First time nerves any advice?

[mike uk]

I will soon be doing my first haul out to bring my Mac 26 home on her trailer for the winter (shes been in a marina since I bought her).

I watched her being put into the water. She didnt float off with the tow vehicle wheels at the waters edge on the ramp. So, it was reversed until the water was up to the tow vehicles axle. I dont really want to do that with my vehicle. Assuming the water is at the same level, I am thinking of using a rope to get the trailer further into the water.

I guess the sequence is:-

1. Reverse most of the way with trailer still hitched
2. Put handbrake on car and trailer
3. Attach rope from trailer to car with about 3 or 4 foot of slack
4. Unhitch trailer
5. Take up slack by driving forward and re-engage car handbrake
6. Release trailer handbrake
7. Reverse trailer into water by letting trailer pull the complete rig backwards
8. Re-engage handbrake on car and trailer
9. Fenders out, rudders up, keel up, ballast valve and vent open
10. Slowly motor forward so that boat is floating over trailer
11. Allow bow to rest in vee
12. Attach bow strap and tighten
13. Switch engine off and tilt up
14. Release trailer handbrake
15. Drive forward a bit at a time to allow ballast to empty

Questions:-

1. How will I know that the trailer is in deep enough?
2. Is the boat meant to float over the trailer or to skid onto it?
3. Can the trailer be put in too deep or doesnt it matter?
4. When the bow is in the vee, how do I keep it there whilst the strap is being tightened - do I keep engine engaged in forward might this push the trailer?
5. If the strap is tight onto the bow wont it overtighten as the rig comes out because the back of the boat will go down and the bow will go up a bit? Is the solution to leave a little bit of slack in the strap?
6. Have I missed anything?!

.
Im sure when Ive done it once everything will become very clear but just now I would appreciate any advice.

[craiglaforce]

Sounds like you may have a different trailer than we are provided in the US. We do not have a trailer handbrake, only a surge brake that is activated by compression of the master cylinder when the rig is decelerated.

I have never heard of anyone having to disconnect the trailer to launch or retrieve their mac. I would not want to try it personally. Either your trailer is higher than ours, or your launch ramp is less steep than normal. What would you do with the nose wheel when you are moving the trailer without the hitch providing the 300 lbs of support? Seems like the nose wheel assembly could break off.

Given your comments, I would try to dump the water ballast before retrieving the boat. That way it will ride higher in the water and require less trailer submergence to recover the boat. If this is not sufficient I would try to find a steeper ramp to enable boat recovery without unhooking the hitch.

I fully tighten the bow strap when pulling the boat out. No problems so far.
If you have a different trailer, then I don't know what you should do.

If all else fails, maybe you can find a boat lift or hoist to pull the boat and place it on the trailer. If the water is salty, this will extend the life of the trailer, even if you are careful to rinse the trailer with fresh water.

[Carl Noble]

Mike, don't try to bring your boat in by unhitching the trailer. You will be courting disaster for sure. Perhaps you could modify your trailer with an extension that allows the trailer to be extended by about 3 to 4 feet. (These are used in the States for boats with keels on them.) You just lenghten the extension, launch or retrive, then return the trailer to normal on level land before driving. I agree with Craig that you probably don't have the original trailer for the Mac. I bet if you post this question on the UK forum you will get better advice from the folks in your local area.

Good Luck.

[kmclemore]

Mike, Can you post a picture of your trailer and the ramp so we can get a view on what's happening here?

It does sound like the ramp is a very shallow angle to the water in your situation. Here in the US most of the ramps are at a pretty steep grade, so the trailer is well and truly under the water when the rear wheels of the tow vehicle are only touching the water. However, it is true that towable boats here with keels often have extenders on the trailer hitch which slide out - like one cylinder inside of another - and this extends the trailer into the water further.

[Moe]

Before extending the tongue, or especially trying to let the trailer roll back further on a rope, keep in mind the ramp concrete only goes out so far, and there may be a drop-off beyond it, especially if boats "power-load" and the propwash blows the soil at the end of the ramp away. It the trailer wheels drop off the concrete, it can be difficiult to get it back on.

--
Moe

[Don B]

Mike,

I have read a couple of times about hooking a blower up to the ballast vent to push the water out. I don't know what it takes to do it but someone else on this board may know. At least it is a third alternative way of getting the water out.

