Once you have finished your outing, you will return to the port to take your boat out of the water by placing it on its trailer. This step is essentially the same as the launching step, except that the order of actions is reversed. Read more about this topic, you will find in this article the way to launch your boat by yourself.
It is obviously possible to do this by wearing waders or by getting wet. However, through this article, you will see that it is quite possible to put your boat on a trailer while keeping your feet dry even with shoes. Demonstration with a boat of 6.40 m and weighing more than one ton.
Positioning the trailer
Start by tying up your boat to a ring along the dock while you pick up your vehicle and place your trailer on the dock, ready to receive the boat.
The wheels must be placed, without immersing them completely, except for trailers designed for this purpose. Generally speaking, with a chock offering a correct slope, immersing the lower part of the tire is sufficient.
Be careful when the tide is falling with a high coefficient, if the maneuver takes longer than expected, you may end up dry. Place the strap on the rollers so that it is easily accessible.
Arrive directly with the boat on the trailer
The next step is to bring the boat between the bottom rollers of the trailer. This maneuver requires some attention. You have to take into account the wind and the possible current. With a little practice, it is done very well.
Aim for the centerline of the trailer and steer with some speed to keep the boat maneuverable.
Remember to raise your motor, otherwise you risk rubbing the drift of the base on the wedge.
The 2 most common mistakes that can complicate this maneuver are not having enough speed and ending up with a boat that is difficult to maneuver, or taking the engine out of the water too much which makes the boat unmaneuverable. Personally, I arrive with enough speed that I stop the boat by putting it in reverse as soon as it comes into contact with the trailer.
Cap the strap on the ring
Once the bow of the boat is stuck in the rollers, get off the boat and quickly wrap the strap around the chainplate.
Then head for the winch while keeping the strap taut. This will keep the boat in line and prevent it from shifting in a crosswind.
Reassemble the boat on the trailer
Even if the boat moves slightly, it is important to quickly position the bow in the rollers. Once this one in place, the boat will naturally put itself in the axis. It only remains to raise the boat with the winch by turning the crank.
Finally, before you take your trailer out of the water, remember to secure it. A turnbuckle with a hook can ensure this.
Some tips
- It is possible to keep the boat well aligned by leaving the engine in forward gear.
- If the crosswind is strong, try to take shelter from the dock to limit the offset.
- The positioning of the strap on the trailer is important in order to be able to be quick between the moment you wrap it on the ring and the beginning of the winching.
