by Guest » Tue Oct 05, 1999 12:00 am
Another option that I personally use is to slide the boat off the trailer onto the grass in the back yard. I pound a heavy pry bar into the ground to serve as an anchor point, tie lines from the stern cleats to the pry bar, and with all of the trailer tie-downs, spars, etc. removed, simply drive forward slowly. I have a tilt bed trailer, and pull the tilt pin lock so the bed tilts and the boat settles gently to the ground as I drive away. With the boat on the ground it is simple to careen for hull cleaning, center board removal, etc. When I'm ready to load the boat, I remove the trailer from the vehicle, extend the tongue support wheel, push the trailer under the nose of the boat, attach the winch strap and begin to crank the boat onto the trailer with the winch. The trailer is pulled under the boat, with the tongue rising into the air. Pull down on the tongue and the trailier is levered further under the boat. Continue to crank and lever, and soon the boat is resting on the trailer again. Hook up to the tow vehicle, attach the spars, strap it all down and you're ready to go. This method works whether or not the trailer tilt mechanism is used, although I think it's a little gentler if it tilts.
Lee
Lee Peterson (leep-at-means.net)