I am planing on doing a lot of single handing (Admiral retiring). What are the tricks for getting into and out of the water with as little damage as possible? I got caught in a very slight crosswind loading the first time and turned sideways scraping the trailer fender and getting a black paint steak on the bottom of the hull. I read about someone who put guy ropes between the locater posts and the vee stop. I did that and it worked much better the second time (still with little wind). What else can I do to insure success?
Single Handed Launch/Retrieve
- Thread starter Retcoastie
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I am planing on doing a lot of single handing (Admiral retiring). What are the tricks for getting into and out of the water with as little damage as possible? I got caught in a very slight crosswind loading the first time and turned sideways scraping the trailer fender and getting a black paint steak on the bottom of the hull. I read about someone who put guy ropes between the locater posts and the vee stop. I did that and it worked much better the second time (still with little wind). What else can I do to insure success?
Launching and retrievel
Novelman here. Although I don't consider myself an authority on singlehanding launching and retrieval I have done so with three of my different sailboats when I was unable to get sailing buddies. It is fairly easy to launch and retrieve a sailboat IF the launch site is immediately adjacent to a finger dock. In this case I attach a sturdy line to a cleat on the bow of the boat and tie the other end to the trailer winch. I leave just enough slack to allow the boat to float off or slide off the trailer.Then when I back the boat into the water I hit the brakes as soon as the boat begins to float. The bow of the boat is now just off the end of the trailer. Next I slowly pull the trailer out of the water until I can retrieve the line tied to the winch and walk the line up onto the dock pulling the boat completely off the treailer and cleating it to the dock. However if there is no finger dock available it makes it more difficult, so I do the following. Again I tie the boat to the winch BUT I only leave enough slack to allow the bow of the boat to float while still over the trailer. Then I pull the trailer with the boat attached out of the water just far enough so that I can step onto the trailer withour getting wet and then climbing up onto the boat, start the motor and then release the line attached to the bow cleat.
Novelman here. Although I don't consider myself an authority on singlehanding launching and retrieval I have done so with three of my different sailboats when I was unable to get sailing buddies. It is fairly easy to launch and retrieve a sailboat IF the launch site is immediately adjacent to a finger dock. In this case I attach a sturdy line to a cleat on the bow of the boat and tie the other end to the trailer winch. I leave just enough slack to allow the boat to float off or slide off the trailer.Then when I back the boat into the water I hit the brakes as soon as the boat begins to float. The bow of the boat is now just off the end of the trailer. Next I slowly pull the trailer out of the water until I can retrieve the line tied to the winch and walk the line up onto the dock pulling the boat completely off the treailer and cleating it to the dock. However if there is no finger dock available it makes it more difficult, so I do the following. Again I tie the boat to the winch BUT I only leave enough slack to allow the bow of the boat to float while still over the trailer. Then I pull the trailer with the boat attached out of the water just far enough so that I can step onto the trailer withour getting wet and then climbing up onto the boat, start the motor and then release the line attached to the bow cleat.
Launching and retrievel
Novelman here. Although I don't consider myself an authority on singlehanding launching and retrieval I have done so with three of my different sailboats when I was unable to get sailing buddies. It is fairly easy to launch and retrieve a sailboat IF the launch site is immediately adjacent to a finger dock. In this case I attach a sturdy line to a cleat on the bow of the boat and tie the other end to the trailer winch. I leave just enough slack to allow the boat to float off or slide off the trailer.Then when I back the boat into the water I hit the brakes as soon as the boat begins to float. The bow of the boat is now just off the end of the trailer. Next I slowly pull the trailer out of the water until I can retrieve the line tied to the winch and walk the line up onto the dock pulling the boat completely off the treailer and cleating it to the dock. However if there is no finger dock available it makes it more difficult, so I do the following. Again I tie the boat to the winch BUT I only leave enough slack to allow the bow of the boat to float while still over the trailer. Then I pull the trailer with the boat attached out of the water just far enough so that I can step onto the trailer withour getting wet and then climbing up onto the boat, start the motor and then release the line attached to the bow cleat.
Novelman here. Although I don't consider myself an authority on singlehanding launching and retrieval I have done so with three of my different sailboats when I was unable to get sailing buddies. It is fairly easy to launch and retrieve a sailboat IF the launch site is immediately adjacent to a finger dock. In this case I attach a sturdy line to a cleat on the bow of the boat and tie the other end to the trailer winch. I leave just enough slack to allow the boat to float off or slide off the trailer.Then when I back the boat into the water I hit the brakes as soon as the boat begins to float. The bow of the boat is now just off the end of the trailer. Next I slowly pull the trailer out of the water until I can retrieve the line tied to the winch and walk the line up onto the dock pulling the boat completely off the treailer and cleating it to the dock. However if there is no finger dock available it makes it more difficult, so I do the following. Again I tie the boat to the winch BUT I only leave enough slack to allow the bow of the boat to float while still over the trailer. Then I pull the trailer with the boat attached out of the water just far enough so that I can step onto the trailer withour getting wet and then climbing up onto the boat, start the motor and then release the line attached to the bow cleat.
Another trick
The only other thing i would add to Novelman's technique regarding using a finger dock(the only launch/ recovery that I've used since moving up to the V21)would be a relatively long stern line which could be cleated on the stern and on to the dock about where the stern might be when the boat clears the trailer or where it should be as you're securing the lines. This can be useful if the breeze or current tends to push the boat away from the dock you're planning to tie up to. Unless you're moving fast, the stern could possibly drift into boats launching/recovering from a nearby parallel dock. I also use trailer guide posts which require "flipping" the bow line a bit before securing to the dock. As for retrieval, I've always had to wade in to pull the boat onto the trailer(you might be able to avoid this if you have roller bunks instead of carpet bunks like me. In this case I still use the longer stern line to control the stern if necessary while pulling in to the bow eye. My V12 has a somewhat low-slung bow eye and almost never clears the winch V the first try, requiring backing the trailer a bit farther into the water...
