I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

[Tommy in FLL]

Tomorrow, I am pulling my boat from the water for the first time.

-I've asked the guys that I fly with [I fly for Fedex] how far to drop the trailer and the car into the water. I have a 16 foot Larson bowrider, and the trailer is this huge thing about 21 feet long. I am going to use my '97 Ford Aerostar minivan to pull it out so that I can clean the bottom off. It has been in the water since November.

The guys I fly with say to drop the trailer far enough back that the bunks are only just sticking out of the water. And they said no matter what...don't let the van's exhaust get covered up.

? This last makes me frown. I didn't think that simple water pressure would cause an automobile engine such as the 3.0 liter V6 in my Aerostar to stall. Sure, bananas in the tail pipe can stop and engine...but water? Many boats have American V8's and they have through-transom exhausts. They simply bubble-away at idle and actually sound kind of good.

I know the etiquette of the ramp; since it will be a Wednesday, there will likely be nobody there, so I can take my time pulling the boat up on the trailer and then bringing it home. YES my trailer brake lights work- I wired them myself!

My question regards time at the dock. The Ford Aerostar is a much maligned vehicle in my viewpoint, and I actually enjoy driving this car. But I don't think I would enjoy sailing this car down the north fork of the Middle River, so I want to ask: Just how far down the ramp do I go? I'm going to take the van to the ramp, then jog back to my house. Then I am going to take the boat to the ramp, and tie it up. Then I am going to try to mate the two~

Your suggestions and pictures would be appreciated~!

T!

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

I have buried the exhaust on my Caravan (also a 3 liter) with no problems. Is the 3.0 liter Aerostar big enough? I know it says 3900 lbs, but it looks like that is only on the cargo van version. Also, does it have the guts to pull the boat?

Don't let the trailer tires go off the bottom of the ramp. Also, if tide is an issue where you are at, I have heard that certain tide conditions are better. As I do not have that to deal with, I can't say which.

Good luck,
TerryMSU

 

[dnifedem85]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

I have an 18' bowrider and my trailer is 24 feet long, tongue and all. When retrieving, I usually back my trailer in until the wheels are totally submerged. Don't get your tires wet, that could turn bad. How far you back in does depend on how long the tongue of your trailer is. Your bottom bunks should obviously be submerged, my side bunks are out of the water. A good thing to remember is launch deep, retrieve shallow. Good Luck! The first time is always fun!

 

[Tommy in FLL]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

I have buried the exhaust on my Caravan (also a 3 liter) with no problems. Is the 3.0 liter Aerostar big enough? I know it says 3900 lbs, but it looks like that is only on the cargo van version. Also, does it have the guts to pull the boat?

Don't let the trailer tires go off the bottom of the ramp. Also, if tide is an issue where you are at, I have heard that certain tide conditions are better. As I do not have that to deal with, I can't say which.

Good luck,
TerryMSU

Well, the Aerostar minivan is based upon the 80's Ford Ranger SUV. It is rear drive, uses a Ford Taurus 150 hp V6 engine, and the book says that it can tow 3500 pounds. My boat, trailer, and engine total weight is about 1800 pounds. I'm more concerned with putting the van too far down the ramp and going boating via Ford instead of Larson.....

Thanx for the input!

T

 

[Splat]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

Launch deep, retrieve shallow.

And there is no one correct answer for this, Most people normally back down to some point to where the wheel wells on the boat touch water. Then winch up from there.

Due to differences in draft, trailer configuration and ramp steepness each boat is different, hell each ramp is even different for each boat. More than likely somewhere around 1/2- 2/3 of the bunks submerged will be adequate. If the trailer is too deep you'll have issues with the stern of the boat floating around while trying to line it up.

Trial and error.

Bill

 

[Silvertip]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

Two things regarding engine exhaust and water. On an I/O powered boat, the exhaust system has risers and flappers inside to keep "reversion" from occuring. That is the situation where the engine injests water through the exhaust. But it inhales the cooling water that passes out the exhaust. A similar thing can happen with a car, especially one that has rather radical valve timing (like we used to see in muscle cars of old). However your Aerostar should not be impacted unless you drove in forward and -- well you know the rest. On a through hull exhaust, flappers are often used in that application to prevent backwash from getting into the exhaust. Those boats tend to have a little more radical engine tuning and can indeed suffer reversion.

