I launched my H26 last week. My second launch since buying it. Both times as the boat started to float it got hung up on the vertical guide poles at the rear of the trailer. These are the steel pipe guides, covered in PVC, that are supposed to help you center the boat properly when putting it back on the trailer. Once again I scraped a bunch of gelcoat (if not fiberglass) off the underside of the hull/deck joint. Has anyone removed the poles? What are the plusses and minuses of doing so. Thanks! Ron Mehringer s/v Hydro-Therapy
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Bob Gravenstine
Trailer in too deep?
Ron, sorry you had a problem with the trailer guides. I also have had a problem but found that if the trailer is backed in only until the guides are just above the rub rail, the boat can be floated off the trailer and the guides stay above the rub rail where they can do no damage. My problem was during the first time I retrieved my boat. I caught one of the guides under the rub rail and bent the guide and did minor damage to the rub rail on the underside. Hope you have a great season. Bob Gravenstine S/V Gravyboat
Ron, sorry you had a problem with the trailer guides. I also have had a problem but found that if the trailer is backed in only until the guides are just above the rub rail, the boat can be floated off the trailer and the guides stay above the rub rail where they can do no damage. My problem was during the first time I retrieved my boat. I caught one of the guides under the rub rail and bent the guide and did minor damage to the rub rail on the underside. Hope you have a great season. Bob Gravenstine S/V Gravyboat
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Gerard
me too
Ron- I think you and I got our h26's about the same time. I had the same problem with mine the first two times I launched (pulled it once mid-season last year). When I launched last week I left the ballast tank closed in order to float the boat quicker. I also backed very slowly so the boat floated more directly upward. No problems, it came up clean. Now, that said, I don't know if any of that was meaningful or I was just lucky! I did plan to remove the guides for launch, but the lights are attached to the guides and I didn't want to mess with the wiring. Have a great season!
Ron- I think you and I got our h26's about the same time. I had the same problem with mine the first two times I launched (pulled it once mid-season last year). When I launched last week I left the ballast tank closed in order to float the boat quicker. I also backed very slowly so the boat floated more directly upward. No problems, it came up clean. Now, that said, I don't know if any of that was meaningful or I was just lucky! I did plan to remove the guides for launch, but the lights are attached to the guides and I didn't want to mess with the wiring. Have a great season!
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Mike
Are you using the State Park Ramp?
Ron, Back in 1995, I hung my 23.5 up on the Lk Hopatcong state Park ramp the exact same way. Actually broke and pulled the rubrail out. I do not flood down until I am clear of the trailer. Some times it helps to have a couple of people on the dock helping to guide the boat with docklines. It would be significantly harder to get on the trailer without the trailer guides. The McGregor 26 video shows a boat crashing into the back of a pickup this way. (Yes, I once considered a MAC 26 but saw the light.) Mike Pajewski H26 "Loon"
Ron, Back in 1995, I hung my 23.5 up on the Lk Hopatcong state Park ramp the exact same way. Actually broke and pulled the rubrail out. I do not flood down until I am clear of the trailer. Some times it helps to have a couple of people on the dock helping to guide the boat with docklines. It would be significantly harder to get on the trailer without the trailer guides. The McGregor 26 video shows a boat crashing into the back of a pickup this way. (Yes, I once considered a MAC 26 but saw the light.) Mike Pajewski H26 "Loon"
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Tim Paul
My thoughts
I've launched my 97 h26 2 times since buying it with both times being adventureous (luckily, no damage). I'm now convinced that the key to an uneventful launch is to have at least 1 (preferably 2)persons on the winward dock/shore with controlling docklines. The last time I did everything right and left the ballast valve closed so that the boat would float free of the trailer sooner. This worked great except than an h26 without ballast and without the CB down blows across the water like a piece of paper. When you're down on the trailer there's no way to control the boat in a gust. Fortunately, my wife got control of a dockline in time to prevent any damage. Next time: Plenty of docklines, plenty of helpers, carefully plan for wind direction. I don't think I'd remove the guideposts since they aid in controlling the boat. Perhaps you might consider additional pieces of PVC to be added at launch time to make it impossible for the boat to get above the guides.