The only other thing i would add to Novelman's technique regarding using a finger dock(the only launch/ recovery that I've used since moving up to the V21)would be a relatively long stern line which could be cleated on the stern and on to the dock about where the stern might be when the boat clears the trailer or where it should be as you're securing the lines. This can be useful if the breeze or current tends to push the boat away from the dock you're planning to tie up to. Unless you're moving fast, the stern could possibly drift into boats launching/recovering from a nearby parallel dock. I also use trailer guide posts which require "flipping" the bow line a bit before securing to the dock. As for retrieval, I've always had to wade in to pull the boat onto the trailer(you might be able to avoid this if you have roller bunks instead of carpet bunks like me. In this case I still use the longer stern line to control the stern if necessary while pulling in to the bow eye. My V12 has a somewhat low-slung bow eye and almost never clears the winch V the first try, requiring backing the trailer a bit farther into the water...
Another trick
The only other thing i would add to Novelman's technique regarding using a finger dock(the only launch/ recovery that I've used since moving up to the V21)would be a relatively long stern line which could be cleated on the stern and on to the dock about where the stern might be when the boat clears the trailer or where it should be as you're securing the lines. This can be useful if the breeze or current tends to push the boat away from the dock you're planning to tie up to. Unless you're moving fast, the stern could possibly drift into boats launching/recovering from a nearby parallel dock. I also use trailer guide posts which require "flipping" the bow line a bit before securing to the dock. As for retrieval, I've always had to wade in to pull the boat onto the trailer(you might be able to avoid this if you have roller bunks instead of carpet bunks like me. In this case I still use the longer stern line to control the stern if necessary while pulling in to the bow eye. My V12 has a somewhat low-slung bow eye and almost never clears the winch V the first try, requiring backing the trailer a bit farther into the water...
The only other thing i would add to Novelman's technique regarding using a finger dock(the only launch/ recovery that I've used since moving up to the V21)would be a relatively long stern line which could be cleated on the stern and on to the dock about where the stern might be when the boat clears the trailer or where it should be as you're securing the lines. This can be useful if the breeze or current tends to push the boat away from the dock you're planning to tie up to. Unless you're moving fast, the stern could possibly drift into boats launching/recovering from a nearby parallel dock. I also use trailer guide posts which require "flipping" the bow line a bit before securing to the dock. As for retrieval, I've always had to wade in to pull the boat onto the trailer(you might be able to avoid this if you have roller bunks instead of carpet bunks like me. In this case I still use the longer stern line to control the stern if necessary while pulling in to the bow eye. My V12 has a somewhat low-slung bow eye and almost never clears the winch V the first try, requiring backing the trailer a bit farther into the water...
Topside bunks and rollers
I installed padded aftermarket bunks that go over and to the rear of the trailer fenders, in addition to the guide ropes from front to rear. In shallow ramps with a strong side wind, the bow still tended to drift off center, so I installed some after market vertical rollers about half way between bow v and fenders. Now, no matter what the conditions It goes on straight and centers itself. I think my total investment from a BassPro Shop was about $200. Well worth it, sinc there have been no more embarrassing or damaging twisters at retrieval.
I installed padded aftermarket bunks that go over and to the rear of the trailer fenders, in addition to the guide ropes from front to rear. In shallow ramps with a strong side wind, the bow still tended to drift off center, so I installed some after market vertical rollers about half way between bow v and fenders. Now, no matter what the conditions It goes on straight and centers itself. I think my total investment from a BassPro Shop was about $200. Well worth it, sinc there have been no more embarrassing or damaging twisters at retrieval.
Topside bunks and rollers
I installed padded aftermarket bunks that go over and to the rear of the trailer fenders, in addition to the guide ropes from front to rear. In shallow ramps with a strong side wind, the bow still tended to drift off center, so I installed some after market vertical rollers about half way between bow v and fenders. Now, no matter what the conditions It goes on straight and centers itself. I think my total investment from a BassPro Shop was about $200. Well worth it, sinc there have been no more embarrassing or damaging twisters at retrieval.
I installed padded aftermarket bunks that go over and to the rear of the trailer fenders, in addition to the guide ropes from front to rear. In shallow ramps with a strong side wind, the bow still tended to drift off center, so I installed some after market vertical rollers about half way between bow v and fenders. Now, no matter what the conditions It goes on straight and centers itself. I think my total investment from a BassPro Shop was about $200. Well worth it, sinc there have been no more embarrassing or damaging twisters at retrieval.
pvc guides = float on trl
for several boats I have made pvc 'guides' to steer the boat on the rollers of the trl. take a 10' section of 3/8 or 1/2" pvc and secure the ends to the rails of the trailer, then bend the center below the roller, so it is lower than the roller. place pvc where ever you have metal cross bars. I'm also going to add pvc to the front of the trl to guide it to the front roller. clear?
for several boats I have made pvc 'guides' to steer the boat on the rollers of the trl. take a 10' section of 3/8 or 1/2" pvc and secure the ends to the rails of the trailer, then bend the center below the roller, so it is lower than the roller. place pvc where ever you have metal cross bars. I'm also going to add pvc to the front of the trl to guide it to the front roller. clear?
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