winching over winch post

[gtflash]

The eye in bow of boat is low down on my rib, the winch post is one of those v shaped things about 8" long, this is higher than the eye and the winch.....The strap leaves from the bottom and goes out almost vertical to the eye!

Problem is this makes un hooking the boat from on board almost impossible! I DO NOT believe in getting my feet wet when launching and recovering and currently when working alone i tend to get right upto water, un hook, almost kill myself climbing on the bow with the assistance of the jockey wheel with the fear the boats gonna bugger off any minute then drive off,

opposite when recovering, i wondered if the strap would run back over the v groove thing and pull boat that way? Ive also seen a similar scorpion with a ladder on front of trailer which looked pretty good but still involves climbin on and off and on and off....

ANyone faced similar problem and solved it?

[jwalker]

I do the climbing over bow trick too. However, I have an eye in a piece of rope which runs over the bow and I clip the winch rope onto it before the boat goes the last few metres into the water. I start the engine then go forward to release the clip from the eye.

[SeaSkills]

Originally Posted by gtflash

i tend to get right upto water, un hook, almost kill myself climbing on the bow with the assistance of the jockey wheel with the fear the boats gonna bugger off any minute then drive off,


ANyone faced similar problem and solved it?

Easy solution .... get your feet wet

[BruceB]

That sounds like too much effort, I just carry a cheap set of waist high waders and stuff them in the seat locker when not being used.

[Poly]

Or can you unclip the winch but leave the painter (or another line) tied to (or looped round and tied back onto the boat); then untie this once on board and ready to motor away .

[gtflash]

Originally Posted by SeaSkills

Easy solution .... get your feet wet

ruin my trainers!!! NO WAY

[Downhilldai]

There seems to be an aversion to wet feet on this forum.......

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

There seems to be an aversion to wet feet on this forum.......

To right!....when you're launching a 3ton boat in a harbour with rocks, nails and all sorts of other sharp stuff, the last thing you need is a boat free of the trailer, blown by the wind and you in bare feet trying to control it.

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by jwalker

To right!....when you're launching a 3ton boat in a harbour with rocks, nails and all sorts of other sharp stuff, the last thing you need is a boat free of the trailer, blown by the wind and you in bare feet trying to control it.

I use aqua shoes, or flippin flops - you should try them

[jwalker]

With my previous boat it was ok and I used waders but it's the holding back of 3tons that's the problem. Hence, keeping it in control by tethering to the trailer and starting the engine before releasing it. If you're on your own and it gets away from you, you're in trouble.

[gtflash]

Originally Posted by jwalker

I do the climbing over bow trick too. However, I have an eye in a piece of rope which runs over the bow and I clip the winch rope onto it before the boat goes the last few metres into the water. I start the engine then go forward to release the clip from the eye.

jw can you explain again, ive read it 10 times and still dont understand!!!

I agree entirely about getting feet wet! A well setup boat and trailer is far more controlable under power! I agree there can be situations when a bloke with waders is advantageous but in my mind a roller coaster trailer is designed to be driven onto..... You dont see guys at a marina jump in the pond when the dock up!

If its a Jet ski or a small boat where getting wet is normal and handling it in the water is vaible then fine.....

My old boat weighed in at only 1.5t and someone once tried to help me by pushing the boat against a cross wind while i was trailering. I didnt want his help and shut power off asap, he then lost the fight with the boat and wind and fell, the boat was 3/4 over his legs(thankfully floating) before he emerged very wet and with full waders!! grrrrr.....

And while im ranting! Will people pleaaaasse stop standing infront of winch posts!! lol

[gtflash]

for clarification

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by gtflash

jw can you explain again, ive read it 10 times and still dont understand!!!

Ok. My boat has an extra U-bolt (actually the Humber original) which is higher than the top of the winch post. On the inside of the hull, using the ends of this U-bolt I have a bracket with a eye on it and I use it for anchoring, tethering etc. I've got a permanent rope which joins the outer U-bolt to the inside eye and in that rope there is a loop tied off which just hangs there. It has a stainless rope eye in it to prevent fretting if I use it for tethering. When launching, I disconnect the winch rope and move it up to the rope eye. I launch the boat until the stern is floating, climb aboard, prepare a couple of things and start the engine, go forward and unclip the winch rope and let it fall over the winch. Go back to the helm and reverse off.

It's all much simpler than it sounds and there is no climbing aboard from the water with the boat floating free. I'll take a pic for you later.

Having the high U-bolt is a good thing because, for travelling, the winch rope will pull the boat down into the snubber to make it more secure. I agree with the low U-bolt for winching because the bow tends to lift and it takes some of the weight from the boat as it travels onto the trailer.

[jwalker]

A wee picture to clarify.

[BruceB]

When you launch in this area you need to use waders. There are few pontoons to tie up the boat while you either get rid of the car and trailer or go and fetch it to recover.
Nearly all the slips around here are just that, a slip and nothing else.
Nice pontoons or similiar would be nice but the advantage of the wader system on slip only is that they are all free!