MacGregorSailors.com

Freewheelin' launch off trailer with a sudden stop? Been there, done that, with my 20' Bayliner. At least I had dock lines out so boat didn't drift out and make me look "really" stupid. Rob

They usually can break after a couple of years or less. Cover strap while you store to prevent UV deteration and take of stress on strap. Straps cost $15-20 Harbor Freight Or Northern Tools.
Dave

daydreamerbob wrote:

When my strap broke when towing the Mac up to Big Bear (that was scary), I wanted to replace the strap with a cable - - - but Mike Inmon told me "absolutely not - - - cables twist and lose strength and break easier"! "We'll find out what caused the tear across the strap and then replace the strap".

Lo and behold there was a sharp piece of metal off the winch rubbing across the strap at certian angles. He fixed it, replaced the strap, and no problem after that!

Rick Less

DaveB wrote:They usually can break after a couple of years or less. Cover strap while you store to prevent UV deteration and take of stress on strap. Straps cost $15-20 Harbor Freight Or Northern Tools.
Dave

daydreamerbob wrote:

I had this too.. UV is a killer on these.
Certainly good advice to cover it up during storage. I have and (touch wood) the new one seems to be keeping a much better condition.

My powerboat had a safety chain that attached to the eye hook in case the strap broke. Anyone add one to a Mac trailer?
After seeing this, I'm thinking it might be a good idea.


--Russ

I have a safety rope and it saved my boat many many times!

Q1

We use a separate tiedown and a chain but the strap has never broken, had the wife holding the painter last week when launching and bounced the boat off a bit hard as it was sticking with the Lanolin grease we use as a bottom coat.
I missed the best part but when I looked she was 20' out but still hanging onto the rope, it would have been ok as a bloke on a jetski was watching but it would have taken him a while to stop laughing enough to help bring the boat back.

I added a padeye onto the trailer, then attached a short chain with a hook on the end to attach to the anchor padeye on the bow. It is my safety chain. I have had straps break too, so the safety chain was an issue for me.

Phil M

I always launch with a 35ft line attached to the bow & 25ft at the stern the bow line has about three ft of loosness as soon as the boat starts to float I stop the trk set the parking brake "very important" & walk the boat back off the trl same when retreiving always have a back up line attached & when trling theirs always an extra line tied to the bow eye & the trl

J

Highlander
I normally have a longer rope there instead of the painter but it was 30' long anyway (in a hurry), would love the luxury of launching near some other structure (jetty) but most places where we launch are just a ramp cut into a bank and if lucky it will be concreted and if real lucky it will be a gentle slope.
Have some good ones this year will try and take photo's just forget if the wifes not there to remind me.

I am shocked the Mac.Trailer doesn't have a safety chain, every boat trailer I ever came accross has one.
When I launch there is always a dock so I have a bow and stern line attached to boat and both strap and chain is unattached. My Girlfriend holds on the bow and stern line and walks back as I back to ramp and when the boat floats I pull out and she brings it to the dock, same as retriving.
I don't have a Max. Trailer but a tandum with front disk breaks,the bunks are designed that even if the chain and strap broke the boat would sit on the trailer without moving unless I hit a 1 ft. deep pot hole, than I would probably leave my hitch behind to.
Dave

RussMT wrote:My powerboat had a safety chain that attached to the eye hook in case the strap broke. Anyone add one to a Mac trailer?
After seeing this, I'm thinking it might be a good idea.


--Russ

I dont rely on my winch as the attach line. Run another around the trailer yoke and pull DOWN on your boat with a couple of trucker's hitches to really get it snug. Use a dockline which you can throw into the boat as a spare when you are done.

Never had a tie down over the cockpit until one day the son in law was behind me and said the boat was lifting 6" off the trailer, has a strap now at all times plus a chain and another strap off the bow eye with the winch strap, maybe it is over the top but you never know when something will go wrong like an unexpected deep hole in the road etc etc.