Plus IMHO don't go unhooking the trailer. The thought of it is enough to give me the shakes.

-Don B

[Paul S]

I have found the mac (at least our M) can be launched and recovered in very little water. If the tide is pretty low...I can still recover.

I just dunk the trailer as far as I feel comfortable (not going over edge of ramp)...sometimes as far as dunking the rear wheels of our truck..I motor the boat on the trailer...and use the motor to put the boat onto the trailer. Squirting a lot of diswashing soap on the bunks make the boat slide on like silk.

If the ramp is super shallow....find another ramp.

Our 26M launches and recovers a lot easier and in less water than our old 20' powerboat.

Leaving the ballast valve (and vent) open upon recovery makes like a lot easier.

If you dunk the trailer and the wheels go totally underwater, you should be fine. Put some PVC pipe on the guide posts. it extends the posts to see clearer, and is softer than metal on your hull.

You still might have to do the macgregor bump to fully seat the boat out of water.

Paul

[kmclemore]

You still might have to do the macgregor bump to fully seat the boat out of water.

Oh, and Mike, as you're new you may not know what the "MacGregor Bump" is, so I'll explain.

Once the boat's out of the water and you're on level ground, winch the boat as far forward as you can... once it's up as far as it's going (which likely won't be all the way), get back into the car and drive forward slowly for a bit and then firmly hit the brakes... it doesn't take much... you'll hear a 'bump' when the boat slips forward on the trailer and seats itself fully home into the "V". Tighten the winch, attach a bow safety strap at the front and your aft securing strap(s) to stern of the trailer and you're good to go.

[Paul S]

You still might have to do the macgregor bump to fully seat the boat out of water.

Oh, and Mike, as you're new you may not know what the "MacGregor Bump" is, so I'll explain.

Once the boat's out of the water and you're on level ground, winch the boat as far forward as you can... once it's up as far as it's going (which likely won't be all the way), get back into the car and drive forward slowly for a bit and then firmly hit the brakes... it doesn't take much... you'll hear a 'bump' when the boat slips forward on the trailer and seats itself fully home into the "V". Tighten the winch, attach a bow safety strap at the front and your aft securing strap(s) to stern of the trailer and you're good to go.

This is also described in the owner's manual (at least the M manual) too, so I assumed he knew what it was. My bad

I also have a big-@ss transom strap to keep the boat from bouncing around on the trailer
Paul

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

Definetely don't un-hitch the trailer. Keep everything connected up. Put the truck in park and set the truck parking brake when you are all backed down. I usually leave the motor running. No part of my truck touches the water except maybe the rear tires on shallow ramps. I just back up until the fenders disappear under the water. That's as deep as you need. If you are at a ramp with a dock don't motor onto the trailer, just pull the boat on using the dock lines. Gently get it headed between the goal posts and then jump down to the tounge and pull it the rest of the way up to the bow support block. Having someone on the dock with a stern line makes it easier as well. It will float clear all the way up to the bow support block. Hook on the winch strap and crank it the rest of the way home into the upper vee block. When you pull up the stern will settle on the trailer and you usually end up with 2"-3" of gap at the bow block once on the level ground. Just use the Mac Bump, tap the brakes when moving forward and the boat will slide the rest of the way home.

I'd dump ballast in the water before hand if you can. Just motor at 8-9 knots bow high for 10 minutes with the transom valve empty and you'll be pretty dry. Otherwise, once the boat is winched into the trailer open the valve then pull up a few feet and wait for the water to drain.

[Casey]

IMHO, don't disconnect your trailer from your vehicle. Once, I was at low tide when loading. My trailer dropped off the end of the concrete ramp. If I had not placed the explorer into 4 wheel drive low range, I probably would not have been able to pull it out. I always place into 4 wheel low range while I am on the level before I back into the water. This is not to say that one needs a 4 wheel drive vehicle to load and unload the mac.

Casey

Good Winds Karma

[Mark Prouty]

Try some


Available at West Marine and here.

[KRV]

Hold on and take a deep breath. Do not disconnect the trailor from the hitch. Please provide pictures so we can see your trailor. Maybe there is someone from this board in your area. Look at the UK thread. Chances are that one Mac owner would be happy to help another.

