Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
 
Old 03 September 2014, 11:55   #1
Member
 
HughN's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Littlehampton, W Sx
Length: no boat
MMSI: 235101591
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 732
Solo launch on concrete slip

I usually have someone with me when I launch / recover from a concrete slip. They keep the boat against the ramp whilst I get rid of / get the car & trailer. There isn't anything to tie up to.

What's the received wisdom about doing this 'solo'?
  • Don't
  • Drag the boat down/up onto/off the concrete as far as I can and hope its still there after I've done the trailer stuff
  • A (very) long rope to something solid
__________________
"Can ye model it? For if ye can, ye understand it, and if ye canna, ye dinna!" - Lord kelvin
HughN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 12:23   #2
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Southampton
Make: Ballistic
Length: 7m +
Engine: Yam 225
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,003
depends on the boat, the swell/waves tide/current.

Sib, small or no waves, no or little current, pull the boat up and/or tie it to something

Rib - Forget it if you value your hull or, use a running anchor system like Anchor budy or similar,
__________________
Starovich is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 12:24   #3
Member
 
Ovey's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Portsmouth(ish)
Boat name: Wings
Make: Ribeye
Length: 6m +
Engine: Yamaha F115 AETL
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 615
RIBase
I would suggest a long rope and some kind of ground anchor. I have a couple of screw in dog tether posts from Halfords (for tying up my 4 dogs) but I would guess these would be pretty good for the temporary anchor point for a boat, provided the weather isn't too bad?

Halfords | Halfords Spiral Screw Stake
__________________
There's weather out there - must be time to RIB!

(Or dive, or ref rugby, or.......)
Ovey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 12:33   #4
Member
 
Country: UK - Wales
Town: West Wales
Make: Vipermax 5.8, SR4.7
Length: 5m +
Engine: 150 Opti, F50EFi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,299
Anchor the stern and run a line from the bow to the slipway, attached to a second anchor/lump of rock/whatever.

Do the car/trailer bit as quickly as possible. Be ready to jump into the car as soon as you leave the boat. Don't faff about between boat and car with waders/wetsuit/flipflops, etc.
__________________
Downhilldai is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 12:46   #5
Member
 
Barrowboy's Avatar
 
Country: Ireland
Town: Galway
Boat name: Top Banana
Make: Scorpion 9m
Length: 9m +
Engine: Yamaha 421STI
MMSI: Yeah right!
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,164
RIBase
....and don't even think about doing it solo on the slip at Calshot.

I've only launched and recovered there once but saw enough near disasters in 30 minutes with boats being broached onto the slip as the swell from a passing tanker/cruise ship came ashore!

Luckily, Whisper showed me the alternative sheltered slip up the creek which is only accessible for an hour, or two, either side of high water but for which I'm forever grateful.
__________________
Barrowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 14:15   #6
RIBnet supporter
 
bedajim's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Rutland
Length: no boat
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,500
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barrowboy View Post
....and don't even think about doing it solo on the slip at Calshot.

I've only launched and recovered there once but saw enough near disasters in 30 minutes with boats being broached onto the slip as the swell from a passing tanker/cruise ship came ashore!

Luckily, Whisper showed me the alternative sheltered slip up the creek which is only accessible for an hour, or two, either side of high water but for which I'm forever grateful.
Yep nice slip shh

I did see a guy tie up to the jetty and sort his car out, put the trailer into the water then fetch the boat and drive it onto the trailer, not sure if that's really allowed ?
__________________
bedajim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 14:55   #7
Member
 
Barrowboy's Avatar
 
Country: Ireland
Town: Galway
Boat name: Top Banana
Make: Scorpion 9m
Length: 9m +
Engine: Yamaha 421STI
MMSI: Yeah right!
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,164
RIBase
Quote:
Originally Posted by bedajim View Post
Yep nice slip shh

I did see a guy tie up to the jetty and sort his car out, put the trailer into the water then fetch the boat and drive it onto the trailer, not sure if that's really allowed ?
Nope, I don't know if it's allowed either but it's exactly what I did!
__________________
Barrowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 14:59   #8
Member
 
Ovey's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Portsmouth(ish)
Boat name: Wings
Make: Ribeye
Length: 6m +
Engine: Yamaha F115 AETL
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 615
RIBase
That's what I do every time I launch! But I do launch from a different place, with a jetty right next to the slip for that very reason!
__________________
There's weather out there - must be time to RIB!

(Or dive, or ref rugby, or.......)
Ovey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 15:09   #9
Member
 
paddlers's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Sticks, N.Yorks
Boat name: Tamanco
Make: Honwave 3.5AE
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu Outboard
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,166
With any boat it's down to conditions at the time wind/swell how busy it is at the slip. If it's a busy slip I wouldn't hesitate to ask for help of one of the other people there if they look vaguely boaty
Let's face it if you're keen to launch/recover it's no advantage to have somebody fannying about.........

