Lifting 1T boat off a trailer (and back on again)

[ghostlymoron]

My friend is loaning me his trailer to pick up my new boat. I intend to store it in my garden while I fix a few things. If he needs the trailer back, what's the best way to offload it and then re-load it in a DIY sort of way?

 

[BarryH]

Depends on the trailer and boat. Has the trailer got rollers or bunks? What sort of hull are you looking at, sailing,motor, fin keel or bilge keel? Bit more info will, no doubt, get you a few answers

 

[Lakesailor]

Probably need a ground survey.

 

[jpay]

I recently had a similar problem, I bought a project boat and borrowed the trailer it was on for delivery.
When I delivered it I just lifted the trailer and slid the boat off onto the floor...

But when I wanted to put it back on a new trailer I realised my stupidity.

So as mine was fairly light, and in my club there are a few members who aren't, we managed to rock it up using blocks to a height higher than a trailer, then whilst holding the nose up removed the front blocks and slid underneath the new trailer.

Scaffold poles are great between bilge keels.

This worked for me but it was a small sail boat with bilge keels. We did intend to use car jacks and wooden planks across the bilges to jack it up but found burly men and brute force quicker but probably less safe and healthy.

Good luck!

 

[ghostlymoron]

The boat is a bilge keeler.

 

[NormanS]

I did it with a considerably bigger boat, by tying the boat to a lamp post, and pulling the trailer out from under. We did put blocks under the boat as it came off. No drama.

 

[LittleSister]

I used to easily load a Leisure 17 bilge keeler (c 675kg) with two people on and off trailers by levering it up onto blocks (using the baot as the lever), as follows. Might need a third person for a tonner.

From boat on ground -
Lift bow (shoulder under it) while assistant places block under lifted end of each keel (I used standard concrete blocks, wooden (e.g. section of rail sleepers) would be less weight/effort), lower onto blocks (boat is now bow up).
Lift stern and ditto.
Lift stern again and put another block under.
Back to bow and repeat until you are at or slightly above level of trailer (I used flatbed).
Then slide/walk boat onto trailer by pushing one side then the other (best two or more people), or by dragging it with a tackle on the front of the trailer.

Getting it off the trailer is reverse of the above.

I once got it off the trailer alone by tying the boat's stern to a stout tree, edging the trailer forward until rear of keels overhanging trailer, placing rear blocks under exposed back of keel, edging forward until rear of keel dropped gently onto blocks and continued until boat just hanging onto trailer by front of keels, placing blocks under these, then driving away slowly while front of keels slid gently off back of trailer leaving the boat standing on the blocks at each end of the keels.

 

[jpay]

I used to easily load a Leisure 17 bilge keeler (c 675kg) with two people on and off trailers by levering it up onto blocks (using the baot as the lever), as follows. Might need a third person for a tonner.

From boat on ground -
Lift bow (shoulder under it) while assistant places block under lifted end of each keel (I used standard concrete blocks, wooden (e.g. section of rail sleepers) would be less weight/effort), lower onto blocks (boat is now bow up).
Lift stern and ditto.
Lift stern again and put another block under.
Back to bow and repeat until you are at or slightly above level of trailer (I used flatbed).
Then slide/walk boat onto trailer by pushing one side then the other (best two or more people), or by dragging it with a tackle on the front of the trailer.

Getting it off the trailer is reverse of the above.

I once got it off the trailer alone by tying the boat's stern to a stout tree, edging the trailer forward until rear of keels overhanging trailer, placing rear blocks under exposed back of keel, edging forward until rear of keel dropped gently onto blocks and continued until boat just hanging onto trailer by front of keels, placing blocks under these, then driving away slowly while front of keels slid gently off back of trailer leaving the boat standing on the blocks at each end of the keels.

My exact same process just I might not have described it very well!
It is easy enough and the more hands the easier the job!

