[Rhodes22-list] Trailer Retrieving

[Bill Effros]

Bryan,

Keep the tips coming on your Florida Keys adventures.  There are a lot 
of Florida Keys Trailer-Sailing wannabees on this list--myself 
included.  In order to make such a trip, people must first be confident 
they can launch and retrieve on unfamiliar ramps.  I've got that part 
knocked.  Here's how I do it:

1.  The horizontal arm holding the V shaped bumper should be movable.  
You must learn where to position it to stop your boat.  The stop 
position should never be as far forward as the arm will go.  If this is 
the case, you must make some alterations on your trailer so it is not 
the case.

2.  Where your boat stops should be a function of how much of the bunks 
are out of the water, not where you have positioned the the horizontal 
arm.  2 feet of bunk out of the water should bring your boat to a stop 
before it slams into the the V shaped bow stop, no matter how fast you 
bring your boat onto the trailer.

3.  Clip the winch strap to the bow eye.

4.  Retract the Bow Stop so it does not interfere with the bow eye or 
the winch strap as you pull your boat out of the water.

5.  Pull your boat out of the water.

6.  If you are unhappy with where your boat has come to rest on your 
trailer, place a small hydraulic jack under your centerboard trunk.  Put 
1 piece of wood under the jack, and another between the jack and the 
boat to distribute the pressure. 

7.  Jack up the boat just enough to take most of the pressure off bunks.

8.  Using your tow vehicle, slide the trailer under the boat to the 
exact position you want it to be.  (It is easiest to do this shortly 
after taking the boat from the water when water and ablative bottom 
paint both reduce the friction, although by raising the boat a little 
higher you can easily perform this maneuver when the boat is completely 
dry--there is no danger in this process, as the boat will simply drop 
back onto the bunks if there is any kind of screw up.)

9.  Slide the horizontal arm back toward the hull so it appears to be 
holding the boat, but actually isn't.  Putting the bumper on the hull 
while trailering invites chafing.  Failing to move the arm stern ward 
results in passers-by honking to tell you your boat is falling off your 
trailer--which it isn't and won't.

10.  Before you hit the road, always put your fingers inside the trailer 
hitch to ensure the movable hitch lip is under the ball.  Then try to 
lift the trailer off the ball.  If you can so much as budge the trailer 
arm upward, you don't have enough weight on the ball.  Move stuff 
forward inside the boat, or add weight to the trailer in front of the axle.

This procedure will work on all boat ramps every time.  Once you know 
where your boat should be on the trailer, you will find you can get it 
there on the first try.  Knowing you always can easily move the boat on 
the trailer if you need to do so, means everything else becomes less 
critical, and you can prepare your boat for road travel in far less time.

What we on this list don't know enough about is trailer sailing.  It is 
one of the huge under-explored advantages of the R-22.  Many of us are 
hungry for more information about this aspect of sailing.  Everything 
from how you provision your boat, to how you actually use its features 
in multi-day excursions.

We're all hoping to hear more from you.  You are an inspiration to many 
of us.

Bill Effros (Not going to the Florida Keys, yet again, this year.)





Bryan Childs wrote:

>   Presently I have a Mercury 2 stroke 9.9 which wieghs about 75 pounds.
>   I would like a 4 stroke but I got a good deal on this one so I could
>   pass it up.  It is manual start so it does not have any charging
>   capability, which I really miss when cruising.  I only leave the motor
>   on the boat when I bring it back from the harbor to the cottage which
>   is only 4 miles.  I am in Michigan so the boat is out of the water and
>   being preped for the journey south.
>
>
>
>   I retired last Jan and set off in April with the boat to the Florida
>   Keys.  I had not been there before so this was an exploritory trip. I
>   belong to the Trailersailor club and discussed the trip with others
>   that had been there.  Many trailer their sailboats down and put them
>   in at Stuart (way north of Miami) or Falmingo at the end of the
>   everglades park.  I dicided to put in a mile marker 115 which is
>   on US1 from the mainland to Key Largo.  There is a small marina
>   (actually a dry sailing storage and launch facility) on the east side.
>   I was able to leave my truck and trailer there in a locked up area.
>
>
>
>   I travelled on the gulf side through the western intercoaster
>   waterway. The winds were strong 20-25 knots, from the NE. For all the
>   way SW I only used the Genny, and moved briskly along at 5-6 knots. I
>   sailled for about 5 - 6 hours each day, achoring is various area and
>   travelled down to mile marker 25.  (Key West is at mile marker
>   zero.)  I crossed over to the Atlantic side a Channel Five where there
>   is a tall bridge.  After getting to around mile marker 25 I beat
>   windward back up to Marathon and Boot Key harbor.  The person that was
>   with me needed to get home so we got a bus to where we launch, got the
>   trailer, and pulled the boat out at Marathon.
>
>
>
>    This year I will probably start at the same place but I want to
>   include John Pennacamp Park and the Dry Tortugas.  I plan to be there
>   the month of March.
>
>   -----Original Message-----
>   From: ed kroposki
>   Sent: Jan 15, 2005 11:54 AM
>   To: 'Bryan Childs' , 'The Rhodes 22 mail list'
>   Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Trailer Retrieving
>
>   Bryan:
>
>       "I would love to be able to leave the motor on the motor mount
>   during trailering since that is the most laborsome part of setting up
>   the boat." 
>
>       What size engine are we talking about?  Stan uses the 9.9 four
>   stroke engines.  They are very heavy.  I use a 8 two stoke that weighs
>   less than 60 lbs.
>
>       Again, figure out how to add at least a single cross boat strap.
>   It helps with bumps and truck wind buffeting.  I believe that Roger
>   uses cross boat straps??? 
>
>       Wheel size?  The newest trailers I have seen from Stan have 16"
>   wheels.  Mine came trough with 15" which saved me money on getting a
>   spare.  I doubt that the one inch makes enough difference to spend the
>   bucks to get bigger.
>
>       Since it is winter, is your boat already out of the water?  Again,
>   tell us more about the keys. 
>
>   
>   Ed K
>
>   Greenville, SC, USA
>
>   
>   
>
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