Dry docking boat

[warzeta]

Just finished reading some of the answers on "Footdoc55" thread on bunk verses rollers. It seems that some of you have launched your boats a little short of the water and I am interested to hear how you got them back onto your trailers. Putting a 10' jon back onto a trailer is one thing but how would you get a Lund Baron with a 300 V-Rod back on. Anybody interested in cowboying up,or cowgirling up, and tell us how it is done? I know there are a lot of good stories out there.

[REW]

I have also seen folks who have a particularly shallow launch, have a 200 foot chain in their rig.

When it comes time to reload the boat, they disconnect their trailer from their rig. They securely attach the chain to the tongue of their trailer.

Then, starting at the top of the launch for a good run, run the trailer as far into the water as they can get it. Normally, if they have a good head of steam, they can get all of the bunks underwater. Then, they simply drive the boat on the trailer, hook up the winch. Climb out of the boat. Walk through the water, to the tow vehicle, hook the chain to the ball and pull the trailer out of the water and hook up to the tow vehicle.

For this use, it really helps to have a very heavy duty trailer jack that is securely mounted with a very big set of a pair of high floatation tires on the trailer jack.

I have also seen folks who have to use a shallow launch all of the time, make a hitch extension for their rig.
Many times, if they frequent the launch frequently, they will keep the trailer rig extension at the launch.
In this case, they use a pair of wide profile snowmobile trailer tires as a base for a trailer dolly. They will build up the trailer dolly, so that the ball on the trailer dolly is the same height as the height of the vehicle hitch.
Then, on the front of the dolly, they weld on a 20 foot long channel for a hitch with a standard hitch assembly at the end of the channel.

They have access to the hitch extender at the launch ramp.
When they get to the ramp, they unhitch from the vehicle. Then, they drop the trailer onto the trailer dolly. Then, with the trailer dolly hooked up to the vehicle they back in the trailer as far as needed to launch the boat.

They do the reverse when retrieving the trailer.

Then, when they get to the top of the ramp, the put down the trailer jack stand, unhitch the trailer dolly and hook up to the vehicle and drive home.
I have seen some folks make a special carrier in their boat to carry the extended trailer dolly for these "special needs" launch ramps.


Good retrieves.

Take care
REW

[ffishman]

If it were me, I would find a different launch or go to a portable aluminum boat that I could carry in and out.

[Hot Runr Guy]

Having watched enough episodes of "Wrecked, life in the crash lane", I'd call a towing company with a boom truck, and have them pick it up with slings.

HRG

[rwl]

Glad I dont go to any of the ramps REW is talking about, can you imagine the trouble people would have backing the special 20' trailer dolly, and then where do you put the 20' dolly in a nice new fishing boat? Crazy

I did see a gent drop a mid 20s' center counsel with twin outboards on the ramp in Washington Island many years ago. The boat started going and the guy with the bow line in his hand yelled GO! Driver thought he said WHOA! and slammed on the brakes, that thing picked up a lot of speed, and hit with quite a thud. The lower units almost got wet.

Ferry had to go so I didn't see them pick it up, but the marina close by was on the way with a travel lift I was told.

Seeing most ramps are not close to a travel lift I would second HRG and say call a wrecker, pretty much any recovery wrecker could lift the boat back on the trailer.