Wouldn't come off trailer? Confused...

[cadunkle]

Maybe someone has an idea what happened today. Boat is an '89 Saltare on the factory trailer. Was racing to the ramp to beat the tide, water was about as low as it can be and still be usable. I'd been on and off at this level before. With no trouble, just be read careful because there is sand and gravel built up at the bottom so it's very shallow.

Anyhow, back in to normal depth of trailer, fenders about level with water surface and back of boat starting to float just a little off the trailer but held in place by the guides. Normally I can either let the winch out and it comes right off or if it stays on the trailer I just bump reverse and it slides off. It slid back just a little when bumping reverse. Throttled a little above idle and no movement. Got in the truck and backed down a little, didn't slide off. Pulled forward a little and it brought the boat forward with the trailer, then back down and it slid right off.

No marks on trailer or boat from contact. Prop and rudder didn't touch. No marks on fins or that area of trailer and doesn't look possible that they could ever touch. No marked on the spray deflector part of the hull either, or the fenders. Not really worried about it as this never happened over 3-4 years with this boat but I'm a bit confused as to what could have got hung up. Any ideas?

[Wulphie]

My only guess would be that when you pulled forward and backed in again the trailer tires packed the sand enough that the trailer was sitting a little lower. Even 1 inch could make a difference.

Its funny how every ramp setup is a little different. I use 4 different ramps depending on where I go and every one I back the boat in different amounts. And my little boat needs to be backed in further than my Pirata.

[CJD]

Using power to get my boat on and off is the norm. Sometimes it takes quite a bit.

[gogger]

Did you get the bunks completely before trying to unload? Sometimes the boat will stick to the carpet.

[Zim]

Dumb question, but...

Was your winch, and rear straps all off?

[Cusefan78]

Another dumb question, was the drain plug or plugs in.

[haugy]

It's a 3800lb boat. They stick to the trailer. I never "slide" mine off. If it won't glide off with either a good push, or a little rocking, I come back a few more inches. They stick from time to time, it happens. I wouldn't think twice about it.

[wotan2525]

It's a 3800lb boat. They stick to the trailer. I never "slide" mine off. If it won't glide off with either a good push, or a little rocking, I come back a few more inches. They stick from time to time, it happens. I wouldn't think twice about it.

There's not much margin for error at our launch. You go too deep and the bumpers float off the guide-posts. You stop too shallow and the boat can't float off.

The rule is, if you're driving, and the bumpers float off -- you're going swimming for them. ;)

[PBWolf]

Retrieving my 96 La Brisa for the first time was fun.. someone else backed the trailer in, I suppose we didn't get the bunkers wet enough or it wasn't quite in the water enough. Once it was on the trailer, we winched and winched but then the bolt holding the winch handle sheared off and I busted my knuckles pretty good. It still had a good bit of fuel since we didn't have it out the whole day, and with the bunkers not wet, I guess it stuck to the carpet pretty good.. only a few inches left before it hit the front v stop, so I put an extra safety chain on it and called it a day. Have a replacement winch since it was easier to get than the replacement parts, so I'll be putting that on as soon as we launch it tomorrow.

[TitanTn]

Mine has always stuck to the carpet. Hard to slide off and not easy to load. You back in too much and the nose won't go over the bow roller, it wants to go under. Don't back in enough and there's too much bunk out of the water. It's a very fine line and differs on ramp angle and water level.

My carpet was starting to get worn very quickly from the hard sliding off and on. I solved my problems by adding some telfon slides in a few places. Wow, what a difference. It's so easy to load or unload. It would make a big difference in your situation as well.

[Jetlink]

I dunk the trailer to get the bunks wet, then get the trailer to where the fenders just protrude from the water and that usually works for me. Getting the bunks wet both unloading and loading seems to be the trick.