Hi all,Can you put the Vega in the water on a ramp off the trailer? Can you get it back on?LarrySent from Windows Mail
Off the Trailer:
- Thread starter lewills30
- Start date
I really don't think so, Larry.Well, to elaborate, it depends on what vehicle you are towing the trailer with. You need at least 1.3 metres depth to float the Vega, but the trailer holds the Vega in such a way that there must be 0.5 to 1 metre below the keel. So you need to float her off in 1.8 to 2.3 metres. At what depth of water will your vehicle still operate? So how steep would the ramp have to be? And how will your vehicle's axles and bearings and the trailer axles respond to soaking in salt water?I have seen tractors lowering trailers into the sea, but they were much shallower draught boats. Maybe if you have a good height of tide and a hard bottom, you can take the trailer down at low tide and recover it with a wire hawser when the Vega floats off on the rising tide. But what does a crane or hoist cost?Tom FentonBeowulf, V 2977
Salt or brackish water not unless you don't cere what happens to the trailer. Corrosion. Also you would need a VERY LONG TONGUE ON THE TRAILER AND NEED A DEEP BOAT RAMP.DKSent from my iPhoneKeenandoBoulder, CO
I launch the Vega off the trailer using a 30' tow strap, it is no big deal.Around here, none of the lakes have cranes able to lift the Vega or any of the larger boats like j24's so everyone uses straps. The ramps are designed to be steep enough so it become deep quickly near shore. Straps would not work well on a shallow ramp, or a ramp that is very muddy where the trailer gets mired in muck before it rolls out deep enough to float the boat.To launch with a strap, you need a "launch wheel" that supports the tongue once the trailer is detached from the tow vehicle. I use an old f250 with 200hp/300 ft lbs torque as a tow vehicle.With a 30' strap, i can keep my axle out of the water. Tim
That might be a response to expected future low water levels in the reservoir.Is your boat still in Coloado? tg From: n4lbl alan.schulman@... To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, March 8, 2014 7:43 PM Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Off
the Trailer:
Tim:
For the season after the one coming up, 2015, one of the yards at Lake Dillon is getting a contraption to dunk trailer and boat together to launch and retrieve.
AlanOn Sat, Mar 8, 2014 at 5:02 PM, Tim tim_klynn@... wrote:
the Trailer:
Tim:
For the season after the one coming up, 2015, one of the yards at Lake Dillon is getting a contraption to dunk trailer and boat together to launch and retrieve.
AlanOn Sat, Mar 8, 2014 at 5:02 PM, Tim tim_klynn@... wrote:
I did what Tim did, using a 30' strap and a good tongue wheel on the front of the trailer. I had a Dodge Diesel with a front hitch so could keep an eye on what was going on. We had earlier retrieved it the same way. As far as the trailer in salt water: nothing a thorough rinse did not fix, including popping the wheels off and washing out the brakes. Having a trailer made of channel steel, rather than steel tubing, is the best way to go, as far as being able to monitor rust formation.Peterwww.mostlyaboutboats.ca
Well thanks for all the input. But this just seems like a really bad idea …lol. I can just see the boat starting to float off and lay over on her side. Or getting it off and not being able to get her back on…lol. If it can go wrong…with me it will. LarrySent from Windows MailFrom: pjacobs55@...Sent: Sunday, March 9, 2014 9:22 PMTo: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
I did what Tim did, using a 30\' strap and a good tongue wheel on the front of the trailer. I had a Dodge Diesel with a front hitch so could keep an eye on what was going on. We had earlier retrieved it the same way. As far as the trailer in salt water: nothing a thorough rinse did not fix, including popping the wheels off and washing out the brakes. Having a trailer made of channel steel, rather than steel tubing, is the best way to go, as far as being able to monitor rust formation.Peterwww.mostlyaboutboats.ca
I did what Tim did, using a 30\' strap and a good tongue wheel on the front of the trailer. I had a Dodge Diesel with a front hitch so could keep an eye on what was going on. We had earlier retrieved it the same way. As far as the trailer in salt water: nothing a thorough rinse did not fix, including popping the wheels off and washing out the brakes. Having a trailer made of channel steel, rather than steel tubing, is the best way to go, as far as being able to monitor rust formation.Peterwww.mostlyaboutboats.ca
Back in the early 1960's I had a sailboat on a trailer she was
fairly deep and a problem to get on and off the trailer. I had a
marina take her on and off trailer and splash her. To expensive for
week end sailing so started keeping the boat in a slip during the
summer. It turned out the higher slip rent for the summer only was
almost as much as signing a contract for a year and keeping her in
the water year round. I found a private home with an empty boat slip
paid a very reasonable slip rent and kept her there year round. The
trailer set in the back yard a couple years and I finally sold it
along with the truck I used to pull it. There were no more tags and
insurance on the truck, none on the boat and when it was all said
and done I was ahead at the end of the year. Keeping a boat at a
private home also likely means you don't have to have insurance if
you don't want to. So you might concider something like
this. Doug
--
Doug Pollard
Albin Vega Sea Legs 2225
KK4YGO
On 03/10/2014 02:08 AM,
lewills30@... wrote:
fairly deep and a problem to get on and off the trailer. I had a
marina take her on and off trailer and splash her. To expensive for
week end sailing so started keeping the boat in a slip during the
summer. It turned out the higher slip rent for the summer only was
almost as much as signing a contract for a year and keeping her in
the water year round. I found a private home with an empty boat slip
paid a very reasonable slip rent and kept her there year round. The
trailer set in the back yard a couple years and I finally sold it
along with the truck I used to pull it. There were no more tags and
insurance on the truck, none on the boat and when it was all said
and done I was ahead at the end of the year. Keeping a boat at a
private home also likely means you don't have to have insurance if
you don't want to. So you might concider something like
this. Doug
--
Doug Pollard
Albin Vega Sea Legs 2225
KK4YGO
On 03/10/2014 02:08 AM,
lewills30@... wrote:
It really isn't that hard to do. It is a little stressful the first time or two until you get the trailer dialed in. We (and almost everyone else) doing the Regatta circuit in Colorado use the strap method.The only mishap I have heard of is a J24 hauling out with the boat not sitting properly in the bunks, hitting a tree with the mast and dropping the boat off the trailer and onto the ramp. Oops.If our boat isn't sitting just so on the trailer, we just back it in again and adjust it until it comes out right. Obviously, it is best to launch/retrieve when the is not a line of boats waiting to use the ramp.Our Santana 20 has a deeper keel than the Vega, and has not had a problem yet.When you launch the boat is only attached to the trailer by the bow, so if it does not float off level, you've got bigger problems. Retrieving can be the tricky part. Tg