How do I get boat off trailer?

Discussion in 'Boatbuilding' started by series60, Aug 19, 2009.

  1. series60
    Joined: Jul 2009
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    series60 Junior Member

    Hi folks,

    This is probably posted in the wrong place but here goes anyway. I have a major rebuild underway in my backyard. My dilemma is "How do I remove the boat from the trailer in my backyard'? I need to do major repairs on the trailer and I thought there must be someone out there that has done this before without crushing themselves or someone else in the process. I am a 'One Man Band' here with just a 2 ton floor jack, an engine hoist and a few tires laying around. Can I expect to "Get'r None"?

    Any suggestion or pictures would be greatly appreciated.

    TIA,
    Bill
     
  2. mark775

    mark775 Guest

    How big is the boat and how far from the nearest water? I don't recommend jerking it off onto tires - blocking is better (floating is best).
     
  3. series60
    Joined: Jul 2009
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    series60 Junior Member

    The boat is a 21 1/2 cuddy cabin, 305 chevy/Alpha1. No clue as to weight.
    Thanks for the reply. I will continue to think about this. Don't want to rush.
     
  4. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    Pull the winch wire right out and round the back of the trailer and re attach to the front attachement . Winching will pull it off.

    I used to dump a 2 ton boat onto the lawn this way.

    Putting it back on is just as easy just allow the front of the trailer to rise as it wants ,--it will come back down again as the weight comes forward.
     
  5. Fanie
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Fanie Fanie

    I thought this was a boat as in BOAT boat :eek: As Frosty said you can winch it off on the grass, winch it back up when you've fixed the trailer up.

    Don't work anything heavy yourself. Get the wife to do it in case you hurt your back ok.
     
  6. CDK
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: Adriatic sea

    CDK retired engineer

    Jack it up at the transom, put some blocks under it.
    Pull the trailer forward until there is place for more wood on the good side of the CoG, then move the trailer out of the way. Two stacks of blocks on both sides of the transom, one under the keel near the bow.
     
  7. scotch&water
    Joined: Jul 2009
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    Location: Great Falls Mt. USA

    scotch&water Junior Member

    Cdk is spot on , you have a power plant hoist hock on to the bow eye after blockig the transom and your rocking and rolling
     
  8. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    There are lots of ways to get a boat off a trailer, most heave some risk associated with them. I'd strongly not recommend using the bow eye to support, drag or other wise handle the dead weight of the boat. It's very probable you'll just yank it right off the bow and require more repairs.

    The best way is to literally hoist it up. A heavy duty come along dangling from a handy branch will do. Your boat is probably in the 2 ton range so it'll make a mess if you drop it on your foot. You'll need a strap sling and find the balance point, but this is fairly easy once you start lifting.

    Jacking can work, though you usualy have to do it many times and inch the boat off. If the transom is hanging past the trailer bunks, you can lift the whole stern in one shot with a floor jack. This leaves the bow to deal with. With the stern on the jack, you might get away with using the bow eye and a come along or engine hoist. This will let you move the trailer out in one shot.

    Place it down on wooden blocking at a comfortable height.

    Of course if you know some one with a front end loader or back hoe, it would make things much easier and a lot faster.
     
  9. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    I never advise anyone to do any thing ever ever unless I have done it. I had 2 boats and one trailer. I used to lend it out. Thats what break backs are for ,but it does'nt need to be.

    A roller trailer is absolutely easy

    The only wear you get is round the back roller , the wire cuts into it a bit.

    You will need a fender to keep the wire from the bow cheek where the wire passes.

    Easy.
     
  10. scotch&water
    Joined: Jul 2009
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    scotch&water Junior Member

    OK Need to make things a bit clearer stainles Bow eyes with backing block will work fine for Boats up to 5000 lb. for Lifting the bow, inspect the eye and if it is pot metal some with only 1 bolt take it out, and the trash can is its best place to drop it, we have sets of A Frames and winches to lift boat all the time and yes V blocks under for safety< makes me feel better when I am under the boat with a grinder in my hand. Fritz " ah the fun of grining"
     
  11. Fanie
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Colonial "Sick Africa"

    Fanie Fanie

    Good grief, is this boat really this heavy ? It's only 6m500 long, how wide can this boat be ?

    With the equipment at hand I'll just tilt the trailer up so it slants backwards. If the boat doesn't come off tie the transom hooks to something and use the winch to pull the trailer from under the boat.

    You can still place wood planks or support under the boat for protection, but a lawn is perfectly safe. I can offload any of my boats single handedly on the lawn, and I use the method Frosty mentioned, loop the winch cable around the back and pull the boat off with the winch. I loop the safety belt I have around a roller.

    Add rollers to the trailer if you don't have any but so only the last half a meter lifts the boat from the rollers onto the skids. It will get the boat easy up and easy off while still offer area support on the hull while towed. Just rollers will point load the hull.

    If it is possible to lower the boat on the trailer then it is always worth the extra work and time. Even as little as 20 or 30mm makes a big difference, it launch easier, and it also tows better and is more stable on the road. Just try to lift the boat 20mm when you launch especially after a day on the water when arms get thin... Rub axle's allow for nice low trailing and ease of launch. Off late it seems to me the rub axle's also improve tyre life span.

    Oh and by the by, if the boat has been sitting on the trailer for a while then you can expect the felt on the skids to cling to the hull. You will have to wiggle the boat to break it loose. Some wet the skids but I don't think that makes any difference.
     
  12. Momo2000
    Joined: Mar 2007
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    Location: Yeehaa

    Momo2000 Junior Member

    To lift this boat off the trailer we first brought the front of the trailer down, this lifted the stern up, stacked up 6x6 or 8x8 blocks tight under the stern, put a cushion, then lifted the tongue of the trailer which took the stern off the trailer, then supported the fwd part of the boat with the jack stands, then lowered the tongue of the trailer and later pulled it from under the boat.
     

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  13. Safety 1st
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    Safety 1st New Member

    How to get your Boat off your Trailer

    There are lots of ways to get your Boat off your Trailer. Take a look at this link for at least one safe way to do it. The Portable Boat Lift might save you a lot of money in repairs and also a limb or two. www.portableboatlift.com
     

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  14. series60
    Joined: Jul 2009
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    series60 Junior Member

    Gentlemen

    Ah, the mind is a marvelous thing. Given a task, it sets out to solve it. I want to thank everyone for the great response to my question. Lowering the trailer tongue down, I was able to place large 8X10 blocks under the transom. As I raised the trailer tongue, the boat lifted several inches off the bunks. A little more blocking and I was able to roll the trailer out a little at a time to clear all the bunk hangers.

    Thanks again Gentleman.

    Bill
     

  15. owene
    Joined: Aug 2009
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    Location: Nelson, NZ

    owene Mr Owen Charles

    To digress, the question reminds me of an incident a few years back where a local yokel bought a new Salamander 570. After a couple of trips out in it, he returned to the dealer complaining that he couldn't get it to plane. Dealer checked all over and said he'd go out the next day and observe. So the yokel backs the 4x4 down the ramp, unhitches the trailer, jumps into the boat and away. No wonder it wouldn't plane - the trailer was still strapped underneath it.
     
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