240 Trailer Launching

[mitchelldranow]

Do any of you fine folks have any suggestions with regard to launching an O'Day 240 from a float-off trailer. I'm going to attempt this in the spring, and I'd like to get a head start on advice well before that time.

Thanks,

Mitch

 

[Hydro Therapy]

You will need a good deep water ramp and probably a tongue extension for your trailer.

 

[djplatt]

Mine floats off easily with no extension. The transom is quite wide and buoyant. You don't have to be that deep before the boat slides backwards off the trailer nicely. Due to my trailer construction however I take it out with a travel lift. Yu will need to get deeper if you are going to try a trailer retrieve. Your other issue will be raising the mast which is a beast for the size of the boat. I use a club crane usually but have muscled it up with 2 volunteers when the situation demanded it. You should look at building some kind of A frame for raising it.

 

[Golden Road]

I launched my 23 by floating off trailer, but had a tougue extension. Done by marina operator so we could not afford to screw around. We determined that the only way not to use an extension would be with a steeper ramp into deeper water than we had.

 

[River Sailor]

My 23 floated off the trailer, no tongue extension, no problem. Water was up about 2-3" on the rear wheels on the 4Runner. Floated her onto the trailer last fall, other than cold and rainy no problem.