If it's quiet and calm as others have said you can take your time and get some form of anchor sorted.
__________________
paddlers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 15:15   #10
RIBnet supporter
 
MustRib's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Newcastle
Boat name: Merlin
Make: RB4 Gemini 550
Length: 4m +
Engine: Tohatsu 90C
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,080
fortunately at the harbour I launch from there is a very small sand beach to the left of the slipway and I usually push the boat off the trailer and up the 10 yards to the beach, then drop the anchor and chain in the sand and put out a very short warp. The boat cant really go anywhere other than onto the sand as its reasonably sheltered. Never gone long enough parking the car and trailer for it
to get unmanageable or high and dry (yet!).
__________________
MustRib is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 15:32   #11
RIBnet supporter
 
bedajim's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Rutland
Length: no boat
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,500
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barrowboy View Post
Nope, I don't know if it's allowed either but it's exactly what I did!
Not at the little slip, the big one
__________________
bedajim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 17:23   #12
Member
 
Peter_C's Avatar
 
Country: USA
Town: NorCal
Boat name: SHARKY
Make: AB
Length: 4m +
Engine: Honda BF75 & BF5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,895
I do launch where there is no dock sometimes, and the boat has to be anchored offshore. I don my drysuit and swim back in with my fins.

Otherwise as suggested an anchor trolley system would be the best alternative. If there is a place to sink a T stake that would make it pretty easy.
__________________
Peter_C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 17:48   #13
Member
 
HughN's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Littlehampton, W Sx
Length: no boat
MMSI: 235101591
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 732
Thanks, you have confirmed my pessimism!

I will have to start being nice to the missus and she might start helping...
__________________
"Can ye model it? For if ye can, ye understand it, and if ye canna, ye dinna!" - Lord kelvin
HughN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 19:01   #14
Member
 
Barrowboy's Avatar
 
Country: Ireland
Town: Galway
Boat name: Top Banana
Make: Scorpion 9m
Length: 9m +
Engine: Yamaha 421STI
MMSI: Yeah right!
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,164
RIBase
Quote:
Originally Posted by HughN View Post

... she might start helping...
Good luck with that one!
__________________
Barrowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 20:37   #15
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Gillingham Dorset
Boat name: Green Marlin
Make: Quickilver
Length: 5m +
Engine: 90hp Mariner
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 293
I usually bung an anchor out either side of the slipway when its like this, however when a gale force 8 blows in unexpectedly as your due to recover that's not much cop!! did'nt work with two of us hanging onto the thing for dear life, as we found out last week.


Had to go to a marina up the way instead & borrow their sheltered slipway after some faffing with trailers & stuff
__________________
cptsideways is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 21:39   #16
Member
 
lakelandterrier's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Gloucester
Boat name: Lunasea
Make: Ribcraft
Length: 5m +
Engine: Suzi 140
MMSI: 232005050
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,978
Alternatively have a back up launch site in mind.
single handed launching of a concrete slip (like Calshott) with nowhere to tie up is a mare. If solo why not consider another site.
__________________
Member of the Macmillan Round the Isle of Wight Club
lakelandterrier is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03 September 2014, 22:00   #17
DJL
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Make: Ribcraft 6.5
Length: 6m +
Engine: Suzuki DF175TG
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 929
Hythe Marina slip has a nice big wooden post you can tie up to right next to it. I used to solo launch there all the time and wade/swim back in my drysuit. If you're nice to the marina staff they might even let you use the lock waiting pontoon while you sort the car out
__________________
DJL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04 September 2014, 08:28   #18
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: Wildheart
Make: Humber/Delta Seasafe
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60 Clamshell
MMSI: 235068449
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,667
I usuallly launch single handed.

For that very reason there are places I avoid.

E.g Port Edgar has, on paper all you need - slip, pontoon etc, but it's a *long* walk for a short cut back to the car & trailer, so thankfully as it's a wide slip I can either launch right over to one side to keep the car / trailer out the way as much as possible while I walk / jog back round, or ask someone already afloat to pull the boat over to the pontoon.

I can understand people might not want to trust someone else with their pride & joy, but anyone who has seen the state of my toobs will know why I'm not as bothered letting someone tow/ moor it! I used to ask people to hold it at the slip, but since I got the hull re-gelled I'm a bit more protective of the underside!

But yeah, in summary there are places I just wouldn't bother launching single handed, even if it means going somewhere with a bigger launch fee - the hassle reduction is worth the money!


Also setting up the trailer well can improve slip timing a lot.
__________________
9D280 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04 September 2014, 13:20   #19
Member
 
grahame42's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Falmouth
Boat name: Egress
Make: Ribcraft
Length: 5m +
Engine: 150HP outboard
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by Starovich View Post
Rib - Forget it if you value your hull or, use a running anchor system like Anchor budy or similar,

Neat idea - also available on Amazon with cheaper delivery. Click, click. Purchased!
__________________
grahame42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04 September 2014, 19:24   #20
Member
 
Peter_C's Avatar
 
Country: USA
Town: NorCal
Boat name: SHARKY
Make: AB
Length: 4m +
Engine: Honda BF75 & BF5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,895
Careful with the bungee anchor system if it is windy. I have seen boats hit the shore. They work well in calm conditions though.

Another option that takes a minute for setup is to put three stakes into the ground. Use an old tire under the bow, and tie the boat to three stakes with two from the stern and one from the bow. That was my preferred method for leaving my Nautique wakeboard boat onshore at the lakes. I can sleep well while not worrying about the anchor coming loose in shale. Of course tidal waters that would only be good for a short term solution.
__________________
Peter_C is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT. The time now is 18:34.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.