How to launch...

Leapy · 23 September 2008, 06:44

Hi to all...having just sold my old dory boat and ordered a new Ribcraft 5.3 for delivery in March next year now's the time to get down to even more research (I'm suffering from post 'which-boat-shall-I buy' research). How else can I make the time pass more quickly?

The topic of trailer launching is always a good one. I've launched the dory from slipways myself with wifey helping (no comments please, she's actually very hepful...brownie points, oh yes!) and watched others whenever I can; I've also searched this forum and read articles on how to do it (including the recent RIB International article).

So, at the risk of repeating what's gone before (although if it has I couldn't immediately spot it) what's your best advice for a two person hassle free launch of a 5.3m, 750kg or so RIB on a slipway? Advice on what not do gratefully received too!

Tino · 23 September 2008, 07:41

The big mistake I always make is to presume that my wife is psychic! Talk thru what you intend to do and make sure your helper understands. Look at the conditions (wind, waves and Audience) and talk thru what will happen when the boat is afloat. There is always someone around who will be delighted to see you make a complete twit of yourself.

When beach launching dress to get wet because you WILL get wet!

Tie the boat to the trailer with the painter until the last minute. Don't rely on the winch. If the boat slides off the rollers before you reach the water you would be lucky if you dont injure yourself, your helper or part of the audience. The audience will quickly expand as you red-faced wind the boat back onto the trailer and examine the damaged gelcoat.

If beach launching try to keep the trailer moving when you reach the water or it will bog down in the wet sand....get in and out as quick as you can....check the depth.. better to go to far than to shallow! A long stout rope and an upgraded wider jockey wheel will help.

Getting the boat out is the difficult bit if the weather is not great. Cross winds and waves make it difficult to get the boat on the trailer straight... try pointing the back of the trailer into the wind and waves if you can. Dont be afraid to abort the attempt to recover the attempt if you get blown off course. Its better to try again than to take a lump out of your boat!

Oh and dont do what i saw recently... brand new 4.5m RIB pulls into a yacht club. Unhitched from car...the proud new owner then pushed the trailer over the slope of slip presuming he could control the descent...which soon found out he could'nt. The boat took off down the slip with him in tow running over his poor wife before splashing into the sea! Thanks be to God she was not more seriously injured... it's amazing what a bash a human body can take! It all happened so quick that all I could do was run to help the poor lady while her husband was dragged into the sea! I'd say he may have spent a day or two in the dog house! So if you want to get rid of her dont say i told you how!

Leapy · 23 September 2008, 08:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tino

Oh and dont do what i saw recently...

I saw just what you describe at Fowey this year...guy unhitches his sail boat half way down the slope intending to walk it down. Wifey is in the water paddling. I'll leave the rest to your imagination. Lets just say that she didn't need the Ferry to reach the other side!

When they managed to get it together she now has the boat at the waters edge and he go gets the car. She stands between the car and the boat and he reverses down the slipway and knocks her over. Again.

At the same time a guy launches his row boat by getting his knife out and slashing the string (in lieu of winch strap) holding the boat on the trailer. The guy is wearing rigger boots and overalls...not a good combination for running into the water to recover the boat.

So, there's two things I learnt about how not to launch in the space of about 5 minutes.

JSP · 23 September 2008, 09:19

Very basic I know but thought I'd give you the link http://www.wavelengthtraining.com/launch_&_recover.htm

walruz · 23 September 2008, 12:56

Funniest one I ever saw was at Fairlie just South of Largs. The group of people turned up and went to use the public slip to launch their yacht rather than pay to have it winched in the marina. They has a big flat bed to hold it (good) but attached the trailer to the flatbed with a single length of 1/2 inch hemp rope. Picture in your mind 1 chap trying to steer the trailer down the slip after the rope parted and the other chap on the bow being catapulted into the sea after the rudder bites and swings the boat through 90 degrees as it hits the water. It also grouded on the rocks alongside so gelcoat damage and oh also whiplash at the top of the mast too to add insult to injury.

I imagine it was quite a while before they started sailing that summer.

codprawn · 23 September 2008, 17:56

When you recover the boat make sure you don't put the trailer in too deep - this is the most common mistake of all. It is no good floating the boat on - you need to drive it on so the rollers actually do the work of straightening her up.

Downhilldai · 23 September 2008, 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leapy

.... I've launched the dory from slipways myself....
what's your best advice for a two person hassle free launch of a 5.3m, 750kg or so RIB on a slipway?

