Bunk Trailer: Proper way to retrieve the boat?

[Boz]

... (warn the truck next to you that your bilge pump will throw 16 gallons onto their front seat because they have their window down as you pull out)

Personal experience ??

The method you described is exactly what I prefer to do.

The old ramp at our local marina was a good example of the concrete becoming undermined and eventually breaking off. Created an undesirable surprise for many folks. Fortunately, it was all torn out and totally rebuilt and expanded about 4 years ago.

[rickf]

A safety note on tightening the strap:

Last Monday I helped my Brother get his boat on the trailer. Winched it up to the end stop, drove it up to level ground. He wanted to tweak the strap and while holding the winch handle with his right hand, he released the latch safety clip from the gear and then in a split second, WHAM. The frigging winch handle came flying around at high speed and whacked him like a sledge hammer on his right pinkie and finger next to it resulting in surgery, 3 pins (1 permanent) for 2 finger bone fractures. BE CAREFUL OF THOSE WINCHES BOYS.

Is this a lawsuit for a defective design or pilot error?

He "RELEASED" the catch. That is operator not paying attention. These catches will not release under load so he had to pull the handle a little before it would release. At that point the handle WILL spin out. That is called reading the directions! I have had the handle slip out of my hand and smack me but that is not a fault of the equipment.

Rick

[The Hun]

Quit calling a lawyer every time your a dumb ass. The Hun

[gallman98]

[it depends on the height of the tide for me.Normally at the boat ramp where I pull up at if its high tide I dont back down in as far and drive it up on there about 6 inches from bow stop I have a mark on my deck that I line up with the dummy rails so I know where exaxtly to stop also that helps alot if your by yourself or have someone with you that doesn't have a clue AKA wife.On low water pretty much the same thing just ,back it in a bit futher and take notice of tide boards to make sure you will have clearance to the wheel.

Greg Allman

2005 Robalo 235

Yamaha 225 4 Stroke

[Capt Rick Hiott]

Sorry I came across the wrong way on my first post,,,,,,but here in Charleston we have a 6' tide sometimes and the current rips through there!.

When you approach your trailer you need to have some speed to compensate for the current.

We also have LONG concrete ramps because of that. Every body here has to do it to get there boat on the trailer. The ones who dont, take a LONG time to get out of the way.

We have a BIG,BIG, problem with our overpopulated boat ramps on the weekend.

Just to let you know, the county has NOT built a new ramp here in Charleston,SC in over "40" years!,,,Yes, thats right "40" years!

It sucks out loud!!!!!

Edited July 29, 2009 by Capt Rick Hiott

[welder]

Guys remember , there are NO breaks on most wenches so be careful.

[wiley]

Quit calling a lawyer every time your a dumb ass. The Hun

No need for name calling - let's keep it civil!

[denny-o]

Yup, there are no breaks from my wench... Gets my knuckles whacked every time they get in the wrong place without careful preparation...

denny-o

[29YellowfinCC]

No need for name calling - let's keep it civil!

Hello all ! newbie to reel ! Hope there is not too much of this stuff. Great reading Posts like this one. Guess i can't expect it to be like Church.

[slvrlng]

Once you figure out where your sweet spot in the water is with the trailer, take a piece of reflective tape and mark the upright post with it, using the bottom edge of the tape at the water's edge. Then in the future back to the tape and roll the boat on clip the winch cable and move out of the way,,, you're done.

That is a great idea!