I was wondering if anyone with a water ballast boat 'drives on' their trailer. I've seen it done on the Mac 26 (classic) VHS tape. Even though emptying the tanks is not practical, it APPEARS the water ballast tank is empty in the video, making retrieval easier. So I was wondering, Does anyone drive on? Recommendations? Thanks, Mike
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Drew
Recommendation?
Don't do it. Let the hot dogs do it their way, then you can do it the right way. You can't drain the 23.5's tank while it's in the water and you'll only risk damaging trailer and/or boat. My two cents.
Don't do it. Let the hot dogs do it their way, then you can do it the right way. You can't drain the 23.5's tank while it's in the water and you'll only risk damaging trailer and/or boat. My two cents.
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Allan
Don't do it
Mike, Drew is right on. I have an H260 and we float on. Don't think I could drive it on not to mention potential damage. The Mac proably has a 50hp outboard anyway. Allan s/v Carrousail
Mike, Drew is right on. I have an H260 and we float on. Don't think I could drive it on not to mention potential damage. The Mac proably has a 50hp outboard anyway. Allan s/v Carrousail
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ken
coast on-driver
We keep our boat on the trailer with the mast up so every time we go out we launch and retrieve. My wife drops me at the sailing club pier, I drive the truck and trailer to the boat ramp and she coasts it right onto the trailer. I'm in the water to catch and attach the retrieve cable. Works well most of the time......
We keep our boat on the trailer with the mast up so every time we go out we launch and retrieve. My wife drops me at the sailing club pier, I drive the truck and trailer to the boat ramp and she coasts it right onto the trailer. I'm in the water to catch and attach the retrieve cable. Works well most of the time......
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J. R. Setser
Drive?
Drive, Do you mean powering onto the trailer or just motoring when the trailer is submerged? We launch and retrieve our Hunter 26 20+ times per year. The trailer goes into the water at the ramp and we slowly power to the trailer, less than a knot or two. I haven't ever tried to pull up and throttle the engine to place the boat on the trailer. It would most likely be moving to fast and hit the bow roller. Too much damage to chance when you have another alternative. Slow is the watchword for docking procedures. Take your time, sailing is not about speed. Let's leave that to the powerboats J.R. Setser
Drive, Do you mean powering onto the trailer or just motoring when the trailer is submerged? We launch and retrieve our Hunter 26 20+ times per year. The trailer goes into the water at the ramp and we slowly power to the trailer, less than a knot or two. I haven't ever tried to pull up and throttle the engine to place the boat on the trailer. It would most likely be moving to fast and hit the bow roller. Too much damage to chance when you have another alternative. Slow is the watchword for docking procedures. Take your time, sailing is not about speed. Let's leave that to the powerboats J.R. Setser
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Benny
Sailboats are not shaped like power boats.
I once saw a colorful gentleman triying to power his 12 ft skiff unto its trailer with his overweight wife in the water up to her knees trying to guide and stop the bow before it hit the back of the pick-up truck. The 5HP was not quite up to the task and a circus act ensued with shouting and hollering. Eventually he gave up and walked out the bow into the trailer and into the pickup bed and backed up the truck some more while she finished cranking the boat up and tying it down. He did not seemed embarrased the least bit and actually he seemed kind of proud that he was doing it just as the big boys did. From that day on I wonder what is the satisfaction that someone can derive from powering a boat unto a trailer especially after six beers. It does make fun to watch and cheer them on as they smash the back of their tow vehicle. Extra points are given for bad mouthing your blink, blink spouse. No admirals in this crowd. The shape of a sailboat hull is made to be floated unto a trailer. You cannot even pull it with a trailer winch once it sits on the curved bunks. There is also an issue of power or lack of it. If you want to drive on a trailer get a bass boat with 300HP and a trailer full of rollers.
