Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

[arnieb]

Hello group,<br /><br />I want to change rollers and bunks on my trailer. A friend said to unload the boat on the grass. Its a tilt trailer with 2 bunks and rollers down the middle. The boat is a 1975 Glastron 15.5' bowrider. The trailer has a new winch and strap. My concern is that I will not be able to get the boat back on the trailer after! My wife would not like to garden around the boat all summer! I just bought the boat and trailer and I'm not really sure how well it loads and unloads. The boat has a 70hp Evinrude on the back. Anyone who has done this please let me know how it works.<br /><br />Best Regards<br />Arnie

 

[jlinder]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

There have been a lot of posts here on how to get a boat off the trailer to work on the trailer. Do a search and find what has been said.<br /><br />The approach I liked was to build some stands out of wood, lower the tongue which raises the stern, put the stand under the stern and raise the tongue.<br /><br />With tongue up high put the bow stand under the boat and lower the tongue to normal. The trailer should now have a couple of inches of clearance to slide forward.<br /><br />Have another stand and alternate for when you get to a crossbeams and need to get around them. This will leave the boat up on the stands, supported, and ready for replacing the trailer when you get the trailer work done.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

there are a lot of post and ways to do it. go to the tire shop, and get some 4 old tires. tilt your motor all the way up, so it doesn't dig in to the soil. place 2 tires in each side of the stearn of the boat. release the tilt latch. this may require a little help, push the boat back on the trailer until the tilt is balanced. keep the tongue down start to release the bow line slowly, tilt boat up so the the stearn rest on the tires, slowly pull trailer out. watch fingers put 2 tire where the center line of the boat can rest on them. keep the bow higher so any water will drain. fix the trailer and reverse the steps.

 

[Chief101]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

I normally launch the boat and beach or tie to dock, then I can replace the bunks with already made up ones. Chief

 

[arnieb]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

Thanks for the input. I jacked up the boat on the trailer and was able to change the rollers. I want to take the boat out with the kids for the first time tommorow. I'll get around to the bunks another weekend. What should carry the most weight the bunks or the rollers or all the same? I have it so the rollers are taking the most weight right now.<br /><br />Again thanks for taking the time to reply.<br /><br />Best Regards<br />Arnie

 

[Solittle]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

Arnie - A couple of pictures would sure help. However bunks will distribute the load better than most rollers.<br /><br />On off loading to the grass - It should not be a big deal with a boat that size. Tie a line from one of the stern eyes to a tree or other unmovable object, hook up the tow vehicle to the hitch and drive forward. Make sure that you tilt the engine up and check that the skeg does not hit the ground. To load it back on back the trailer up to the bow, connect the line from the winch to the bow eye. At this point I would disconnect the trailer from the tow vehicle. Then winch it up (got to untie that stern line). You will notice that the trailer will walk back underneath the boat for a while then the boat will come up on the trailer. I used this method with a 19' Glastron years back and do it with my 12'er when needed.

 

[michael-lagrange]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

A guy i work with has a coverd dock with a lift, he is about to put his boat in the shop for a overhaul and he will let me use his dock for a week while i refurbish my traler. good timming.<br /><br /> Thanks Stan

 

[jtexas]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

I also have a tilt trailer with 2 bunks, 3 keel rollers, 15ft trihull & 70 'rude.<br /><br />I've never tried this but here's what I would do: <br />Tilt the motor full up and use the tilt lock (just for good measure). <br />Remove the stern tie downs. <br />There's a locking pin where the trailer tilts - pull the pin.<br />Slowly push the bow up while using the winch to let out the bow strap.<br />Gravity might take over kind of suddenly so be prepared. <br />Try to lower it slowly with the winch.<br /><br />I always do my trailer maintenance in the parking lot after I'm done fishing before I load the boat - but it's easy enough to fabricate a support structure on the trailer frame out of scrap lumber, support the hull on one side or the other of a bunk...unbolt the brackets from the trailer and lower the bunk from under the boat, replace the wood & bolt it back up. Then do the other bunk. Or jack the transom up from the trailer frame, one side at a time. If you do it while it's hitched to your truck, you won't have to worry about it shifting.<br /><br />I try to get the rollers equal height above the trailer frame, then place the bunks where the stern will contact the bunks and rollers at the same time...sort of a three point landing. <br /><br />At least a fourth of your weight is on the transom - it needs support of the bunks - the rest of the boat is on the keel rollers. If a roller shaft bends, then you know its too much weight on it.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

I know you have it covered now, but I unloaded my boat in my garage one time. I did like explained earlier and went to a tire shop and got six very large truck tires. I fastened the rear of the boat to the wall, (Open studs) buy drilling holes down low by the foundation and tied ropes to the eyes on the transom. Hooked the trailer to my truck and with everything unhooked I pulled the boat about four feet off the trailer and put two tires stacked under each corner of the stern, then I pulled out untill I could put the other two tires under the front, then I just pulled out. When I put it back on, I just backed the trailer up to the the boat, hooked the strap on the boat and left the truck in neutral then just cranked the trailer and truck back under the boat. It worked so slick it was redicules.

 

[arnieb]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

Hello group,<br /><br />Well took the boat out for the first time this past weekend. It was nice not to have any problems with the boat as we just bought it a month ago. I've not owned a boat in over 20 years. I was alittle nervous about getting it in and out of the water by myself. There was a 30 mph side wind and NO dock. Getting it in the water was no problem. I was very nervous about getting it back on the trailer. Lets see....first time with this boat...30mph side wind...no one around to help if I ran into problems!! But it all went well. I did remember some old tricks from way back that came in handy. The kids had a blast!!!!I want to get out this weekend with the kids a do some fishing. Hope the weather is right. <br /><br />Thanks again for all the input. I will use some of these ideas in the future.<br /><br />Best Regards<br />Arnie

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

We just dropped one of our boats in the yard to go get another boat to have service work done on it. We just tied the back of the boat to a tree and pulled slowly. It came right off the back.

 

[StratMan290FS]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

is the tree gonna push it back on the trailer for you also?

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Unloading boat on grass to work on trailer?

No, that would be the job of the winch on the front. It's got carpeted runners that with armor all will slide right back on. We've done it before. It's just a flat bottom aluminum boat. We're not trying to do this with the Queen Mary.