block while someone walks the trailer out. then when its time to put the boat back on the trailer, reverse the order.

If your doing it yourself, then you will need to hoist it.
 

Jeep Man

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Oct 17, 2008
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2,803
Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

Easiest method I have found is to move the boat back on the trailer so that it hangs over about a foot. Drop the tongue to the floor, prop up the transom with wooden blocks and raise the tongue as far as you can with the tongue jack. Prop up the front with blocks, lower the tongue again, slide a 4x4 or sistered 2x6 (longer than the axle) across under the front keel and prop up each end. Raise the tongue again to remove the front blocks from under the keel. Roll the trailer out.
 

bonz_d

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Apr 22, 2008
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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

Easiest method I have found is to move the boat back on the trailer so that it hangs over about a foot. Drop the tongue to the floor, prop up the transom with wooden blocks and raise the tongue as far as you can with the tongue jack. Prop up the front with blocks, lower the tongue again, slide a 4x4 or sistered 2x6 (longer than the axle) across under the front keel and prop up each end. Raise the tongue again to remove the front blocks from under the keel. Roll the trailer out.

X2! Easiest way I know of doing this with a smaller light weight hull. Works very well!
 

cyclops2

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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

I keep forgetting I am 74 & getting a crew together is impossible. I just do it the slow safe way by myself. I am still in good shape. :eek:

Those were the good old days.
 

cyclops2

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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

How good could cyclops be ?:rolleyes:
 

smokeonthewater

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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

good grief people.... it's a little alum boat...... tilt the engine all the way up strap the transom to something like a car or tree that won't move..... drive ahead with the tow vehicle a couple feet..... toss some old tires under the stern.... drive ahead till the bow is just a couple feet from falling.... toss a couple more tires under and slowly pull the trailer out.... before putting it back treat the bunks with silicone spray lube and allow to dry...

To load boat back trailer to bow and unhook from truck.... attach cable and start cranking allowing front of trailer to raise as boat starts onto it.... once boat is nearing the bow stop you will easily be able to tilt it down by hand and keep cranking.



If you don't have tires you can drop it right on the ground as well.

If you don't want to do that then simply drop the bow, block the stern, raise the bow, jack the keel somewhere forward of the balance point... move trailer ahead a few inches.... lower... repeat till trailer is free....


If you STILL want a different solution, use the search feature, this subject has been COVERED many dozens of times.
 

5150abf

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Aug 12, 2007
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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

How ever you get it of the trailer makes sure the engine is off before you do anything, especially if you are going to be crawling around inside the boat, that way if it comes off the blocks you aren't going to ruin your engine and it is a couple hundred pounds you don't have to lift.

If you could come into a cherry picker that would work great, block the back and put the picker on the bow eye and lift then just roll the trailer out from under it.
 

smokeonthewater

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Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

I disagree with pulling the engine..... If there is any chance of it falling off of the blocks, leave it on the trailer..... If you are gonna block it you need to do so in a manner that won't fail. I've blocked a couple of 28' twin engine cruisers and I certainly didn't pull engines and drives.... I made absolutely certain that they weren't gonna fall before pulling the trailers out.
 

oldsub86

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Sep 9, 2008
Messages
311
Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

boatstand.jpg


Not mine. No idea how stable it is but looks like it could be done.

Randy
 

rte592

Cadet
Joined
Nov 27, 2011
Messages
24
Re: How to get trailer out from under bass trackerto have it painted/need to support

I have painted 2 trailers thus far
First one I put the 19 foot jet boat in the water on saturday morning....brought the trailer back home and painted it.
Sunday afternoon after some dry time and recarpeting the bunks I took it back out to the water and loaded the boat.

The 2nd I backed the 21 foot closed bow jet boat and trailer in the carport,jacked up the boat a bit and put it on 4 jack stands with plywood under the stringers.
I pulled the trailer forward about 2 foot and added 4 more jack stands, trailer up 2 more feet and repeat till the trailer was free....Just keep the stands under the stringers and it will be just like sitting on the trailer.

After paint and new carpet on the new bunks I just back tracked the trailer under the boat.....nothing but time.
 
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