 

[macnorton]

Two pieces of substantial timber, one fwd and one aft.
Blocks at each corner and jack each corner in turn until through boat is high enough to slide to trailer out.
We use this method every winter with app 30 boats per year put on the hard for winter and re launched in spring, do it with mine and its 6 Ton.

 

[charles_reed]

Two pieces of substantial timber, one fwd and one aft.
Blocks at each corner and jack each corner in turn until through boat is high enough to slide to trailer out.
We use this method every winter with app 30 boats per year put on the hard for winter and re launched in spring, do it with mine and its 6 Ton.

Similarly, with my 22'. But I jacked up the trailer and boat, put adjustable pallet racking under the boat and then let down jacks and trailer - it had to be high enough to be able to drop the keel to prepare and anti-foul.
Then slid the trailer in when it was time to get the boat back in the water.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Two pieces of substantial timber, one fwd and one aft.
Blocks at each corner and jack each corner in turn until through boat is high enough to slide to trailer out.
We use this method every winter with app 30 boats per year put on the hard for winter and re launched in spring, do it with mine and its 6 Ton.

How do you stop the boat slipping off the timbers?
What sort of jacks do you use?
Would railway sleepers be stout enough?
Thanks GM

 

[masterofnone]

When you happen to see a local building supplies driver in your area, ask him if for a substantial drink he would mind doing you a favour. job done

 

[bluemoongaffer]

I hired a gantry and hoist from a local crane company. Wasn't too expensive and made the job easy. Of course, depends whether a hire company near enough...

 

[Rigger Mortice]

How do you stop the boat slipping off the timbers?

Position the timbers where lifting strops would be used if the boat was craned into the water. Then fix chocks and wedges to hold the boat firm. Just spread the load as much as possible.

What sort of jacks do you use?

You could do it with one bottlejack. Just lift a bit at a time.

Would railway sleepers be stout enough?

Should be fine so long as they are in good condition but length may be a problem. When I did it I made beams up using 2 10" x 2" (I think, but it may have been 8"x 2") for each beam. Railway sleepers weren't long enough for my boat. For a one tonne boat you could use smaller timbers. You can look up the loadings for timber on t'internet; the information is readily available for the building industry.

...and do make sure that the ground you are doing it on is OK to take the point loading that the jacks will be taking when you crank them up.

 

[TeamSpirit]

Position the timbers where lifting strops would be used if the boat was craned into the water. Then fix chocks and wedges to hold the boat firm. Just spread the load as much as possible.

You could do it with one bottlejack. Just lift a bit at a time.

Should be fine so long as they are in good condition but length may be a problem. When I did it I made beams up using 2 10" x 2" (I think, but it may have been 8"x 2") for each beam. Railway sleepers weren't long enough for my boat. For a one tonne boat you could use smaller timbers. You can look up the loadings for timber on t'internet; the information is readily available for the building industry.

...and do make sure that the ground you are doing it on is OK to take the point loading that the jacks will be taking when you crank them up.

+1 and worked safely every time saved load in boat storage, just need to make sure the jacks are up to the job, timber must be robust enough to take the load and surfaces flat and can take the keels, if not spread the loads with timber. Takes a while to set up but works well.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Two pieces of substantial timber, one fwd and one aft.
Blocks at each corner and jack each corner in turn until through boat is high enough to slide to trailer out.
We use this method every winter with app 30 boats per year put on the hard for winter and re launched in spring, do it with mine and its 6 Ton.

Thats how I unloaded and loaded a Vivacity 20 years ago. Worked very well and safely but you do need plenty of wooden blocks and short packing planks.

 

[macnorton]

We use railway sleepers, breeze blocks, bits of wood, and a bottle jack.
We put wedges between the sleeper and the hull at the stern and don't wedge the bow until the boat is in place.

 

[Lakesailor]

I buy old scaffold planks from a scaffolding firm for £2 each. On edge- doubled up they are very strong. Cut into short lengths ideal for packing or spreading the load under jacks.