[MarkStanton]

Mike,

I agree with all the other posters - the tow rope method is not to be advised IMHO. I have even broken a jockey wheel trying this once in an emergencey. In the UK you probably will have a different trailor from the US folks. I can only speak form the X perspective but the US Trailor, if imported from the US via the "official" UK Dealer, was scrapped and a new one made by West Mersea Trailers. This was to cope with UK regulations. It probably is the case that this trailor is slightly higher then the US one.

There are some "grey" imports around where you may have got the original US Trailors.

My X trailor (like most) is single axle - I note the new M ones are twin which may make things harder.(?) But when I have launched and recovered numerous times I have never sunk my axle.

What is your tow vehicle ? I have a Mitsibushi Shogun Sport - many use LandRover Discoveries but I know someone who manages to get by with a Subura Forrestor. You want a lot of ground clearance at the back to you can get the hitch far back without dunking the back of the car.

With this kind of vehicle and a reasonable steep slip you should not need to dunk the axle. Sometimes I get in as far as covering the tyre (i.e the rubber bits) on the rear wheels of mine - this is also just about at the point where the exhaust it just above the water line.

Have you shifted all moveable weight to the back and/or removed it ?

Can you drain your ballast by powering at speed before coming in for recovery ? - You will need a wind sheltered position for this.

One technique we sometimes use is to "recover roughly" with the boat quite a long way back down the trailer but drain the water out and the shut the ballast valve "re-launch" the boat just enough to float the boat and wind the winch up to bring it forward on the trailor.

It personally don't use the MacBump (described in above posts) - I am convinced I have a weak front bracket and am concerned about overloading it. But it is used widely and I am sure if fine on a brand new trailor.

To answer your questions


1. How will I know that the trailer is in deep enough?

We tend to get the front bracket just wet - but I have seen X's recovered when the front bracket never even get wet.

2. Is the boat meant to float over the trailer or to skid onto it?

Definitely float over the back bracket(bunk) but probably power over a wet and slippery front one.

3. Can the trailer be put in too deep or doesnt it matter?

I wouldn't worry too much about the trailor as long as it it rinsed thouroughly afterwards and it does not go off the end of the slip

4. When the bow is in the vee, how do I keep it there whilst the strap is being tightened - do I keep engine engaged in forward - might this push the trailer?

Sound like you have gone to deep - keep it there via friction - I don't have it free floating over the front bracket. I also always do a two handed recoverted with someone powering on from the back as required until the front is tied on.

5. If the strap is tight onto the bow wont it overtighten as the rig comes out because the back of the boat will go down and the bow will go up a bit? Is the solution to leave a little bit of slack in the strap?

I wouldn't leave any slack. I think you will find that as the "natural" slack from the knot is taken us the boat will fall back slightly - we are often an inch or two back from the bow V. I wouldn't be too worried about this.

6. Have I missed anything?!

Ignore the sales brochure - the recovery is never that easy !!!!
Don't worry give it a go.

If you search for my other posts in a thread called UK forum you will see contact details A for me feel free to email me with further questions and there is also listed there the UK Macgregor Association. They are really helpful and probably have a member local to you ( I am berkshire) who can advise on local slips.

If I had to guess I would say you are doing two things "wrong"

1. Wrong slip - is it steep enough ? - the steeper the better within reason
2. You are backing the trailer back to far - only just cover the front bracket.

Enjoy and feel free to get in touch for more advice

Be aware as stated I can only give you a perspective.

[Chip Hindes]

we are often an inch or two back from the bow V. I wouldn't be too worried about this.

You should be worried about this. If you don't get it up where it belongs in a relatively controlled fashion; i.e., the infamous "Mac Bump", it will happen when you can least tolerate it: in a panic stop. At that point the built up momentum will do a lot more damage to the bracket than the Bump. If your bracket is weak, get it fixed; there's nothing else that will stop the boat and it could end up inside the rear of your vehicle.

BTW, I'm not sure why everybody insists on calling this the Mac Bump. It's not by any means unique to the Mac. I've been doing it for over thrity years, on two previous boats (both power); in fact, I've never towed a boat that didn't require it.