Well, it's approaching that time around these parts ('dammed' inland lakes) when the plebs (those without deep-water slips) have to haul their boats out before the water level drops and our summer slips 'dry up'. I put my new Beneteau F235 (23.5'; 2'9" draft wing keel variety) in the water with just a little trouble this July, and now I have to plan how to retrieve it some time this month. I haven't retrieved anything with a fixed keel before, so I don't know what devils lurk in the details of the process. Can anyone give me some useful tips and warnings before I attempt this? If it matters, the trailer supports the hull on six individual adjustable pads, rather than on two long 'bunks'. I haven't played with the pad support heights, so they should still be set right. Here's a link to a couple of pictures of it on the trailer: http://207.44.248.86/~kh/beneteau235/235_mast_raise.htm The trailer has two axles, and an 8' tongue. However, the top portions of our ramps are steep-ish, then they flatten out abruptly before the boat floats, so the tongue didn't help me at the launch. Instead, I had to unhitch the trailer when it reached the flatter portion of the ramp, then bodily push it into deep enough water to float off the boat. The bow post of the trailer doesn't have a winch, but I should be able to push the trailer into deep enough water to capture the boat properly before (somehow) pulling the trailer part way up the ramp, where it can be hitched to the vehicle. Oh yes, there is no travel-lift I could use instead that is close enough to consider. This should be lots of fun ... I'm already practicing a few choice 'salty' exclamations that I think I'll need during the process. ... H E L P ... Thanks, Neil
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Barry Lenoble
rope
Hello, The first few times I launched my Catalina 22 I didn't have a tongue extention, and the ramp wan't steep enough to float the boat off. I ended up unhitching the trailer and tieing a line from the hitch to the trailer. To recover I would sink the trailer, float the boat on (and winch it into position on the trailer, then haul the trailer out of the water, chock the rear wheels and hitch the trailer to the tow vehicle. Good luck!!! Barry
Hello, The first few times I launched my Catalina 22 I didn't have a tongue extention, and the ramp wan't steep enough to float the boat off. I ended up unhitching the trailer and tieing a line from the hitch to the trailer. To recover I would sink the trailer, float the boat on (and winch it into position on the trailer, then haul the trailer out of the water, chock the rear wheels and hitch the trailer to the tow vehicle. Good luck!!! Barry
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Rich
Tires
I had a grampion 23 and it dre i think around 3.6ft If i had problems launching it ore retrieving it i would try and flatten the tires.. Yes it is a hassle but you would gain around 4 inches and that can make all the difference in the world. you might also wnat to think about emptying everything out of the boat and make sure you have no water in the tanks etc i mean everything to liten it up. Just my .02 worth.. good luck
I had a grampion 23 and it dre i think around 3.6ft If i had problems launching it ore retrieving it i would try and flatten the tires.. Yes it is a hassle but you would gain around 4 inches and that can make all the difference in the world. you might also wnat to think about emptying everything out of the boat and make sure you have no water in the tanks etc i mean everything to liten it up. Just my .02 worth.. good luck
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Michael O
Barry's Idea Plus
We launch and retrieve like Barry explained, but the more conservative of us use a steel cable rather than a rope. Sure, a rope will likely be okay...... but if not, then you'll be like a few boaters we see every year that are scuba diving for their boat trailers! Cable shops are in the phone book ("wire rope"?) and the cost of a 50' heavy duty cable with loops on each end (my boat is 8000 lbs) cost only $29. And BTW, check the height off the ground of each bunk and see if they are the same on both sides of the trailer. Probably are, but if you see a HUGE difference, be leery. Good luck! Michael O'
We launch and retrieve like Barry explained, but the more conservative of us use a steel cable rather than a rope. Sure, a rope will likely be okay...... but if not, then you'll be like a few boaters we see every year that are scuba diving for their boat trailers! Cable shops are in the phone book ("wire rope"?) and the cost of a 50' heavy duty cable with loops on each end (my boat is 8000 lbs) cost only $29. And BTW, check the height off the ground of each bunk and see if they are the same on both sides of the trailer. Probably are, but if you see a HUGE difference, be leery. Good luck! Michael O'
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mrbill
Long tongue
I've seen a few good photos of people extending the tongue... of their trailers. that is... one used a smaller diameter bar that fit inside of the standard tongue (about 8' long) and had two holes drilled with bolts. (like a normal reciver hitch. (receiver being the trailer) you tow with bars nested. haul by extending bar. second used a hindge at base of trl. 1st was better setup. any welding shop could do it. heres a link to second idea... will look for first idea. Think about going swimming... get those support braces right.
I've seen a few good photos of people extending the tongue... of their trailers. that is... one used a smaller diameter bar that fit inside of the standard tongue (about 8' long) and had two holes drilled with bolts. (like a normal reciver hitch. (receiver being the trailer) you tow with bars nested. haul by extending bar. second used a hindge at base of trl. 1st was better setup. any welding shop could do it. heres a link to second idea... will look for first idea. Think about going swimming... get those support braces right.
