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Author Topic:   Launching - advice requested

leobfish posted 04-21-2002 12:05 AM ET (US)
I have a Ford F250 2 wheel drive with a 460. Obviously it's great for towing, but I'm concerned about how to make this as effective as possible for launching/removing the boat. The reason it concerns me now is that if all works well next week I'll be the proud owner of a 22' OR. A 17' is one thing but what about the 22' OR - suggestions?
Thanks!
phatwhaler posted 04-21-2002 12:41 AM ET (US)
Other than looking out for some slimey growth at the ramp, you should have zero problems with that rig.
phatwhaler out.
dfmcintyre posted 04-21-2002 07:00 AM ET (US)
Ditto Phat... you will have no problem.
Good luck on the purchase!
Don
bwmenemsha posted 04-21-2002 08:54 AM ET (US)
there was an extensive and very interesting thread on this very subject not too long ago ...go into each one of these chapter/subject except for marketplace and open up the window of how many days you want to see topics....go back 3 or 4 months, 6 perhaps and you should have the answer to all...even questions you did not know existed...as i recall it also had a lot of info on different types of launch ramps....locations of best and worst for single and or assisted launches....hope this helps.....good luck
jimh posted 04-22-2002 01:13 AM ET (US)
Launching the boat is fairly easy. Make sure you take off the transom tie-downs. Back the trailer into the water, loosen the bow strap, and the boat should float right off the trailer. If it does not float, back in a little farther!
It is getting the boat back on the trailer where the fun comes into play.
David Ratusnik posted 04-22-2002 09:15 AM ET (US)
Leofish- I own a 22' OR. Piece of cake off loading into water. Make certain you don't have boat fenders hanging outside boat or they tend to get hung up on PVC safety poles if you have them on your trailer. The boat loads quite easily. Drive it right up onto the bunks to the stop guide. Remember to hook the chain thru the eye in the bow before you pull it out. Not just the winch ribbon.
Story. Sunday morning I was waiting for a store in Port Canaveral to open so I went over to the boat ramp. Two guys were loading a 30+ ft SeaRay Sundancer onto a 3 ax trailer. Guy drives boat up onto the trailer decently. Other guy hooks up the winch ribbon to the bow eye and with the boat's help draws the boat to the stop guide. Then the guy in the boat yells let's go. Without hooking the chain into the bow eye the guy in the truck starts pulling the boat up the ramp. Well- the winch ribbon snaps in two, the trailer is pulled out from under the boat about half way. Then, the boat backslides into the water. While the 22' OR is quite abit lighter than the SeaRay I was watching, it still needs the chain attached before pulling up the ramp.
Congrats on the Outrage. David
leobfish posted 04-22-2002 10:34 PM ET (US)
Thanks to all, I set the deal, and will take delivery of the boat this coming weekend. I guess I'll be worried about the 1st retrieval until I'm done with it. Hopefully a new set of tires will aid the process, I'm somehow becoming more enamored with the idea of 4 wheel drive though.
Thanks again!
phatwhaler posted 04-22-2002 11:03 PM ET (US)
One really nice thing about 4 wheel drive is the ability to drop down to low range. I slip my Yota into 4 wheel low, and just ease out the clutch, while letting in the parking brake. My truck slowly creeps up the ramp with zero tire spin. I actually don't even lock the front hubs. I slowly crawl up to level ground and then shift back into high range. This works great because there is no transfer case bind with the hubs un-locked, and the clutch and chassis are never stressed. I have 110,000 miles on my truck with frequent towing and my clutch still has some life left. I probably just jinxed myself. O well.
This story, I presume, is of little importance to a man with a F250 powered by a 460. I don't think you're gonna have a problem, even with a 22OR. Worst case scenario is your gonna have to use the boat to help get started.
phatwhaler out.
David Ratusnik posted 04-23-2002 07:44 AM ET (US)
Leobfish-- I tow my 22'OR with a 4.3L V6 Silverado. You may be overpowered to handle the new Outrage (just kidding). David
Whaletosh posted 04-23-2002 08:20 AM ET (US)
An opputunity for me to vent.
Launching would be so much easier if the tongues on trailers were longer! Most of the trailers that I see under boats lately are at least 2-3 feet short of what they should be. One should be able to float the boat and still walk around behind the tow auto without getting one's feet wet under most circumstances. This is not just matter of convienance, but also one of safety. I remember a story a couple of years ago where a man drowned because he slipped on a launch ramp and slid under the boat. How much you want to bet that his trailer required him to wade calf deep on already slippery launch ramp? Isn't steel one of the least expensive metals?
