Getting the boat on a trailer

[archimedes]

I'm trying to figure out the procedure for getting a CP23 on the trailer.  I've never done this before and a Youtube search came up empty.

Most trailers seem to have bunk boards.  Do you have to lower the bunk boards to get the boat on the trailer,  and then raise them up when the keel is on the trailer?  Otherwise I can't figure out how you get the boat on without hitting the bunk boards.

The trailer I'm looking at has old broken rollers where the bunks usually are. I'm figuring that I can swap them out for some sort of pad.  But I'm not sure how the boat slides past the bunks (or pads) when putting the boat on the trailer.

Also, having never done this, how many people are recommended to wrestle this beast onto the trailer.  Any first hand experiences would be appreciated.  Thanks

[Salty19]

I have a 19, but the procedure is the same, only a little easier due to less draft.  You have to back the trailer down deep into the water to allow the boat to float over the bunks. 

With the Admiral holding the boat at the ramp dock with lines, I back in until the bunks are submerged. I get out, loosen the bow winch line about 6 feet, then the Admiral tosses me a third line tied to the bow cleat.  She then pushes the boat evenly away from the dock with her foot and I pull the boat forward over the center of the trailer.  Sometimes this takes a couple of tries.  Then I attach the bow winch hook and winch it forward until it almost touches the rubber "V" near the winch.  I leave some space so the bobstay isn't compressed by the V when backing out, as the front end will rise up.

Once hooked in, she tosses the lines on the boat, then I get back in the truck and pull it out.   Usually the boat will not be all the way forward and I have to jack it up a little, she stands on the swim ladder then I winch the final few inches.  This is because the keel hits the front roller.  A plank would solve this problem. Depending on where the rollers are, you may or may not have this problem. 

You've probably hear of trailer extensions. We use a 10' extension that gives about 8' of additional tongue length during this process.  When I didn't have that, I was backing in incredibly far to the point where I would step into water when exiting the driver seat.  Not good.  The entire rear end was submerged with out it.  I had rigged a differential breather on my old 4runner with a hose that went up to the gas tank fill to avoid water from entering the diff.  I would highly suggest this unless you have a big lift kit on your pick 'em up truck.   With the extension, my rear wheels land a couple of inches from the water, keeping the vehicle high and dry. 

The deeper the ramp, the easier this process is because you don't have to back down as far. 

Good luck, it's a bit nerve racking with a 19, and I don't imagine the 23 is easier.

[brackish]

I've launched and retrieved my 23 many times.  You do not have to lower your bunks if they are set at the proper height.  When I retrieve, I simply back the trailer into the water until about 3/4 of the bunks are under water.  I do this next to a dock.  I then just walk down the dock leading the 23 onto the trailer with a line, making sure the keel is in the guides.  It follows along like a little puppy dog.  When it makes contact with the bunks, I attach the winch and crank it on the rest of the way, which is also not real hard.

My trailer as a rocker post in front of the bow chock and I've found that it helps to drop it a bit.  I've thought about removing it, not sure what it brings to the party.  Think it is just there to keep the boat from setting up a rocking motion fore and aft, however with such a long keel I can't see where it is needed.

So far I've used five different ramps and have not had to use my extension, although it was close one time.

[archimedes]

Thanks for the help.  Maybe I'm over thinking this.

The trailer has rollers instead of bunks so that got me thinking that some how the boat rolled along those rollers.  Seems like that's not the case.  Which is good,  because I planned on switching out the broken rollers with some sort of pad since the rollers are almost all broken.

Now that I think about it more, I guess the trailer is in the water on an angle,  and the boat is coming in level with the water surface, the front of the keel must hit the keel board nearer the bow before the bunks make contact.

I've never put any boat on a trailer before, esp. something this big and heavy, so I'm just trying to think it through and not miss something important.

[Tom L.]

Now you got the idea, in fact the boat actually nose dives and will hit the keel rollers or keel board first. When you haul out it will settle back into the bunks. What usually happens is the boat when it settles into the keel board and bunks it will be back from the winch stand some what. If you have keel rollers and bunk rollers it is very simple to winch the boat up to the vee block. If you have bunk boards and a padded keel board you may have to bounce/bump the boat forward to the winch stand.

I have a Sun Cat with bunk boards, keel rollers and keel guides. In the front near the winch stand I have a bow roller. I hook up the winch and pull the boat up on to that roller and into the winch stand vee block. It is also ridding on the keel rollers at this time. When I haul out the boat settles back maybe 3", I only have to give the boat a minor bump to slide it forward into the vee block. All this also centers the boat. Very easy.

Lubricate the bunks and keel board with a small amount of liquid soap to help slide the boat forward. Makes the bumping process less dramatic.

Tom L.

[MacGyver]

Be sure to tie the boat forward before pulling out, I just was sent a video of some folks who didnt do this and the boat rolled off the trailer and onto the land hard.
Of course it was on the ramp still as normally they wouldnt do that.

winching it on is typically the most standard method of maintaining that forward pull.

Rollers can be replaced through ETRAILER.COM as a solid source.

Mac