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Old 05 June 2010, 09:08   #1
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Powering a RIB on to a Trailer

Just some advice needed when powering my RIB on to my trailer.

I've recently changed my technique in launching and recovering my RIB and done this the last 4 times I've gone out. When I returned home on Thursday I noticed some damage to the prop where a stone or something had been sucked up and put some tiny dings in the leading part of the blade and a ding in the skeg too. When I recovered yesterday I was very particular in making sure I trimmed out as to give the prop maximum clearance. After recovery I noticed further evidence of damage, not as bad as before, but I'm now considering manually recovering again.

Has anyone else had problems like this, and did you manage to modify your technique so this didn't happen or revert back to manual recovery?
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Old 05 June 2010, 10:22   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hightower View Post
Just some advice needed when powering my RIB on to my trailer.

I've recently changed my technique in launching and recovering my RIB and done this the last 4 times I've gone out. When I returned home on Thursday I noticed some damage to the prop where a stone or something had been sucked up and put some tiny dings in the leading part of the blade and a ding in the skeg too. When I recovered yesterday I was very particular in making sure I trimmed out as to give the prop maximum clearance. After recovery I noticed further evidence of damage, not as bad as before, but I'm now considering manually recovering again.

Has anyone else had problems like this, and did you manage to modify your technique so this didn't happen or revert back to manual recovery?
Is manual recovery particularly difficult? I've seen the 'drive-on' approach a few times with 20'+ speedboats, but not RIBS. Obviously a lot depends on water depth and if it's a sandy bottom or shingle. Personally I manually retrieve every time.
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Old 05 June 2010, 18:26   #3
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It's not very tricky where I normally slip. But just trying a new way to launch and recover without getting my feet wet or having to don my wellys in the winter. I must admit it's much easier and quicker this way and I'm not so prone to side winds affecting me as most of my launch and recoveries are single handed affairs and can be very awkward by ones self.
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Old 05 June 2010, 19:53   #4
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i haven't got a winch on my trailer never had one, keep the leg trimmed up as far as possible, the only other difference between our rigs is my trailer is on bigger wheels
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Old 05 June 2010, 20:12   #5
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I always did with the Humber but the design of my trailer was better for this than a roller trailer. I used to use momentum to get onto the trailer rather than power, you could approach the trailer, and when you were 100% sure it was lined up and not going to drift (usually about 6 feet from the trailer) give it a blip on the throttle and then back off as the boat hit the trailer and let the momentum carry the boat up. With a bit of practice I could get it within a foot of the bow snubber (sometimes snug tight) every time. I don't think it would work with a roller trailer though, you'd probably bust the swing bracket unless it was a lot stronger than most roller trailers you see.

I learned at an early stage that power + lack of forward movement = shower of rocks sucked up from the bottom, got a couple of bent props under the bench to prove it...

It's one reason I am getting the SBS bunk trailer with the Vipermax because it is close enough to the old trailer that it should either work or if it doesn't I can mod it so that it does
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Old 05 June 2010, 20:35   #6
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I have recovered my rib in the same manner you discribed and have also taken a few chips out of the prop. I dont think I will do it anymore.

TSM
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Old 06 June 2010, 07:38   #7
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I have been recovering my boat for a few years by driving on. I now have four bunks which are great. Once in contact I thottle up the trailer with the leg trimmed out half. I had rollers before and if you miss it can make some nasty scratches and noises. Not had a prob with the prop but our slipway doesn't have many stones.
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Old 06 June 2010, 07:41   #8
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We never winch a boat on RIB or hard boat - we have stone free slipways though!
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Old 06 June 2010, 07:56   #9
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I power load if it's a nice steep slip too. Makes life loads easier!
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Old 06 June 2010, 09:37   #10
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Obviously the main problem is a Stoney slipway and the fact I've got rollers. I normally just touch the bow onto the swing beam then use the steering to square up the stern. Then blip the throttle to get things rolling, but because it's a roller trailer I need power all the way to the bow snubber on the trailer and until I've leant over to connect the winch hook to the bow eye. only after that I can knock off the power. It's during this last phase I'm sure the stone thing is happening. I guess this technique will be reserved for concrete slips in the future.
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Old 06 June 2010, 11:45   #11
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This is my usual launch site so you can see why care is required with the throttle
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Old 06 June 2010, 12:31   #12
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Some of the stones at mine are pretty big, but not in those numbers
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Old 06 June 2010, 12:59   #13
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I've been powering up the trailer for years and not damaged a thing. If you gauge the gradient and state of the slip and trim up accordingly, you're not gonna go wrong. You only need enough leg in the water to maintain cooling.

