Launching a biggish yacht off a trailer- advice/encouragment please!

[VicS]

Lack of paint?

Otherwise how come the trailer chassis, which is subject to the same dunking has not rusted like that?

Galvanised ??

 

[Strathglass]

Looking ahead to the spring and wondering whether to get the boat craned in, like everyone else, or to float off the trailer directly.


Anybody done this with this size of boat, and any videos etc?

This is three images of my boat coming out at the end of last season. The hull is a bit mucky as I did not use it much because of a broken ankle.

It all came off very clean with SWMBO and a power washer.

I realise that this is the removal and not launching. But this is the more difficult operation.

The boat is 33ft with a 6' draft over five tons.

The cradle was set to the bottom of the slip at low water.

When the cradle is immersed to exactly the correct depth the boat is motored onto the cradle.

As shown here

It is secured to the cradle with seven straps.

One at the bow, a pair from the front of the cradle to the winches back at the cockpit and a further two pairs vertically from each corner of the cradle up to the deck.

Once it is secured to the cradle the tractor pulls it out clear of the water using a rope.

When fully clear the cradle is chocked up and the solid drawbar is fitted between it and the tractor.

The steering lock is released and the boat is pulled into position for the winter.

 

[dleroc]

Galvanised ??

Yes the rest of the trailer is galvanised and is okay. However when you get to this situation there is no alternative but to replace the suspension and hub assembly, the bowden cables, front brake cables and in my case a new tow hitch as the old, original one was obsolete.

I bought it ( the boat with trailer) in August knowing that I would have to replace the brakes but it turned out to be a bit more complicated and expensive! All sixteen nut and bolt assemblies were completely seized up and I had to use an angle grinder to cut the heads of 14 of them. WD40, plus gas wouldnt make any difference.

Still it gave me the opportunity to get a close up of the bottom of the boat!

Another poster on here said that over the time he had his boat he had spent more time maintaining the trailer than maintaining the boat!