I once saw a colorful gentleman triying to power his 12 ft skiff unto its trailer with his overweight wife in the water up to her knees trying to guide and stop the bow before it hit the back of the pick-up truck. The 5HP was not quite up to the task and a circus act ensued with shouting and hollering. Eventually he gave up and walked out the bow into the trailer and into the pickup bed and backed up the truck some more while she finished cranking the boat up and tying it down. He did not seemed embarrased the least bit and actually he seemed kind of proud that he was doing it just as the big boys did. From that day on I wonder what is the satisfaction that someone can derive from powering a boat unto a trailer especially after six beers. It does make fun to watch and cheer them on as they smash the back of their tow vehicle. Extra points are given for bad mouthing your blink, blink spouse. No admirals in this crowd. The shape of a sailboat hull is made to be floated unto a trailer. You cannot even pull it with a trailer winch once it sits on the curved bunks. There is also an issue of power or lack of it. If you want to drive on a trailer get a bass boat with 300HP and a trailer full of rollers.
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Bob Fliegel
Emptying The Tank Is Quite Practical
I installed a Beckson 6" deck plate in the water ballast tank, under the cabin step, and installed a 500GPH removable Rule bilge pump in the bottom of the ballast tank. Thirty minutes before I expect to arrive at the ramp, I attach a hose from the pump to the cockpit and sppply the pump with eletricity from the battery. By the time I reach the boat ramp the tank is empty, the boat is about 6 inches higher above the waterline and just floats right on the trailer. I suppose I could make things easier by permanently mounting the pump in the tank but I also use the same pump to empty my fresh water tank in which I have also installed a deck plate. Regards, Bob
I installed a Beckson 6" deck plate in the water ballast tank, under the cabin step, and installed a 500GPH removable Rule bilge pump in the bottom of the ballast tank. Thirty minutes before I expect to arrive at the ramp, I attach a hose from the pump to the cockpit and sppply the pump with eletricity from the battery. By the time I reach the boat ramp the tank is empty, the boat is about 6 inches higher above the waterline and just floats right on the trailer. I suppose I could make things easier by permanently mounting the pump in the tank but I also use the same pump to empty my fresh water tank in which I have also installed a deck plate. Regards, Bob
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Harvey
Power Launching
Powering on the trailer is the easy part -- if you really want to show off, you have to power the boat OFF the trailer. This technique is also known as the "Dunkirk" or "D-Day" style launch. It's performed solo, and really impresses the launch ramp crowd! Here's how to do it: Untie the boat and disconnect the winch. Starting from the very top of the launch ramp, gun the engine and get that rig cooking in reverse gear. At the critical moment, slam on the brakes. All four truck tires should smoke and leave some rubber on the ramp, and if you have trailer brakes, they should be smokin' too. The rig should come to a stop with the trailer tires (but not the hubs) just in the water. You should get some air under that hull, and the boat will make a satisfying splash about 8 or 10 feet past the end of the trailer. Extra points are scored for additional distance, but you get them taken away if you forget to tie a line to the boat and it floats away on the tide. A special crowd-pleaser is to misjudge a slick ramp and launch the trailer and truck, too.
Powering on the trailer is the easy part -- if you really want to show off, you have to power the boat OFF the trailer. This technique is also known as the "Dunkirk" or "D-Day" style launch. It's performed solo, and really impresses the launch ramp crowd! Here's how to do it: Untie the boat and disconnect the winch. Starting from the very top of the launch ramp, gun the engine and get that rig cooking in reverse gear. At the critical moment, slam on the brakes. All four truck tires should smoke and leave some rubber on the ramp, and if you have trailer brakes, they should be smokin' too. The rig should come to a stop with the trailer tires (but not the hubs) just in the water. You should get some air under that hull, and the boat will make a satisfying splash about 8 or 10 feet past the end of the trailer. Extra points are scored for additional distance, but you get them taken away if you forget to tie a line to the boat and it floats away on the tide. A special crowd-pleaser is to misjudge a slick ramp and launch the trailer and truck, too.
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