New guy needs advice

[halfor]

Hello, reading the info on this forum has helped me huge, I have zero experience with boats and now I have a 77 crestliner tri hull with a 78 merc 70 on back. I am struggling with the roller trailer I cannot figure how deep to launch or retrieve. First time went deep put the trailer under water for launch and retrieval, it worked but boat was very crooked as I strapped it down. After reading a bunch on the forum I decided to try putting the trailer in up to the axel, not good as my skeg was already bent and broke now it is a little more broke. On retrieval put trailer in to fender depth and winched it up this was ok only little crooked, much better than last time. Part of my problem may be the winch, it is electric but I don?t have power to it. I just let it unspool at launch, tighten and hand crank on retrieval. Had I been able to control the speed and keep the bow down my last launch might not have goon so wrong. I have been out twice now and have a few questions for the knowledgeable.
1. How deep should a roller trailer be at launch / retrieval?
2. When the boat is at dock and u get the trailer to load should you just drive up to the ramp or get in line and wait to retrieve?
3. First time out the port side road really high at all speeds butt stopped. Second time was better I believe it was because the chunk of skeg I lost at launch was twisted. Now when I look at the skeg it looks like it may be leaning port side. I was thinking about cutting off the damage / leaning part and bolting on a new shinny stainless skeg guard. Is this a bad idea to cut/grind, or should I simply cover?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: New guy needs advice

1: look at the other roller trailer thread right below this one
2: always wait in line unless someone isn't ready and motions you around
3: show us a picture

 

[larsonrider]

Re: New guy needs advice

When retreiving back the trailer in until your middle roller just hits the water. Roller trailers are self-centering so it will automatically center the boat for you. If the boat comes out crooked then the trailer is too deep when retreiving. And make sure you trim up when trailering the boat so you don't drag the skeg.

 

[Leardriver]

Re: New guy needs advice

I've always backed any new trailer into the water until I see the stern start to lighten up and start thinking about floating. That's about a foot too far deep.

I usually use the water level and it's relationship to the trailer fenders as my future reference point. For example, is the water just covering the fenders?

 

[BatDaddy1887]

Re: New guy needs advice

...if it were my boat, I would tilt the motor up on both launch/retrieval so as not to damage the skeg. I thought I read somewhere they can do repairs on skegs, much like re-working a prop...don't grind off any workable metal till you find out. If you have someone with you when launching, tie a line to a cleat and have that person hold the line on the dock while you back the trailer down the ramp just far enough to get the boat floating with a little help from the person pulling gently on the line.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: New guy needs advice

it's a roller trailer.... you don't need any help from anyone to pull it off the trailer.... It will roll off as soon as you start to let out the winch

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: New guy needs advice

keep your axle dry, at least for launch.

get your power winch fixed. You won't regret it.

 

[halfor]

Re: New guy needs advice

Keeping my axle dry was something I tried last launch and?.well not so good, as the bow pointed at the sky and the back of the boat bounced off the skeg (glad I had the motor all the way up). I have 2 launches now and one was to deep and one too shallow. After reading advice given here I think I will be launching at a depth of 1 foot less than floating the stern. This sounds reasonable. Retrieving is still a little concerning, my trailer has 2 sets of 4 rollers one up front and one in back not really a middle roller and the back ones are tipped up from launch (at least last time). I will try to get some pics of boat on trailer as well as the bent skag.

 

[larsonrider]

Re: New guy needs advice

In that case just back the trailer in until the rear rollers are just barely submerged.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: New guy needs advice

It's not like you have to try just one depth per day.... Get out there when it isn't busy and start where you were too shallow.... back up a foot and try again... still too shallow back up another foot.... BTW that's a foot back not a foot deeper... when you get it right make a note off how deep the tires/fenders are in the water and ur GOLDEN

 

[bonz_d]

Re: New guy needs advice

Can't tell by the picture but is that a tilt bed roller trailer?

Smoke, the Spartan roller trailer I have under my small Lund doesn't roll off as soon as it's unhooked. A slight push and away she'll go. But then I think that is just the design of this trailer. It only has 2 bunks of 8 wobble rollers and then 3 keel rollers.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: New guy needs advice

It takes trial and error, if the ramp angle is really steep. Ya dont have to put the trailer in the water as far. The new ramp I have been going to has such a slight grade, I gotta back WAY the heck out to get my boat to float. [With my trailer anyhow]

 

[halfor]

Re: New guy needs advice

Yes that is a tilt trailer, my father was the previous owner and he told me he never used the tilt function. His advice was just get close, unhook and backup, hit brakes rollers do the rest, ooh ya have someone to hang on to a line so the boat doesn?t just float away. I figured I would try to learn a solo method with a little less action.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: New guy needs advice

Use the tilt! Back in just far enough so the last rollers get wet both loading and unloading. With the tilt the bow will come right up into the bed with the winch. I do it myself all the time. You will be suprised! In the time it takes for the trailer to hit the water I can be in and out in a couple minutes. I also use a bowline with a hook to the bow eye.