If it's a dog of a slip with steps and holes in it, winch it on.
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Old 06 June 2010, 17:02   #14
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Hightower, are you sure havent caught the bottom somewhere else? or possibly did you use a shallow slip that put your skeg and prop closer to the bottom when the bow engaged onto the first set of rollers then began to lift thus pushing stern down?

We recovered from Eyemouth harbour slip its so steep you drift the bow up to the snubber then the boat settles onto the trailer when you pull it out.
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Old 06 June 2010, 19:33   #15
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Hightower, are you sure havent caught the bottom somewhere else? or possibly did you use a shallow slip that put your skeg and prop closer to the bottom when the bow engaged onto the first set of rollers then began to lift thus pushing stern down?

We recovered from Eyemouth harbour slip its so steep you drift the bow up to the snubber then the boat settles onto the trailer when you pull it out.

I'm positive I haven't caught it on anything else. I haven't hit a prop on anything for over 20 years. It was definatly the recovery that caused this.
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Old 06 June 2010, 20:43   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hightower View Post
Just some advice needed when powering my RIB on to my trailer.

I've recently changed my technique in launching and recovering my RIB and done this the last 4 times I've gone out. When I returned home on Thursday I noticed some damage to the prop where a stone or something had been sucked up and put some tiny dings in the leading part of the blade and a ding in the skeg too. When I recovered yesterday I was very particular in making sure I trimmed out as to give the prop maximum clearance. After recovery I noticed further evidence of damage, not as bad as before, but I'm now considering manually recovering again.

Has anyone else had problems like this, and did you manage to modify your technique so this didn't happen or revert back to manual recovery?
I have never had and problems when recovering the boat, have been driving the boat onto the trailer for a while now. it may have been due to the prop being very close to the bottom, trimming the engine up will reduce the chances of damage. But i am aware that even at the engines highest point of trim, it may still not be high enough.
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Old 24 June 2010, 16:20   #17
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I started powering on some time ago and had no problems, actually solo its quicker and easier.
Had a little problem last week though where a car windscreen rubber obviously slightly floating was caught round the prop as I recovered, drew in and the small rocks attached to it destroyed al the leading edges of the prop.
The prop is repiarable but not useable so will need replaced/repaired. had plenty of good recoveries so not sure whether to chalk this one up to bad luck or just go back to winching.
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Old 24 June 2010, 17:33   #18
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Don't you find the more you trim up the more it just pushes the stern down ? seems to me if the slip isn't steep enough you just have to winch it on
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Old 24 June 2010, 18:25   #19
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Don't you find the more you trim up the more it just pushes the stern down ? seems to me if the slip isn't steep enough you just have to winch it on
Thing is, when you start to push on to the trailer the stern is in plenty of water as the boat is at an angle to the trailer. When the boat is fully on the trailer, the prop distance to the slip/sea bed is reduced to whatever hight your RIB sits on the trailer.

Obviously if you trim up too much then you lose traction but trimmed out to the point of just getting enough traction doesn't seem to push my stern down at all, in actual fact it helps to push the bow up and on to the trailer.

I've now changed my technique to powering off during launching and winching back on. However when I use a concrete slip again I will defiantly power back on.
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Old 24 June 2010, 19:50   #20
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Most trailers on the market are designed to have the boat winched onto them.

The better quality trailers with out center rollers are much better- the problem with centre rollers is that the boat if it is being powered onto the trailer can come off the rollers and damage the boat.

Also a big problem for slipway owners is prop wash undermining the end of the slip.

So I would say by powering the boat onto the trailer you are risking damaging your boat, prop or trailer and also being antisocial in destroying the end of the slipway
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