 

[SNye45]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

It is all trial and error. Every ramp is different. There are some shallow ramps others are steep. As already stated launch deep, retrieve shallow. The general rule of thumb is to back the trailer until the water is just below the top of the trailer wheel guards. You can always winch the boat up the rest of the way if needed. Good luck with it

 

[ebry710]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

It is all trial and error. Every ramp is different. There are some shallow ramps others are steep. As already stated launch deep, retrieve shallow. The general rule of thumb is to back the trailer until the water is just below the top of the trailer wheel guards. You can always winch the boat up the rest of the way if needed. Good luck with it

I agree. The ramp makes the difference. To me though, go back as far as you feel safe. I don't like to have my drive wheels in the water. If the ramp requires that, I can just push my boat into the water and winch it back up. Takes a little longer but there only a few spectators that care.

 

[lowkee]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

Here is a video on how to launch a boat specifically with a minivan. I figure reading tips is once thing, watching it done is another.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOmvW05f7so

Good luck!

 

[Ram58]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

As others have said, boat, trailer, vehicle and ramp combination make every one different. I back my trailer in just to where my side bunks touch the water. I can float the boat 1/2 way on the trailer and either winch from there or power it the rest of the way up.

 

[capt sam]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

What they said, back it down till it will come off, it helps if you have two guys, one driving the truck one in the boat. At the very least the trailer tires usually have to be under.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

As a back up plan you might want to take a tow chain or 'come along winch' with you and maybe some sort of traction devices to throw under the wheels if you start to lose traction up the ramp.
BP

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

I doubt you'll have any issues retrieving the boat no on any normal paved ramp. There also will be no issue with the exhaust in the water. The water would have to move up 10+ feet of exhaust, can fill the muffler/catalytic converter, then go up vertically a foot or two in order to get to the engine. It's not an issue.

As for the rear tires getting wet, who cares? As long as you don't back the trailer off of the ramp edge, you won't have much issue with a 16ft boat. If the tires slip a bit, put it in 2nd gear instead of drive and it will lock out first giving you better traction. Back the trailer in to the top of the trailer's tires and see where that gets you. If you need more, back it more. If it works but you could have been shallower, you'll know for next time.

 

[rentprop1]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

Tommy,

are you launching at the ramp on NE 12 Terrace ??

that's a pretty nice ramp, you should not have any problems there, I would back the trailer just to where the top of the wheels or fenders and no further that 3/4 of the bunks submerged.....

and ramp etiquette : don't leave the van-trailer on the ramp when you jog back to your house, park it in a spot and go get the boat tie it up to the docks and then back it down......use a rope and walk it on.

 

[boat1010]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

When loading my boat I drive it on the trailer so I back the trailer a little shallower than when I launch it so it will rub on the bunks and not hit the winch post. If you are too deep when loading there is nothing to stop the boat. Unloading I back it up till the boat floats and drive it off.

 

[smclear]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

I have a feeling you'll do fine at the ramp. My concern would be cleaning your bottom. If the boats been in the water since November, you're going to have some fairly good growth on the bottom. Even if it's painted with some sort of anti-fouling paint, you'll still have growth. If there is no such paint, you'll probably have a nice 'skirt' on the bottom. That'll be a chore to remove. Not impossible, but a real chore. Give yourself a full day and have plenty of beverages. I am assuming it's somewhere up the new river???? (That's some pretty brackish water)

 

[Wee Hooker]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

As mentioned, how deep the trailer needs to go is something you'll need to experiment with. That said, try to avoid wetting ANY part of your van if launching SW. I can tell you from experience that repeated backing into SW will cause severe body rot and /or rear brake (and electrical) system failure prematurely. IMHO, if you need to wet the van, you should consider finding a new ramp and/or extending the trailer tongue.

 

[CAVU V]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

Every trailer/boat combination is different. With my boat I have to submerge the trailer almost all the way to the winch, there is no way I can winch 9000 lbs of boat on the bunks, have to float the boat all the way to the winch bumper.

I agree with another poster, don't put the exhaust in the water.

 

[lowkee]

Re: I'm pulling my boat from the water for the first time...

The OP said 'tomorrow' 2 days ago, so I'm curious how things went.