Launch/Recovery technique (or lack of)

mister p · 21 July 2013, 18:33

Chaps, get this.
I had launched at Mixtow and after a lumpy salty couple of hours returned to the pontoon.
Walking over the bridge from the pontoon we stopped to watch a hard boat recovery from overhead.
So, the trailer is in the water on the slip attached to Disco. Wifey is astride the trailer spine between the winch and the bow of the boat ( a five to six meter Walker Bay type thing) and she's facing the boat.
Hubby is now approaching the trailer whilst at the helm and powers the boat up the trailer. He stops three feet short of his unflinching wife. Wife is still standing, legs either side of the trailer facing the boat with the winch/bow bar inches from the back of her head.
He yells at her to get the strap. Engine is still running and boat is in gear under power but stationary on the trailer bunks. She yells back at him to get the boat further up the trailer. With her still between the bow and winch he adds more throttle inching the boat up. With the boat a few ( literally a few ) inches from her head she steps to one side.
During this activity she had nothing in her hands and the winch was unattached, hook hanging from trailer handles.
Ok, so now that she's moved out of harms way and whilst the boat is still under power and in gear 90% of the way up the trailer, the guy leaves the helm ( engine running and in gear at about 20-30% throttle judging by the boil at the stern).
He walks up to the bow and lays down to hang over the deck to attach the trailer strap to his boat. Wife standing by.
He returns to the helm and guns the throttles to "nail" the boat to the winch bar, at the same time shoving his pick-up a few feet up the slip.
People bury their faces in their hands and turn away. He, thankfully, turns the engine off, jumps out of the boat and walks up to his car and with, by now de rigeur, huge throttle application attempts to recover the boat and trailer up the slip..............................................
Nobody tightened the winch, so the boat slips a metre or so back off the trailer to the added mess of his wife yelling at him that the boat's "effin' well not dun up".
Comedy or disaster?
It was documentary to say the least.

Ian M · 21 July 2013, 18:37

Yep, spent a few interesting hours watching comedies on the local slipway. However, this had me cringing as I read it. Sad to say, I am not surprised by what you saw.

AJ. · 21 July 2013, 18:55

I have seen this "human fender" approach to, it is shocking people put their loved ones between the bow of a heavy boat in gear and the trailer winch.

paddlers · 21 July 2013, 19:13

It makes you wonder what the hell they think a winch is for !!!

What a winker.....

To be honest the only thing I ever ask my wife to do is hang onto the non-running boat either on the beach or pontoon adjacent to the slip whilst I get the trailer in position.....
Takes a few minutes but I find it the safest & least stressful !

Ian M · 21 July 2013, 19:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by paddlers

It makes you wonder what the hell they think a winch is for !!!

What a winker.....

To be honest the only thing I ever ask my wife to do is hang onto the non-running boat either on the beach or pontoon adjacent to the slip whilst I get the trailer in position.....
Takes a few minutes but I find it the safest & least stressful !

I just keep everyone out of the way, I know my own routine and anyone 'helping' just increases the time to launch/recover, and my stress

Landlockedpirate · 21 July 2013, 21:14

Seriously guys, it sounds like a normal hard boat recovery.

Driving the boat up the trailer is the easiest way to recover, yes he forgot the winch (we all make mistakes) but his method worked.

Even though Wifey was between the boat and the winch post the chance of harm is very little, boats like this cant just jump up the trailer, they need a lot of power, sometimes full throttle isnt even enough when you have sticky bunks. The only thing I dont understand is why the wife even needed to get her feet wet ?

If i am recovering my 8m sportscruiser single handed I use a similar method, but with rollers it goes on easier, it also means that I have to leave the boat in gear while I lean over and attach the winch. Lets face it, even if you fall in how are you going to get harmed ? there is about 700kg and 9m of steel trailer between you and the prop.

I have been recovering this way since my dad taught me to do it 40 years ago on a 14ft Super V, what annoys me more are people walking their boats on the trailer and then spending 10 minutes and a lot of wasted energy just winching it on. Any one on a slip for more than a minute to launch and 5 minutes to recover should be charged double.

Max... · 21 July 2013, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Landlockedpirate

.....Any one on a slip for more than a minute to launch and 5 minutes to recover should be charged double.

Surely better to do it steadily, safely and without stress and in your own good time as you feel comfortable?

kerny · 21 July 2013, 21:43

Nos4r2 · 21 July 2013, 22:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister p

Chaps, get this.
...........
It was documentary to say the least.

There's been a lot of knobbery down there in the last couple of weeks, including one twit who tied his whole boat up to a cleat I have that says ' DO NOT TIE TO THIS CLEAT' on it in big red letters. It's only there for securing the painter, and isn't strong enough to tie up to.

Boats&Outboards · 21 July 2013, 22:17

We had an incident of stupidity on the slip today. Chap launched in Bayliner, climbed on which still on the slip, engaged gear - FORWARD - and floored it. Ended up with the boat halfway up the ramp, engine running, prop out of the water, almost crushing his mate against the wall in the process. Swimmers (including my kids) in the water less than 15 feet from it all. So lucky nobody was in front or around the boat.