Same as for the Dory. If you managed that, you'll manage a 5.3m RIB

Chris · 23 September 2008, 20:16

Go and find a nice slip and do a few lauch and recovers until you are confident in the equipment and that you trailer is set up right.

jyasaki · 23 September 2008, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

you need to drive it on so the rollers actually do the work of straightening her up.

So do most of you on that side of the pond use roller trailers?

Bunks are more common here, at least from personal observation.

jky

codprawn · 23 September 2008, 22:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyasaki

So do most of you on that side of the pond use roller trailers?

Bunks are more common here, at least from personal observation.

jky

Yes almost everyone uses rollers. It could be because of our dodgy conditions - sometimes the sea is nearly 1 mile out and you have to drive across a beach and launch into surf!!!

Bigmuz7 · 23 September 2008, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Yes almost everyone uses rollers. It could be because of our dodgy conditions - sometimes the sea is nearly 1 mile out and you have to drive across a beach and launch into surf!!!

Not just that .. we are a little more advanced

geoff · 24 September 2008, 13:23

This should help out

http://www.boatlaunch.co.uk/launch_and_recovery.aspx

For what its worth, I'm a big fan of bunk trailers having owned both rollers and bunks in the past. Much kinder on the hull because the weight is spread out over a large area. Also the boat sits lower on the trailer so more stable when towing and the boat gets into the water quicker when launching.

bedajim · 24 September 2008, 15:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by geoff

This should help out

http://www.boatlaunch.co.uk/launch_and_recovery.aspx

For what its worth, I'm a big fan of bunk trailers having owned both rollers and bunks in the past. Much kinder on the hull because the weight is spread out over a large area. Also the boat sits lower on the trailer so more stable when towing and the boat gets into the water quicker when launching.

Yep I'm thinking

bunk may be the way forward for me too

Bigmuz7 · 24 September 2008, 16:59

I've never used bunks, but with the fact that I can winch the rib onto the trailer from the sand if needs be, and that it self aligns nearly every time, on a properly set up trailer with rollers, I think thats hard to beat, which is also handy when its windy, or if there are currents running . How does the alignment go with bunks then, surely it would be a bit hit and miss ?

Nos4r2 · 24 September 2008, 17:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedajim

Yep I'm thinking

bunk may be the way forward for me too

I can see how bunks could be an advantage on your dolly.

Downhilldai · 24 September 2008, 17:58

Bunks are fine.

Generally bunk trailers have a single keel roller at the aft end under the transom of the boat, but they can also have a pair of twin rollers which makes initial alignment of the hull easier, on recovery.
There doesn't seem to be much difference in price between bunks v rollers these days, probably due to the increasing price of steel in recent years.

Hightower · 24 September 2008, 19:07

How about those Pneumatic tyred trailers I've seen. They have no swinging arm as far as I can see and the tyre flattens out where the boat sits to give a wide contact area. I saw one of the Honda Four Stroke boats using one.

m chappelow · 24 September 2008, 19:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyasaki

So do most of you on that side of the pond use roller trailers?

Bunks are more common here, at least from personal observation.

jky

the coast line of the uk is very varied from long sandy very flat beaches that can be only a few feet deep even over a mile out ,to very steep beaches that can put you in very deep water within a few yards of the shoreline ,harbours that are deep all the time to harbours that dry out at low tide so nearly every area has some different way or tradition of launching ,thats why years ago the local traditional fishing boats would be of totaly different designs within perhaps
40miles of each other.

BogMonster · 26 September 2008, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tino

When beach launching dress to get wet because you WILL get wet!

Not necessarily

I always launch on a beach (admittedly a sheltered one) and I never get wet, it is down to the setup you are using. If I get it just right I can launch single handed, without getting the tyres of the 110 wet, wearing only a pair of shoes (well ok some clothes as well!) and not even get wet feet, though that is pushing my luck a bit, a pair of wellies makes life easier!

Stoo · 28 September 2008, 18:23

I have double bunks on each side, and the chine on the haul sits nicely between them. When I recover the boat, I only put the trailer part way in, so that about 2/3 of the bunks are submerged. Once the boat is lined up and against the bunks, I give 'er the gas and drive it right up... it just finds it's way in nice and straight. If the ramp is a shallow angle, I need to tilt the engine way up to avoid buffing my prop!

I can see the advantage of rollers if you need to winch the boat up... Once mine is on the bunks, you can't move it at all with the winch...