I can only guess that the reason is that people want to put their boats in garages which are getting shorter as well. Wouldn't removable or swing tongues solve the situation and still maintain a longer tongue?
Longer tongues also make the rig easier to tow. There is less tendency to sway and one can use less tongue weight.

Thanks for letting me vent., I feel better
triblet posted 04-23-2002 11:40 AM ET (US)
I agree with Whaletosh -- most trailer tongues
are too short. There one regular in Monterey
who has the bow of his inflatable about two
feet behind the back window of his Volvo wagon.
He just backs the Volvo into salt water. DUMB.
I've got a nice long (removeable) tongue on my
Shorland'r, and I generally don't even get the
tires damp.
Chuck
lhg posted 04-23-2002 12:08 PM ET (US)
I disagree about long trailer tongues! I have had both of mine SHORTENED about 18".
This eliminates excessive tongue deflection, which I see all the time with most trailers, and risk of failure at speed (which I had happen with an EZ Loader at 60 MPH) and cuts down on turning radius. The tongue is structurally the weakest part of your trailer, with no lateral bracing at all. The shorter, the stronger, for highway safety. Really good trailers, including the aluminum variety, have practically no tongue at all, with the frame coming almost up to the hitch. The key, however, is the good ole Keel Roller situation, which allows a shorter tongue. I just back either boat down so that I can stand at the winch on dry pavement, un-hook everything, an let her roll. Doesn't matter at all how high or low the boat is relative to the water. Same thing retrieving. The rear bumper of my Caddy, lower to the ground than a truck, has never even been close to getting wet, even with the 25 Outrage on a shallow pitch ramp.
I would agree that with a high friction bunk trailer you need a long tongue, for those ramps where you can't get enough water to float it off.
But don't do what one poor 22 Revenge owner did with his newly purchased used, twin engine Whaler. He obviously had a bunk trailer under his previous boat, so he unhooks the winch strap before backing the *Keel Roller* trailer down the ramp. Launched the boat right on the concrete, about 8' before the ramp waterline.
It was a painful sound, watching it slide backward about 4' down the ramp surface. There it sat, high and dry.
Taylor posted 04-23-2002 12:32 PM ET (US)
Ouch.

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Author	Topic: Launching - advice requested
leobfish	posted 04-21-2002 12:05 AM ET (US) I have a Ford F250 2 wheel drive with a 460. Obviously it's great for towing, but I'm concerned about how to make this as effective as possible for launching/removing the boat. The reason it concerns me now is that if all works well next week I'll be the proud owner of a 22' OR. A 17' is one thing but what about the 22' OR - suggestions? Thanks!
phatwhaler	posted 04-21-2002 12:41 AM ET (US) Other than looking out for some slimey growth at the ramp, you should have zero problems with that rig. phatwhaler out.
dfmcintyre	posted 04-21-2002 07:00 AM ET (US) Ditto Phat... you will have no problem. Good luck on the purchase! Don
bwmenemsha	posted 04-21-2002 08:54 AM ET (US) there was an extensive and very interesting thread on this very subject not too long ago ...go into each one of these chapter/subject except for marketplace and open up the window of how many days you want to see topics....go back 3 or 4 months, 6 perhaps and you should have the answer to all...even questions you did not know existed...as i recall it also had a lot of info on different types of launch ramps....locations of best and worst for single and or assisted launches....hope this helps.....good luck
jimh	posted 04-22-2002 01:13 AM ET (US) Launching the boat is fairly easy. Make sure you take off the transom tie-downs. Back the trailer into the water, loosen the bow strap, and the boat should float right off the trailer. If it does not float, back in a little farther! It is getting the boat back on the trailer where the fun comes into play.