I've launched my 97 h26 2 times since buying it with both times being adventureous (luckily, no damage). I'm now convinced that the key to an uneventful launch is to have at least 1 (preferably 2)persons on the winward dock/shore with controlling docklines. The last time I did everything right and left the ballast valve closed so that the boat would float free of the trailer sooner. This worked great except than an h26 without ballast and without the CB down blows across the water like a piece of paper. When you're down on the trailer there's no way to control the boat in a gust. Fortunately, my wife got control of a dockline in time to prevent any damage. Next time: Plenty of docklines, plenty of helpers, carefully plan for wind direction. I don't think I'd remove the guideposts since they aid in controlling the boat. Perhaps you might consider additional pieces of PVC to be added at launch time to make it impossible for the boat to get above the guides.
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Tom Hultberg
I agree with all of these coments.
First off, don't fill the ballast tank untill you are off the trailer. You have to have at least one helper with a control line fore and aft, or someone on board with the engine running so they have immediate control. It sounds like you have the trailer in too deep. Once the stern starts to float you don't need to go much deeper, in my experience. Good luck!
First off, don't fill the ballast tank untill you are off the trailer. You have to have at least one helper with a control line fore and aft, or someone on board with the engine running so they have immediate control. It sounds like you have the trailer in too deep. Once the stern starts to float you don't need to go much deeper, in my experience. Good luck!
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Rick Webb
Similar Problem Retrieving
I have had a similar situation when pulling the boat out of the water on shallow ramps where I almost have to put the car in the water to get the boat out. I had the same idea of adding a piece of PVC pipe to the guides to keep the rub rail off of them.
I have had a similar situation when pulling the boat out of the water on shallow ramps where I almost have to put the car in the water to get the boat out. I had the same idea of adding a piece of PVC pipe to the guides to keep the rub rail off of them.
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Joe Baker
PVC
I have launched a 95 H-26 about 40 times without catching the rub rail. I backed in until the stern floated, released the winch strap, started the Honda, and had my captain back in until I could motor away. Retrieval is another story!! Once my daughter tried to hold the guide post and almost lost her hand! I made PVC extentions!!! Each side consisted of two pieces of 2" PVC with a connecter between. I would suggest that the pieces be about three feet long(mine were shorter). Before gluing in the second piece, put a big washer or something in between so it slides only halfway down the guide post. These can easily be removed for trailering. I hope that explanation was understandable.
I have launched a 95 H-26 about 40 times without catching the rub rail. I backed in until the stern floated, released the winch strap, started the Honda, and had my captain back in until I could motor away. Retrieval is another story!! Once my daughter tried to hold the guide post and almost lost her hand! I made PVC extentions!!! Each side consisted of two pieces of 2" PVC with a connecter between. I would suggest that the pieces be about three feet long(mine were shorter). Before gluing in the second piece, put a big washer or something in between so it slides only halfway down the guide post. These can easily be removed for trailering. I hope that explanation was understandable.
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Ron Mehringer
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Ray Bowles
Does anyone extend their trailer tongue
when pulling the boat out of the water? Many, many times easier. Retract on dry flat ground after draining the ballast. We launch like the most of you but when the boat and trailer is in almost 1/2 enough to float I release the bow strap and continue backing until the boat starts to float. The wife stands on the dock with both bow and stern lines. When it floats free I slowly pull the trailer out. No problems, no scratches and takes 5 min max. We've done this procedure in the hundreds of times. Hope this gives additional ideas. Ray
when pulling the boat out of the water? Many, many times easier. Retract on dry flat ground after draining the ballast. We launch like the most of you but when the boat and trailer is in almost 1/2 enough to float I release the bow strap and continue backing until the boat starts to float. The wife stands on the dock with both bow and stern lines. When it floats free I slowly pull the trailer out. No problems, no scratches and takes 5 min max. We've done this procedure in the hundreds of times. Hope this gives additional ideas. Ray
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