Launching Strop?

[Little Rascal]

Anyone got any ideas for what to use for a long strop/line for launch and recovery of my Europa?
It needs to be low stretch.

My two usual slipways have a permanent 1/2" wire rope and a 10m steel rigid extender bar but I'm planning to go 'off piste' to other slips soon.

Any ideas?
Thanks...

 

[Lakesailor]

You're only towing it, not lifting it. Get a replacement winch strap http://www.seamarknunn.com/acatalog...gclid=CLqLw9iVlLoCFZQZtAodyBsAIg#.UlrCCOLOS8A

I made a rigid bar to extend a draw bar. It clipped into the existing tow hitch, doubled the length of the trailer wheelbase, allowed pushing steering as well as pulling and prevented the trailer nose lifting. It clipped to brackets on the trailer when not in use.

That's 2 ideas.

 

[Slocumotion]

Idea #3 - A bit of rope.
I had a Europa (on a 4-wheeled trailer, so no problems with it tipping on the slipway) Steering was the only problem. A bit of wading was usually necessary especially when positioning the empty trailer for retrieval.
Lakey's extension bar would have been the Bee's Knees though.

 

[Little Rascal]

Thanks Lakey, I like that. The bar I used before had just a tow hitch on each end so behaved much like a nunchuck

Idea #3 - A bit of rope.

Genius!

That's what I used to use for quite a while but since it had to be long it was rather bouncy and the boat would slide off the trailer as it came up. I've partly solved this by putting weight on the foredeck but I'm looking for something static.

Steering was the only problem.

I'm trying to set up so as to do it single handed so this IS a problem.


Any idea where I might for a length of wire rope? Haulage places? (Home is not coastal sadly)

 

[William_H]

I have just used a stout rope for letting down the trailer and hauling out of friends fin keel boats. I don't think stretch matters at all in the rope. The rope is more convenient to chanrge the length of. You do need a good jockey wheel for the front to roll on.
Lakey's draw bar extender would be ideal provided it is always long enough but not too long for manouvring room for the car.
A variation I once used was a square tube draw bar with another square tube extension sliding inside the draw bar. Just had a big pin going through both tubes to lock it together.
good luck olewill

 

[GHA]

Any idea where I might for a length of wire rope? Haulage places? (Home is not coastal sadly)

You could try eBay for some dyneema or amsteel blue. Very strong and low stretch.

 

[Daydream believer]

Any idea where I might for a length of wire rope? Haulage places? (Home is not coastal sadly)

A crane hire firm
But once you have had a strand of wire go through your hand you will wish you had used rope
Cannot see why on earth you are worried about stretch but if you are then perhaps a nice long webbing such as you can get with a 5 tonne lorry strap
You can then use it to tie the boat on the trailer as well

 

[davidpbo]

O.P. I don't know how heavy your boat is.

For mine at 2300 Kgs inc Trailer I use a rated strop from a lifting company supplier Bill Moore in Morecambe Tel: 01524 854 692
http://www.bmlt.co.uk/ I would imagine there would be a similar supplier near you. I think it cost cc £35 but it was some time ago.

I am more comfortable using a rated piece of kit for towing or lifting.

If it was a lighter boat I would maybe consider using a rope. I do use a rope to the bow in conjunction with the strops, 1 X 10m from the tow ball which attaches to the shackle and the shorter yellow strop which is passed through the front of the trailer frame.

The rope goes from a Samson post on the bow to the tow ball and holds the boat against the V at front of the trailer. The stretch in the rope alloys the boat to settle back on the trailer as it comes out, whilst holding it close to the V.

 

[Little Rascal]

Cannot see why on earth you are worried about stretch

I've just found it significantly easier with a static line or rigid bar.

I'm looking into a towball mounted winch but in the meantime a bit of cheap rope will have to do. Would 12mm polyprop be man enough?

 

[Lakesailor]

I'm looking into a towball mounted winch but in the meantime a bit of cheap rope will have to do.

It will be a nightmare.


Do what I do in this video at 20 seconds. You've got all the gear.

 

[Little Rascal]

If that were me I would be chest deep for most of the process