David Ratusnik	posted 04-22-2002 09:15 AM ET (US) Leofish- I own a 22' OR. Piece of cake off loading into water. Make certain you don't have boat fenders hanging outside boat or they tend to get hung up on PVC safety poles if you have them on your trailer. The boat loads quite easily. Drive it right up onto the bunks to the stop guide. Remember to hook the chain thru the eye in the bow before you pull it out. Not just the winch ribbon. Story. Sunday morning I was waiting for a store in Port Canaveral to open so I went over to the boat ramp. Two guys were loading a 30+ ft SeaRay Sundancer onto a 3 ax trailer. Guy drives boat up onto the trailer decently. Other guy hooks up the winch ribbon to the bow eye and with the boat's help draws the boat to the stop guide. Then the guy in the boat yells let's go. Without hooking the chain into the bow eye the guy in the truck starts pulling the boat up the ramp. Well- the winch ribbon snaps in two, the trailer is pulled out from under the boat about half way. Then, the boat backslides into the water. While the 22' OR is quite abit lighter than the SeaRay I was watching, it still needs the chain attached before pulling up the ramp. Congrats on the Outrage. David
leobfish	posted 04-22-2002 10:34 PM ET (US) Thanks to all, I set the deal, and will take delivery of the boat this coming weekend. I guess I'll be worried about the 1st retrieval until I'm done with it. Hopefully a new set of tires will aid the process, I'm somehow becoming more enamored with the idea of 4 wheel drive though. Thanks again!
phatwhaler	posted 04-22-2002 11:03 PM ET (US) One really nice thing about 4 wheel drive is the ability to drop down to low range. I slip my Yota into 4 wheel low, and just ease out the clutch, while letting in the parking brake. My truck slowly creeps up the ramp with zero tire spin. I actually don't even lock the front hubs. I slowly crawl up to level ground and then shift back into high range. This works great because there is no transfer case bind with the hubs un-locked, and the clutch and chassis are never stressed. I have 110,000 miles on my truck with frequent towing and my clutch still has some life left. I probably just jinxed myself. O well. This story, I presume, is of little importance to a man with a F250 powered by a 460. I don't think you're gonna have a problem, even with a 22OR. Worst case scenario is your gonna have to use the boat to help get started. phatwhaler out.
David Ratusnik	posted 04-23-2002 07:44 AM ET (US) Leobfish-- I tow my 22'OR with a 4.3L V6 Silverado. You may be overpowered to handle the new Outrage (just kidding). David
Whaletosh	posted 04-23-2002 08:20 AM ET (US) An opputunity for me to vent. Launching would be so much easier if the tongues on trailers were longer! Most of the trailers that I see under boats lately are at least 2-3 feet short of what they should be. One should be able to float the boat and still walk around behind the tow auto without getting one's feet wet under most circumstances. This is not just matter of convienance, but also one of safety. I remember a story a couple of years ago where a man drowned because he slipped on a launch ramp and slid under the boat. How much you want to bet that his trailer required him to wade calf deep on already slippery launch ramp? Isn't steel one of the least expensive metals? I can only guess that the reason is that people want to put their boats in garages which are getting shorter as well. Wouldn't removable or swing tongues solve the situation and still maintain a longer tongue? Longer tongues also make the rig easier to tow. There is less tendency to sway and one can use less tongue weight. Thanks for letting me vent., I feel better
triblet	posted 04-23-2002 11:40 AM ET (US) I agree with Whaletosh -- most trailer tongues are too short. There one regular in Monterey who has the bow of his inflatable about two feet behind the back window of his Volvo wagon. He just backs the Volvo into salt water. DUMB. I've got a nice long (removeable) tongue on my Shorland'r, and I generally don't even get the tires damp. Chuck
lhg	posted 04-23-2002 12:08 PM ET (US) I disagree about long trailer tongues! I have had both of mine SHORTENED about 18". This eliminates excessive tongue deflection, which I see all the time with most trailers, and risk of failure at speed (which I had happen with an EZ Loader at 60 MPH) and cuts down on turning radius. The tongue is structurally the weakest part of your trailer, with no lateral bracing at all. The shorter, the stronger, for highway safety. Really good trailers, including the aluminum variety, have practically no tongue at all, with the frame coming almost up to the hitch. The key, however, is the good ole Keel Roller situation, which allows a shorter tongue. I just back either boat down so that I can stand at the winch on dry pavement, un-hook everything, an let her roll. Doesn't matter at all how high or low the boat is relative to the water. Same thing retrieving. The rear bumper of my Caddy, lower to the ground than a truck, has never even been close to getting wet, even with the 25 Outrage on a shallow pitch ramp. I would agree that with a high friction bunk trailer you need a long tongue, for those ramps where you can't get enough water to float it off. But don't do what one poor 22 Revenge owner did with his newly purchased used, twin engine Whaler. He obviously had a bunk trailer under his previous boat, so he unhooks the winch strap before backing the Keel Roller trailer down the ramp. Launched the boat right on the concrete, about 8' before the ramp waterline. It was a painful sound, watching it slide backward about 4' down the ramp surface. There it sat, high and dry.
Taylor	posted 04-23-2002 12:32 PM ET (US) Ouch.