How do you move a fin keel boat on a trailer?

[ferrispeterchris]

I wasn't paying attention when I brought my Hunter Europa out onto its trailer the other day and as a result she is sitting about six inches further aft than I would like. Without putting her back in the water or hiring a crane can anybody suggest a method of sliding her forward on the trailer? TIA

 

[Quandary]

It is not a heavy boat, park under a big tree, (not a horse chestnut) jack up trailer, sling hull , take away jacks move trailer. (Or stop a passing truck with a Hi-ab.)

 

[old_salt]

A photo might have helped but you could try as said she is not a heavy boat:-
A "Turfer" strop around the back of the keel and to the front of the trailer ease the hull pads and gently draw her forward.

 

[ferrispeterchris]

A photo might have helped but you could try as said she is not a heavy boat:-
A "Turfer" strop around the back of the keel and to the front of the trailer ease the hull pads and gently draw her forward.

Thanks, that sort of idea was kicking about in the dark recesses of my brain. What is a "Turfer Strop" and where could I possibly hire one?

 

[ferrispeterchris]

Google helped me! "Tirfor Winch" Thanks.

 

[old_salt]

You should be able to hire one from any hire shop. The strop is the rope or strap you use to go round the keel and hook up the turfer. You will also need to secure it to a strong point at the front of the trailer.
It may even be cheaper to buy one and have it handy for other jobs.
Or thinking about it does the trailer not have a winch at the front to pull the boat onto it.
Plenty here on ebay:

- http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XTurfer&_nkw=Turfer&_sacat=0

 

[prv]

Plenty here on ebay:
- http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XTurfer&_nkw=Turfer&_sacat=0

It's interesting that "turfer" finds exclusively a kind of cheap pressed-steel trailer-winch (which I'm sure would be more than adequate for this job) whereas the correct spelling "tirfor" finds the actual vehicle-recovery tool I'm more familiar with:

Literally no overlap between the two terms on eBay

Pete

 

[old_salt]

Yes I found that too.:encouragement:

 

[NormanS]

You could use a "Spanish Windlass". Cost, nothing.

 

[Strathglass]

If you are wanting to move your boat foreword you will find it will push foreword quite easily if you reverse the trailer up the nearest steep slope and a couple of people (or more) will easily push the boat forewards. We do it quite often on much heavier crafts than the op's one when a boat is sitting too far aft on its cradle after it has been pulled out the water. It is amazing what a little bit of gravity assistance can do.

 

[Kelpie]

Surprised nobody has suggested getting up to a good speed and then slamming on the brakes...

 

[ferrispeterchris]

If you are wanting to move your boat foreword you will find it will push foreword quite easily if you reverse the trailer up the nearest steep slope and a couple of people (or more) will easily push the boat forewards. We do it quite often on much heavier crafts than the op's one when a boat is sitting too far aft on its cradle after it has been pulled out the water. It is amazing what a little bit of gravity assistance can do.

Thank you Iain,that is worth a try! Peter.

 

[Daydream believer]

Tie a rope round a tree & the keel & drive forward
Alternative to a turfor is one of those cheap ratchet winches which can be found for about £20-00 or so
They have a fairly short lift but enough for your needs. It is amazing what jobs you find for them when you have one
Do you have an 8 tonne jack which you can lay on its side & use it to push the keel
Perhaps an hydraulic landrover jack as used in the disco would do as it has about 4 tonne SWL
Or just a long bar against a block wedged against the trailer braces as a fulcrum

 

[VicS]

Tie a rope round a tree & the keel & drive forward

I think that will have the opposite result to what is required!

 

[lw395]

If the trailer has any gaps under the keel, you can put a bottle jack or two under the keel and just move the trailer under the boat.

 

[Daydream believer]

I think that will have the opposite result to what is required!

Fair comment but OK if you went round a pulley on the front of the trailer first
Or if you took the rope under the towing vehicle to the tree & reversed
It's the principle that counts

 

[JumbleDuck]

Just give it a pull. My Hunter 490 (1000lb cf the Europa's 1500lb) slipped back a foot in her trailer last time I took her out, so I stuck a 3:1 handy billy between the eye at the front of the boat and the front of the trailer and she dragged forwards easily. With the Europa's fin I'd put a rope or sling round the keel (padded at the back) to make the pull as horizontal as possible.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Surprised nobody has suggested getting up to a good speed and then slamming on the brakes...

I moved my Leisure 17 several times by this method. You don't need that much speed and make sure the boat can't tip sideways when it moves and that there is something to stop it going too far forward.

 

[jwilson]

You could use a "Spanish Windlass". Cost, nothing.

+1 - it used to be part of seamanship knowing how to generate large forces with bits of string and bits of wood.

 

[ferrispeterchris]

Thank you all for the great selection of answers. It is refreshing as usual to find such a helpful bunch of boaties in this forum as opposed to the assassination bureau in "The Lounge".