Launching of the trailer

[Old Forum]

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Sunday, March 18, 2007 - 12:14 pm:      
Try stopping me posting pictures now I have sorted it out!
The secret of the back winch system is to keep the pull horizontal as you have now found out. The front block is held under the keel by the front loop rope. You should be able to launch the boat without dunking the hubs, controlling the launch with the main winch. To be honest I dont bother and float the boat off unless it is a very shallow slip:

The videos are 2.8MB and 3.7MB
http://www.cawston.eclipse.co.uk/broads032Med.mpg
http://www.cawston.eclipse.co.uk/broads033Med.mpg

[Old Forum]

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 06:02 pm:      
I decided some time ago to invest in a new two speed winch but never got around to it. I noticed that there is a two speed braked winch in the Machine Mart catalogue(£47). Any advice before I spend my money? I will also invest in a new strap aswell. Every time I winch my boat on the trailer I expect the worst to happen!

[Old Forum]

Julian Swindell
   
Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 06:21 pm:      
I've got a two speed winch as the main winch and it is good. Generally I use the high speed to get in the slack and then go on low speed for the final pull-on. Towards the end of the season I must get fitter because I can do the whole thing with the high speed setting.
But be warned. The handle is detachable and someone nicked mine last year. I was being hauled out by a tractor that day, and they called out "Pass the handle" I thought they were blind, but they were right, it was gone and we had to crank in with a mole wrench. Not easy.

[Old Forum]

David Cawston
   
Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 11:58 pm:      
I had a nasty accident with the winch that came as standard on the Roller Coaster. Whilst pulling out, one of the cogs broke which caused the winch handle to fly round, hitting the back of my hand (I was lucky to not end up with some broken bones). I then purchased a twin speed with much greater winching capacity and just like you Julian, if I am feeling fit I only need to use the fast speed but if the slip is very steep I have to resort to the slow speed (that's old age for you). A word of caution: the winch strap can seriously deteriorate due to UV degradation and I had one snap at the hook end just as I finished hauling out. I was amazed that it had not snapped when the loading was much higher earlier on during the hauling out which would have resulted in an uncontrolled return to the water for Markie.

[Old Forum]

Simon Hill
   
Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 - 12:22 pm:      
I invested in and fitted a cheap electric winch which is powered from an Andersen plug I had wired to the back end of my little 4X4. The winch has a long cable with the remote on/off switch so one can stand clear if anything should part company. The winch was on special at a cheap auto parts retailer for A$90 (about 35 pounds) so I thought if it lasts a couple of years - which it has, and still going stong - and I throw it out it will owe me nothing. It sure beats hand cranking!! I had to have the winch post modified slightly

[Old Forum]

David Cawston
   
Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 07:39 pm:      
Here are some pics and videos (thanks to Andy Dalby for compressing the videos) showing the launch and recovery of Markie. The trailer is in a little deeper than normal by about 2" and the wooden block is a safety device to save my fingers.

[Old Forum]

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Saturday, May 15, 2010 - 07:40 pm:      
I really like Roger's winching off mechanism but I can't fit it to my trailer as the keel sits on the cross members.(David's is too technical for me!). I have experimented with a homemade breakback design using a modified scaffold pole but this year I am trying something different. By modifying a 'behind the ball' cycle rack fitting a second towball slides up and down two rails as you raise and lower an extended jockey wheel.