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mrbill
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Dick Schneider
Before my swing keel Venture 224, I sailed a Santan 20 with about a 4-foot fixed keel. The previous owner filled me in on these procedures and they worked for me. First task, purchase a heavy-duty 30-foot nylon tow strap. IN: Back the boat and trailer to the water's edge. Block the trailer wheels. Unhitch the trailer and secure one end of the tow strap to the trailer tongue. Remove the blocks and push the trailer and boat far enough into the water to float the boat. Secure the boat. Tie the other end of the tow strap to the hitch on the tow vehicle. Pull the trailer out of the water. Block the trailer. Stow the tow strap. Rehitch the trailer to the vehicle. Tow the trailer to parking/storage. OUT: Back the empty trailer down to the water. Block the trailer. Unhitch the trailer. Attach the tow strap to the trailer tonge. Attach other end of the tow strap to the tow vehicle hitch. Remove the blocks. Push the trailer into the water, far enough to float the boat onto it. Move the tow vehicle forward enough to tighten up the tow strap. Slowly pull the trailer from the water. A hand guides the boat to make sure its positioned on the trailer correctly. Boat lined up and settled onto the trailer, ease it out of the water. Block the trailer. Stow the tow strap. Hitch up the trailer. Away you go. We usually used three people to do this. I appreciate my swing-keel now. Dick schneider..
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Mike Barry
great hitch extension
I bought an extension from www.extendahitch.com that worked really well for me. The have 3 or 4 sizes. The 9' model made a big difference on the shallow ramps...especially at low tide. I tried the chain method..the extend a hitch worked MUCH better.
I bought an extension from www.extendahitch.com that worked really well for me. The have 3 or 4 sizes. The 9' model made a big difference on the shallow ramps...especially at low tide. I tried the chain method..the extend a hitch worked MUCH better.
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tom
travel lift
With your boat being 23 feet and you just wanting to sit it in a trailer you might see if someone with a travel lift will do it cheap. To me it would be worth a few bucks to save the effort. I've waded chest deep in cold water too many times loading my sailboat. They usually charge by the foot and at 23 feet you are probably talking less than $120.00. Just wear and tear is probably worth that.
With your boat being 23 feet and you just wanting to sit it in a trailer you might see if someone with a travel lift will do it cheap. To me it would be worth a few bucks to save the effort. I've waded chest deep in cold water too many times loading my sailboat. They usually charge by the foot and at 23 feet you are probably talking less than $120.00. Just wear and tear is probably worth that.
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Neil
yard is scared
There is only one marina nearby with a travel lift, and they sell, service, and store power boats. However, a 'yachtie' managed to convince them to lift his boat out a couple of years ago - they dropped it somehow (sling slipped off one end, I think), so they have sworn off lifting sailboats ever since! Maybe it's a good thing - I'd be very very upset if my boat got dropped - it looks like I'll be up to my chest in cold water next weekend trying to entice my boat onto its trailer, and to 'hang on' while I pull it up the ramp.
There is only one marina nearby with a travel lift, and they sell, service, and store power boats. However, a 'yachtie' managed to convince them to lift his boat out a couple of years ago - they dropped it somehow (sling slipped off one end, I think), so they have sworn off lifting sailboats ever since! Maybe it's a good thing - I'd be very very upset if my boat got dropped - it looks like I'll be up to my chest in cold water next weekend trying to entice my boat onto its trailer, and to 'hang on' while I pull it up the ramp.
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tom
here they do it all the time
I watched them haul my P323 and was amazed at how quickly they pulled it out of the water. That marina hauled everything including larger powerboats. My previous boat was kept at an inland lake where there was no choice but to load it myself. Some years I waited too long and had to wear my scuba diving wetsuit as the water was very cold. There the larger sailboats had to hire a crane!!!! One hint is to put poles on the trailer to guide the boat and allow you to know it's position. My biggest problem was getting the boat properly centered on it's bunks. Especially if the ramp wasn't level side to side. If the trailer isn't backed squarely into the water it has the same effect. As the trailer leaves the water one wheel is higher and the boat shifts to the lower side. Good Luck!!!
I watched them haul my P323 and was amazed at how quickly they pulled it out of the water. That marina hauled everything including larger powerboats. My previous boat was kept at an inland lake where there was no choice but to load it myself. Some years I waited too long and had to wear my scuba diving wetsuit as the water was very cold. There the larger sailboats had to hire a crane!!!! One hint is to put poles on the trailer to guide the boat and allow you to know it's position. My biggest problem was getting the boat properly centered on it's bunks. Especially if the ramp wasn't level side to side. If the trailer isn't backed squarely into the water it has the same effect. As the trailer leaves the water one wheel is higher and the boat shifts to the lower side. Good Luck!!!
