launching and haulout techniques

[tomD]

My Catalina 22 and I have not been together that long but I have to say we have been to some pretty grungy boat ramps. I find the ones with no dock alongside the worst. An uneven bottom that cants the trailer makes seating the boat evenly for haulout almost impossible. Last outing was in stiff quartering winds, uneven ramp, and except for the assistance of three guys who saw us struggling, the boat would still be in the water.I lay awake thinking about a system of hauling out, with two persons, that would work. So far, refusing to go down a crappy launch has been my best bet.Other techniques/suggestions most welcome. This part of being a trailersailor is my least favorite.tomD

 

[Doug Rodrigues]

Side bunks make it easier.

Until I added side bunks to my trailer, recovering the boat on a windy day was a major irritation. The second irritation was the drop-offs at the concrete ramps caused by the motorboaters powering their boats onto their trailers. The holes created in the bottom causes your trailer to drop into those holes and bend the front part of your fenders on the concrete ramp....if you have fenders like I do. Or they cause your trailer to submerge at an angle. In either case, you need HORSEPOWER and traction to get out of the hole. What works best for me is to back the trailer into the water until the wheels are just submerged. Next, connect the winch pull strap to the bow eye, then crank the boat onto the bunks. You may have to back slightly again before cranking the boat all the way to the bow tip rubber bumper but I can usually get my boat centered and out of the water sometimes faster than many motorboats. The trick is to pull your boat onto the trailer, not allow it to be floating when the bow is resting up against the rubber stop. Anyway, that's my technique with a Trail-Rite sailboat trailer. However....ditto on not using crappy ramps.

 

[Wanderer138]

Bungee cords

A good strong bungee on either side of the boat from a lifeline stanchion to the trailer frame keeps the boat centered over the trailer when the boat is afloat. As you come up out of the water, the side bunks will take over.PeterH23 "Raven"

 

[Francis]

Boat Haulout

Getting the boat back on the trailer is always a concern. It isn't bad on calm days, but when it is windy it can really be tough. After backing the trailer in to the point where the car wheels are almost in the water, I then have a 100' line attached to the bow. As I leave the dock I have my partner pull me in.I just add some power if I start to drift out.It isn't perfect, but is has helped out a lot.Sometimes I feel like a big fish being pulled in.Good Luck