The chap had claimed it started it gear, when I checked it over for him I found kill cord (from a rubber ring, not a motor) connected to switch/key so completely useless! Checked the engine over and the start in gear was working fine, as was the locking gears. He just engaged the wrong way. No experience or courses undertaken!!!!

After suggesting he recovered for another day after getting suitable training, they insisted on going out to test the motor, 4 adults 1 kid, so I gave them a real kill cord and then went with them to show them the basics. I thought this better than letting them go out blind, so to speak.

Motor wasn't running right, due to incorrect installation of throttle cables. This would also explain the tight throttle response too. He fitted motor himself so he said.

Returned, didn't fancy them putting me back on dry land so I jumped ship, 50ft out and swam in.

It really makes my blood boil. They were so close to killing somebody today!!!! Rant over

Pretty hefty conditions out there too today, That was fun. we returned pretty quick though, kiddies didn't fancy the ringo

www.BoatsandOutboards4Sale.co.uk

John Kennett · 21 July 2013, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Landlockedpirate

Driving the boat up the trailer is the easiest way to recover, yes he forgot the winch (we all make mistakes) but his method worked.

I agree with that bit . . .

Quote:

Even though Wifey was between the boat and the winch post the chance of harm is very little, boats like this cant just jump up the trailer,

...but not with this bit.

I've seen boats being driven onto a trailer where they get a bit stuck then lurch forward when more throttle is applied. I absolutely would not want anyone between the boat and the winch post.

John Kennett · 21 July 2013, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards

Swimmers (including my kids) in the water less than 15 feet from it all.

Maybe not the best place to be swimming?

Boats&Outboards · 21 July 2013, 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Maybe not the best place to be swimming?

The other 50 odd boats that launched in this location today managed to do so without any danger to the other 20 or so kids/adults swimming in the sea, which isn't restricted in any way from various areas near the slipway. The swimmers are very aware of the boats and act accordingly but what exactly can you do when an out of control boat tries to drive up the slipway ? They could have been on the slip minding their own and still got killed!

Its a shame the boats are less so aware of the swimmers, or how to operate their own craft. It could just as easily of been a beach full of swimmers he was coming into before flooring it!

www.BoatsandOutboards4Sale.co.uk

PeterM · 22 July 2013, 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian M

I just keep everyone out of the way, I know my own routine and anyone 'helping' just increases the time to launch/recover, and my stress

Agree 100% with this. Which is why I stay out of the way unless specifically asked to do anything if I'm with anyone else .

I'm the same with my boat - 'help' no matter how well intended, or even if the person offering is very very capable can actually be a huge hindrance. ( thats my excuse for watching the carnage at local slipways and not offering to help and I'm sticking with it - unless someone is about to get properly hurt when I might speak up)

Nos4r2 · 22 July 2013, 15:36

Ditto.

paddlers · 22 July 2013, 16:02

+ 1

mister p · 22 July 2013, 16:08

It's the "between the boat and winch post" bit. The "ramming" bit. The "non tight winch" bit. The "drag strip start" bit. As you say LLP, for you this was taught and you have many years experience. IMHO having the right kit ( wheels and not bunks ) for the job, and a slower far more controlled approach involving the winch rather than throttle at the extreme ends of activity, would count for a lot, esp other people's safety.

Landlockedpirate · 22 July 2013, 16:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister p

It's the "between the boat and winch post" bit. The "ramming" bit. The "non tight winch" bit. The "drag strip start" bit. As you say LLP, for you this was taught and you have many years experience. IMHO having the right kit ( wheels and not bunks ) for the job, and a slower far more controlled approach involving the winch rather than throttle at the extreme ends of activity, would count for a lot, esp other people's safety.

Yep, thats fair enough. I just get a bit anoyed with people telling me to winch my boat on cos its 'safer', have they ever tried winching 3500kg of boat by hand, it would probably give me a heart attack

I do always finish the the last foot or so by winch, I even manage to avoid crushing wifey..... most of the time

AJ. · 22 July 2013, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterM

Agree 100% with this. Which is why I stay out of the way unless specifically asked to do anything if I'm with anyone else .

Glad I know that now I just thought you were a lazy terwat! Ha

Poly · 22 July 2013, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards

They could have been on the slip minding their own and still got killed!

I generally regard slipways as incredibly dangerous places. People are rushing (so as not to upset impatient Landlockedpete), haven't got their boats attached properly, don't have safety chains on trailers have sudden changes of angle, slippery surfaces, doing difficult reversing, driving boats onto trailers etc. As a result (1) I try to instill into my crew (especially the junior members of the crew) that slipways are not places to wander around and (2) if you do need to be there - minding your own business is the last thing you should be doing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards

The chap had claimed it started it gear, when I checked it over for him I found kill cord (from a rubber ring, not a motor) connected to switch/key so completely useless! Checked the engine over and the start in gear was working fine, as was the locking gears. He just engaged the wrong way.

Motor wasn't running right, due to incorrect installation of throttle cables. This would also explain the tight throttle response too. He fitted motor himself so he said.

I once had a boat with incorrectly fitted gear cable. This gave me no reverse gear - but left the engine in forward. As I tried to apply reverse to slow the boat down the opposite happened which made for an interesting moment! Probably not what happened here, but I'm a little less critical of other's 'cock ups' since then.