[Rhodes22-list] 2007 Trailmaster trailer question

[ROGER PIHLAJA]

Hi Matt,

Assuming you have a trailer with bunks; then, the water needs to be deep enough to almost submerge the front of the bunks.  I like to leave about 12” of bunks showing above the water.  Then, you just line up the bow in between the bunks and motor dead slow onto the trailer.  The underwater guides will center the keel as the boat comes up onto the trailer.  The bunks will stop the boat a few inches shy of the bow stop.  I leave the engine running in forward with the fuel line disconnected.  While the outboard is using up the fuel in the carburetor I center the tiller, lock it, and raise the rudder blade.  Then, I walk to the bow, climb off onto the trailer, and attach the bow line.  I winch the boat up until the bow is touching the bow stop or as close as I can get it.  Then, I lock the winch and attach the safety line.  After that, I walk to the tow vehicle.  About now, the outboard engine stalls from lack of fuel.  I get into the tow vehicle and drive up the ramp.  At the top of the ramp, I brake sharply.  This causes the boat to slide forward on the bunks up hard against the bow stop.  You want to do this right away while the boat and bunks are wet and slippery.  I get out and winch in any slack in the bow line and retighten the safety line.  If the boat has not slid forward enough, I drive forward again and slam on the brakes and keep doing that until the boat is far enough forward.  Usually, the first hard stop is sufficient.  Then, I drive over to the rigging area and start preparing the boat to go down the road.  The whole thing takes less than 5 minutes from when I first approach the trailer.

For most ramps, this technique requires the use of the tongue extension.

If the ramp has a very gradual slope; then, submerge the bunks until just the front tip of the bunks are showing above the water.  Be prepared to gun the outboard to shove the boat up the last foot onto the bunks.  What will happen is the midsection of the hull and the keel will contact the trailer a little sooner than desired, stopping the boat a little too far aft on the trailer.  Full throttle and the bow winch will usually get the boat far enough forward on the trailer.  Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to drive up the ramp until the bow is up against the bow stop.  The boat is so heavy; that, even a few inches of misplacement will seriously unbalance the trailer.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 18, 2023, at 8:55 AM, Matt Wilson <mwhornblower at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am about to pull my Rhodes for the season and am wondering if anyone
> knows approximately how much water I need to have at the ramp.  Any
> perspectives would be super helpful. There are multiple ramp options but
> the deepest would have to be done by the local boatworks and incur a
> charge.
> 
> Many thanks,
> Matt Wilson
> Hornblower II
> White Bear Lake, MN