I am in Tallahassee Florida and have recently purchased a project 1988 18.5 hunter sailboat. Neat boat and hard to come by. Took her sailing for the first itme in Apalachicola Bay, Florida, a couple of weeks ago, and could not properly load the boat back onto the trailer. At this point I am wondering if the trailer is the one manufactured (24 years ago) to fit the boat. I need guidance, but no one around seems to know what to do. I would also like to know, if anyone can point me to where I might be able to find a new or better trailer for this boat. Hunter Marine in Alkachua, Florida, referred me to this group. Thanks.
Loading boat onto trailer
- Thread starter edbarranco
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Ed, what do you mean by "not properly load the boat back"? What is she doing? What do you feel is the issue with the trailer? Do you have a picture?
Thanks for the reply. Unurtunately, it was one of those situations where the last thing I though about was to take pictures. In hinfsight I wish I had. I lowered the trailer to the point where there was enough water to float the boat all the way up to the stopper. I reeled the winch in and when I pulled out the boat settled back away and down from the stopper. Could not center the boat on the keel trailer plate. As I made several attempts the boast would be to prot or starboard of the trailer centerline and could not get it to stay up on the stopper. A couple of times it came out of the water making contact with the trailer boars only on one side. In otherwords, not even and a bit separation from the opposite side board. In the proceess I may damaged the trailer in that the frame is now flat on top of the axel. I also noticed that the four trailer jacks that hold the boards which hold the belly of the boat are not all at the same elevation. The two aft are lower that the two in the front. That is how it was st when I bought the boat. This to me apears to tell the boat to settle back as it did, but I am not sure, just stipulating. What do you think? Thanks
Ed, I assume that it was the trailer that came with the boat so I don't think the trailer is the problem. Up here we all use trailers for our boats (18' to 42') and have found each has its own "preculiarities". However after looking at a few pictures on line and knowing how our boats load on trailers I do have a couple of suggestion. First, you may have the trailer to deep. It will take a couple of times to figure out what is the right depth. Second, if you have another person with you I would suggest that you power the boat onto the trailer and keep the power on while the other person pulls the trailer out of the water. He can see when the bow of the boat hits the stop. He can then hook up the strap and attach the safety chain. Then he can begin to go forward while you keep the power on. That will keep your bow against the stop until the boat is resting on the trailer. I know it is not a big motor but that extra push will help keep the boat in place while it is being pulled out. Stop the motor when it comes out of the water. Hopefully this will help. Good luck!
Sounds more like problem with technique rather than trailer...
Agree with Nodak that rear of trailer was to deep/too sharp a drop on landing, but not much you can do about that...
However, I'm not as much in agreement with the "power up the trailer" approach...
When the trailer rear is down, the winch roller moves "back" so even if boat touchs roller when trailer moves forward and rear comes "up" the winch roller moves forward and boat is located "back" on trailer...(they all do that to an extent)...
Suggest (as did Nodak) that you psition trailer slightly mor forward/out of the water so boat catchs and rides up the side bunks...Then winch the boat the last couple inchs forward as the truck pulls boat and trailer up ramp/out of water...
With 3/4 of the boat still "floating" the winch (and bow eye) can handle the weight and the front of the bunks "center" the boat (and keel) on tyrailer as it comes up...
Additionally you could add a keel "guide boards" to the keel plate to help in boat centering/positioning
Agree with Nodak that rear of trailer was to deep/too sharp a drop on landing, but not much you can do about that...
However, I'm not as much in agreement with the "power up the trailer" approach...
When the trailer rear is down, the winch roller moves "back" so even if boat touchs roller when trailer moves forward and rear comes "up" the winch roller moves forward and boat is located "back" on trailer...(they all do that to an extent)...
Suggest (as did Nodak) that you psition trailer slightly mor forward/out of the water so boat catchs and rides up the side bunks...Then winch the boat the last couple inchs forward as the truck pulls boat and trailer up ramp/out of water...
With 3/4 of the boat still "floating" the winch (and bow eye) can handle the weight and the front of the bunks "center" the boat (and keel) on tyrailer as it comes up...
Additionally you could add a keel "guide boards" to the keel plate to help in boat centering/positioning
I use to sail with a friend who also had mac 26 at the time. He showed me a cool little trick to get the boat tight up on the bow roller after boat was pull out of water. While rocking boat from side to side slowing tighten up on winch. It was neat to see as we rocked the boat back and forth the boat would walk forward and even center up on trailer.
Send me your phone number and I will call you as I know that trailer too well which was built for that boat. It was a pain to load up but a few suggestions will help you. Send a photo of the trailer to me. davecondon@mindspring.com along with a phone number.
I am a retired Hunter small boat dealer.
crazy dave condon
I am a retired Hunter small boat dealer.
crazy dave condon
It seems your ramp is a little steep and the boat rolls or floats back as it is pulled out of the water. Floating the boat unto the trailer with the help of winch or line hooked on the bow eye fixture is the proper way. Once it touches the bunks do not winch up or power up. Once it is floated up to the stopper just secure it there and then pull out of the water. As the stern of the boat is floated off it will line up with the trailer. If you have a swing keel, make sure is not fouled and fully retracted. A fouled swing keel will make the boat lean to one side. Depending on the steepness of the ramp the bow eye may end above or below the stopper, it is OK to rock the boat up and down to get it to fall in place. A axle hitting the frame of the trailer is an indication of a broken or weakened spring leaf. This common in small trailers, the spring leafs get corroded and fail. You can get replacements at T. Mahoney or a trailer place. Did you buy the boat on the water or on the trailer? If it was on the trailer can see no reason why it would not go back on.
The keel guides on the trailer use to be the thing that would catch that wing bulb keel making it difficult to loand and unload. Not sure if you have that style trailer but I was the dealer who outsold all others on that boat and know it. If you want, you can email me with some photos of the trailer but will respond after next week. I am notw retired. Want to discuss this with someone who knows the issues?
crazy dave condon
crazy dave condon
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