Retrieving

[BigWeakSauce]

Good Morning!

18' 1974 Caravelle CIV 19B on a dual axle trailer.
I'm a pure rookie here, just got my first launch/retrieve under my belt last week and while it was successful, it was quite demoralizing and I looked like a moron at the ramp.
The problem: When properly on the trailer, the bow eye sits about 6 inches above the tongue bumper. That's 6 inches up the hull, not up in the air. When retrieving though, the bow eye is about 12 inches BELOW the tongue bumper and even with the trailer in the water as far as I can safely go (tail pipe just out of the water), I can't get the bow eye over that bumper in order to winch her in securely.

We tried to improvise and settle by winching under the bumper and keeping the bow eye below the bumper however when I pulled her onto level ground and the stern had dropped onto the bunks and forced the bow up, the eye was stuck with my winch hook compressed against/under the tongue bumper and sitting too far back on the trailer. The winch was under tremendous pressure too, couldn't undo it at all. Had to drop her back in the water, disconnect the winch, hook it from over the bumper, winch in as much as I could, and eventually we miraculously got her to the perfect spot where the eye was just over the bumper and I used my rubber mallet to pound the bumper into position (it had rotated slightly as the bow eye ran over it).

Something here cannot be right. I'm trying to avoid adjustments to my trailer because the last owner had it that way with no issue, and that's how the boat is properly weighted on the trailer. Moving that tongue bumper would potentially throw off my tongue weight distribution. It's as if I need a 500lb dude to stand on my transom to help lift the bow so I can winch properly.

Has anyone had this issue before? How can I get that bow eye over the tongue bumper? Am I doing something fundamentally wrong with retrieving? Multiple ins and outs of the water isn't reasonable during boating season with crowded ramps. Please help!!!!

Disclaimer, I'm not willing to drive my boat onto the trailer, dragging up only.

 

[Alumarine]

The tail pipe can go in the water. Leave the motor running.
On one ramp I had my whole truck in the water up to the rockers.
Don't know if that's appropriate in salt water.

 

[ahicks]

1st, the winch stands are generally set up so the bow stop is above the bow eye. One reason is because they ARE impossible to get above the bow eye in situations like you describe.

2nd, if you're pulling your boat in the way it's set up now, and the bow eye is coming in below the stop, it's because the back of the boat is still floating (likely way over the top of the trailer). Backing the trailer in further is just going to make matters worse. Try pulling the trailer out a bit, so the back of the boat isn't so high above the trailer.

Last, we discussed this a bit just recently. One of the better ideas was to back the trailer in far enough to cover the fenders for a first try with a rig you aren't used to. I think that's a great place to start, then adjust accordingly for your rig and/or ramp angle/depth. Welcome to boating!

Read more here - https://forums.iboats.com/forum/gen...owing/10850814-new-boater-new-to-loading-boat

 

[BigWeakSauce]

Thanks for the quick answers, I didn't consider having the trailer further out of the water up the ramp, that should settle the boat on the bunks a bit better and put less float on the stern. I'll have to test my old winch to see if it has the guts to pull the boat from there. I didn't want to mess with my tongue because I don't feel like trying to calculate tongue weight after making an adjustment but maybe I will just to save me headache at the ramp.
Pulling the trailer out should save the day, hoping for a better run when the snow stops here in CLE...

 

[briangcc]

Every boat is different so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt and adjust as needed....

For me, every boat I've owned and had bunks underneath it, the sweet spot was to have about 3/4 to 2/3rds of the bunks under water with the rest high and dry. That meant a bit more work winching the boat up BUT the boat was centered every time and the bow eye in the exact same spot every time.

From your description, it sounds as if you're a bit too deep. Try backing it in a little less next time.

 

[ahicks]

Wasn't talking about moving the boat forward or backward on the trailer. It stays right where it's at now. It's just the brackets that hold the bow stop that I was suggesting you adjust. Most I've seen are easily set up for different positions - without moving the winch stand.

 

[JimS123]

You fell into the all too often mistake made at the launch ramp. We call them guys launching submarines. You didn't back in a bit too deep, you backed in Wayyyyyyy too deep.

I understand not wanting to make adjustments, even if your bow stop is in the wrong place. Just add a stout chain and turnbuckle as a bow tie down and you'll be just fine.