Hi guys
I've been out with the kids a few times and have strain my back a few times pushing the boat off the trailer to launch. Today I tried to be smart and used the trailer winch to pull the off the trailer.
1 I tied a spare block low on forward guide post,
2 Hooked a looped line , not tied ( so it will fall off when required) over the eye on the front of the boat back to the block then forward to the fully extended winch line.
3 When the winch is wound up it pulls the boat off the trailer.
Works a treat.
Sounds to me like your ramp is too flat or you are not backing in far enough. When I back in I watch the trailer fenders. As soon as they are submerged I stop and the boat will be floating free of all the bunks except the bow one. After unclipping the winch line all it takes is a gentle push to start the boat backwards off the trailer. This shove gives it enough momentum to clear the goal posts and my wife on the dock then simply pulls it over to the dock with the bow and stern lines she has been holding during the entire backing in and launching process.
I made the mistake of trying to launch my X with the ballast tank valve open. Couldn't figure out why the boat wasn't floating free off the trailer and had to back in farther. With the valve closed, it floats off like a cork. I single hand most of the time and leave the bow eye connected as I back in. Then I take the bow line that I placed at setup and hook it around a dock cleat. From the tongue of the trailer, at light push is all that is needed and with the bow line in hand, the boat drifts to the dock, where I secure it and park the trailer.
There are a number of places we would love to sail but can't due to the boat ramps, when possible I shall be making my own version of "Extend a hitch" that will allow me to reverse 'Imagine' out further for launch and load.
BrazDaz wrote:Hi guys
I've been out with the kids a few times and have strain my back a few times pushing the boat off the trailer to launch. Today I tried to be smart and used the trailer winch to pull the off the trailer.
1 I tied a spare block low on forward guide post,
2 Hooked a looped line , not tied ( so it will fall off when required) over the eye on the front of the boat back to the block then forward to the fully extended winch line.
3 When the winch is wound up it pulls the boat off the trailer.
Works a treat.
Daz.
Which ramp are you launching from Daz ? I will avoid that one.
Phill
I tow with a conversion van and have a raised ball hitch. My buddy tows with a pick-up that has a dropped ball hitch. He can get four feet farther into the water than I can without getting his truck wet. There is no way I'm putting my van into the water to get where he does.
I kept my Mac19 at yard which had a very shallow gradient ramp (if we had realised this sooner we may have searched for a better locaion).
The only way we could launch and recover efficiently was to back down the ramp, unhitch the trailer, fit a tow rope and them reconnect to the towbar with the rope and let the trailer run way down into the water sufficient to float the boat off the trailer.
What a palaver!
Had to do it on recovery too which made a days sailing hard work.
Hey Guys
The ramp i use is at Point Walter Ski beach on the Swan River, Perth AU. its only a problem at low tide. It is also a problem because I tow with a Mitsubishi magna station wagon and don't want to back the car to far into the salt water.
I'll be there tomorrow with the kids if any one wants to join us, Phill are you up for it?
The marina where we store our boat as a very shallow ramp, we have found the best way to get the Mac to float is to reverse as far as we can (just before the exhaust goes below the water) then we move the car forward about 2 metres and then reverse 2meters quickly and stamp on the brakes, we repeat this several times each time the Mac comes further of the trailer until she floats free. To get her back on the trailer we wet the trailer supports then drive on as far as we can and attach the winch, let the ballast empty before winching her up all the way.
off the trailer. 