 

[halfor]

Re: New guy needs advice

Trailer update, I launched at a depth of the bottom of the fenders, this put the back rollers in as suggested, pulled the tilt lever end the boat slid off nicely. My wife was skeptical of the depth as she watched from the back, I noticed the tilt of the trailer only went up 2 inches, thinking that was all it needed didn?t give it a second thought, all was good. When I went to load the dock was full of people fishing this was little harder now because they really weren?t in any rush to move their lines nor there bodies. Finally they reeled in there lines bid did not move, I tied the boat to dock to get the trailer and kept banging in to the woman?s fishing poll because she would not move it gust set it next to the poll for tying up on. Public landing so I guess u just deal with it. Anyhow, as I walk up the ramp there are 2 in line with empty trailers but no boats to be seen, as kindly they allow me to advance in front of them I back in, unspool the wench and click the cable stopped coming out line was somehow knotted. Now the guys who let me go in front of them are now waiting looking frustrated. I was able to walk in grab the boat pulling it to the available cable crank it in. at the last crank I noticed the tilt pin was under the locking hole, bummer because now I needed to un-roll till the trailer tilted fixing the pin and re-roll up. As I pulled out I couldn?t help but notice how nicely the boat was sitting in the trailer, at this point I kind of forgot about the whole loading PITA but wow was it straight. Sorry for the long story but when I got home and was coving the boat I noticed that there was a chain around the center beam under the boat (beam was running the long way). This chain looked like a safety chain that would only allow the tilt to move a few inches like I saw when I launched. The chain is bolted on with no easy way to remove it. Finally the question should this be here? It is bolted on both sides. Seems like a good idea to have some safety chain but you would need to remove it to get much out of the tilt.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: New guy needs advice

Well it sounds like you're getting there!

General rules for public ramps. When in line and someone lets you pass be very appreciative, Say "Thanks". Most public ramps I visit are posted "NO Fishing, NO swimming". While I am a fisherman I understand doing so at ramps is at my own risk. The piers are there for the boaters loading and unloading.

I guess you now need to straighten out your winch strap so you don't run into that problem again and am now aware of how the tilt works with the pin. Yes most all tilt trailers have a safty chain which is also usually used to restrict how far the trailer will tilt. It should be adjustable though as mine tilts more while loading than it does while unloading. So your thinking is correct. It may have been bolted that way because whom ever had it before you never used the tilt function.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: New guy needs advice

Some thoughts on your question about should you wait in line to retrieve... It kinda depends on how much dock space there is. If there are a few boats waiting to launch and there is limited dock space. the people waiting to launch may want you to go ahead of them, get your boat out of the way so they can tie up to the dock when they launch. On the flip side, if there is plenty of dock space, or your wife or whoever is in the boat idleing around the harbor waiting for you to back the trailer down, then ya might wanna get in line. Again, it all depends on the specific situation. I have learned to practice tolerance and be patient at the launches. [still learning, but I try] Talk to people, say Hi, be friendly, ask em if they mind if you retrieve. Wish em a good day, tell em how purdy their boat is. Boat ramps can be a hi-stress testosterone fueled place like no other. Ive seen what appear to be the nicest people, scream at thier wives etc. I call it.. Ramp Rage. Try to be part of the solution, not part of the problem....

 

[halfor]

Re: New guy needs advice

Some one idling around the harbor is where I am stuck, I have been tying up having the wife hang on to the rope, as much out of the way as possible. She would rather be a holder than a driver or backer of the trailer. I have been asking the guys in line if I?m in there way and that it?s my 2nd time out so it may take longer than if they just went ahead, they have all been helpful but I won?t be able to use that excuse much longer.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: New guy needs advice

Still it sounds as if you are on the right track and trying to do it right so just keep practicing, Stay observant and it will get easier!
Have fun and stay safe on the water.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: New guy needs advice

most trailers, you don't want them to tilt too much. If at the launch, the trailer is too steep, the transom will swamp (and don't put your big loaded cooler back there!)
If on the retrieve it's too steep you are cranking against too much incline. Hint: when the boat gets a good ways up, pull down on the bow while cranking to level it and make it easier.
As for load--a heavily loaded boat can be hard to manage on a tilt. At a private (or empty public) ramp, we launch then load, and unload onto the dock and then retrieve. At a public ramp with a dock along side, set the cooler on the dock, launch, and then load it. Just be judicious about the crowd there, as it really hacks them off when a boat isn't loaded before launching. any small or lightweight stuff can be pre-loaded. One big item shouldn't matter.