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Cabo Wabo
lower your front pads
you have to lower your front pads so you can get your keel back to the origional position on the trailer. Use a tow strap hooked to your truck to put the trailer in and pull it back out. when you do get your keel in the origional position run a strap from the front of the boat with preferably a come along to secure the boat so when you pull it back out you can loosen the strap. Run the strap up towards the front of the trailer and secure it so it won't slip. and inch the boat out raising the front pads up as you go. when the keel is sitting flat on the trailer make sure all of your pads are tight and pull it out far enough to safley hook the trailer to your truck. be sure and use some quality wheel chokes preferably four of them. You can never be to safe. I pulled my 34 hunter out with just one other person in the water with me. and two on land. just be real careful. email me if you need more advise sail060468@aol.com
you have to lower your front pads so you can get your keel back to the origional position on the trailer. Use a tow strap hooked to your truck to put the trailer in and pull it back out. when you do get your keel in the origional position run a strap from the front of the boat with preferably a come along to secure the boat so when you pull it back out you can loosen the strap. Run the strap up towards the front of the trailer and secure it so it won't slip. and inch the boat out raising the front pads up as you go. when the keel is sitting flat on the trailer make sure all of your pads are tight and pull it out far enough to safley hook the trailer to your truck. be sure and use some quality wheel chokes preferably four of them. You can never be to safe. I pulled my 34 hunter out with just one other person in the water with me. and two on land. just be real careful. email me if you need more advise sail060468@aol.com
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tom
check the ramp first
one last suggestion.. Check the ramp underwater to make sure there isn't a drop-off at the end. On the TVA lakes when they get low in the fall and you use the very end of the ramp there is often a drop off that the trailer wheels won't come back over. In the summer it's not a problem as the drop-off is several feet deep. It happened to me once and I had to unload the boat and move to another longer ramp..
one last suggestion.. Check the ramp underwater to make sure there isn't a drop-off at the end. On the TVA lakes when they get low in the fall and you use the very end of the ramp there is often a drop off that the trailer wheels won't come back over. In the summer it's not a problem as the drop-off is several feet deep. It happened to me once and I had to unload the boat and move to another longer ramp..
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Dick of Sylvan
Trailer Jack Wheel
Adding to what Barry said, I'd caution you to wind your trailer jack all the way down after disconnecting. I didn't once and bent the heck out of the jack when I pulled the boat out. Seems the little wheel hit an obstruction and and the tube collapsed. Better yet, some folks rig a good sized tire firmly up front for launching while disconnected from tow vehicle. Check out some marinas and you may see how they do it. Dick K.
Adding to what Barry said, I'd caution you to wind your trailer jack all the way down after disconnecting. I didn't once and bent the heck out of the jack when I pulled the boat out. Seems the little wheel hit an obstruction and and the tube collapsed. Better yet, some folks rig a good sized tire firmly up front for launching while disconnected from tow vehicle. Check out some marinas and you may see how they do it. Dick K.
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Neil
it's out now - thanks
Thanks for all your advice, everyone! The 'boat retrieval' process went well enough yesterday (the advice to lower the trailer's jocky wheel way down helped in two ways - it prevented bending it, and it provided a better angle between boat and trailer in initial stage). My F235 has a wing keel, for which the trailer doesn't have a keel guide - the keel simply has to find it's way onto a 2-foot long piece of 12"x2" on the trailer - the easy part! However, the trailer supports the hull on 6 pads, insteads of on two long bunks - the hard part! This latter design feature provided some entertainment as the pads wanted top float flat, and then re-orient themselves as the hull appraoched them so that they were not at the proper angle! Only after several attempts (with building frustration at each subsequent attempt) did we get them to lie right. Of course, ONLY when the trailer and boat were finally out, did I notice 4 eyelets screwed to each underside corner of each pad (to one of which some light weight telltail line was even still attached from previous use). It's obvious only now that they are there to let one tie a linebetween the corners of each pad and the pad support post to keep the pads at the proper angle. Live and learn! Thanks, Neil
Thanks for all your advice, everyone! The 'boat retrieval' process went well enough yesterday (the advice to lower the trailer's jocky wheel way down helped in two ways - it prevented bending it, and it provided a better angle between boat and trailer in initial stage). My F235 has a wing keel, for which the trailer doesn't have a keel guide - the keel simply has to find it's way onto a 2-foot long piece of 12"x2" on the trailer - the easy part! However, the trailer supports the hull on 6 pads, insteads of on two long bunks - the hard part! This latter design feature provided some entertainment as the pads wanted top float flat, and then re-orient themselves as the hull appraoched them so that they were not at the proper angle! Only after several attempts (with building frustration at each subsequent attempt) did we get them to lie right. Of course, ONLY when the trailer and boat were finally out, did I notice 4 eyelets screwed to each underside corner of each pad (to one of which some light weight telltail line was even still attached from previous use). It's obvious only now that they are there to let one tie a linebetween the corners of each pad and the pad support post to keep the pads at the proper angle. Live and learn! Thanks, Neil
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