www.iFourWinns.com

So I thought I'd pop down to the boat ramp at the end of our street this evening for a couple of hours and watch people launching and retrieving their boats, hopefully get some education. All but 2 people were retrieving, it being the end of the day.

Some people drove their boat on to the end of the trailer and then winched it the rest of the way.

Some people pulled the boat all the way on to the trailer with a rope, smaller boats I guess.

Some people drove the boat on to the trailer full throttle until it was all the way on the trailer, hooked the chain on and off they went.

Which method do you guys use?

JB

_________________
2010 Crownline 180BR
3.0 litre Mercruiser
Onyx black Narrow hull and middle deck band
Bimini/Targa, Bow and Cockpit canvas
2000kg tandem Dunbier trailer

Tow vehicle - Nissan Pathfinder Ti

With the size boat that you are considering, I'd most likely drive it up to the trailer, and winch it on the rest of the way. With my 225 I was able to do that at most ramps. With my 268, I have to drive it up on there, pretty much all the way.

_________________
2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Agree with firecadet, with the 180, there is no effort to winching it on by hand. To help things slip along a bit, dunk the trailer into the water deep enough to soak the bunks completely first. Then, pull the trailer out to have the top of the wheel arches about a few inches (50-100mm for all us metric folks) above the waterline and you are pretty much set.

_________________
2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

My boating buddy who I had been with many times always drove it completly on the trailer ( did with a 17, 20, and even a 32 ft center console).

I do it this way too, dunk the bunks and drive on and your tow vehicle driver can hook the winch and it usually needs a little crank to tighten. I usually just hang over the bow and hook it when the admiral is in the tow vehicle so she doesn't have to get out.

That being said, as a rookie, take your time, don't be rushed and if you have to, pull the winch cable out and hook the boat and winch it up by hand. It's a bit of work but can help if you are nervous a out driving on.

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

We drive the trailer in deep until the front of the wheel arches are just a hair above the waterline, then drive the boat up as far as it will go until it slides back and with the stern still slightly free floating, we winch it the last 2 feet. The fourwinns trailer makes it easy.

Tried it with the trailer at a few different depths both deeper and more shallow than what seems to work best. Trial and error goes a long way to getting it right.

Don't forget to lift the sterndrive, I've seen a number of people forget that part and sparks fly as soon as they get to the top of the ramp.

_________________
2006 Four Winns 278 Vista.
Volvo Penta 8.1L, Duo Prop,
Kohler 5E Generator.

In Australia the H180 is sold on a local trailer with wheels instead of bunks - here's a link to the trailer - http://www.dunbier.com.au/index.php?opt ... &Itemid=80




Yes I saw someone do that with an outboard tonight - it was quite spectacular as it had got dark by then!

Thanks for everyone's advice so far.

JB

_________________
2010 Crownline 180BR
3.0 litre Mercruiser
Onyx black Narrow hull and middle deck band
Bimini/Targa, Bow and Cockpit canvas
2000kg tandem Dunbier trailer

Tow vehicle - Nissan Pathfinder Ti

Mine's on a FW trailer with bunks and the admiral reverses it down the ramp until the rear wheels of the car are at the waters edge and I drive it all the way on, attach the chain, lift the leg, and the admiral hauls me out. When I launch, admiral also reverses the trailer down until about a metre or so of the hull is in the water (usually the rear car wheels on the waters edge), I reach over the front and undo the chain and drive it off.

Takes a bit of practice, but not too hard at all when you get a system going (and a wife who handles a trailer like a pro!). Simply pick a quiet day (midweek) to try it out a couple of times.

If you ever get bored, spend some time watching on the Patterson River ramps - you see some absolute classics there. If you think you are going to have problems, you should watch others!! I believe this should be an Olympic sport - Ramp Watching!

_________________


Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

i hand winch my vista248 on, i can do it as fast as it takes others to power load. i never liked running the prop in the launch, it stirrs up all sorts of crap that just gets sucked into the intakes, besides power loading can do terrible damage to the launch itself.

_________________
republicans, working hard so you dont have to.

I drove mine up to about a foot away from the crank wheel. Then Ill hook it and have the driver crank the rest. This assures a good tight fit on the bunk and the crank wheel and also keeps from slamming up to the wheel too rough in my opinion. You dont want to crank it while the boat is still completely floating (due to the trailer being too deep in the water). This will cause the boat to set off center and its a pain to get it right.

Also, depending on the kind of trailer lights you have, some of the seals become loose and if the bulbs are burning while in the water (brake lights) they will burst. I always unhook the lights before dunking in the water just to be safe.

Like others have said, start off slow and determine whats best for you. The first time I did it we walked the boat up to the trailer. Haha. Those days are long gone.

_________________
1990 Horizon 200
5.7L OMC Cobra 260HP

I replaced all my trailer lights with LED units that claim to be submersable. If I remember, I unplug the lights when backing the trailer in, but it is one of those things you do not want to forget to plug back in after the boat is out. So far the lights are holding up well, but only been on a year.

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

My lights are all LED ones (had to be changed by the dealer to get the trailer registered here in Oz). I never unplug them and they still work perfectly.

_________________


Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

On every boat I do it the same way. I'm not sure if this is the correct way to do it or not but I sink the trail just far enough into the water so the bunkers closest to the back of my truck are just barely sticking out of the water. Since I launch on the river, I need to keep my boat in the idle forward position to keep myself on track until the bottom of the boat hits the bunkers b/c the river current usually pulls the boat to one side. I then throttle up until the front of the boat is on the front of the trailer. Latcher her down and we are done. In the past I've tried to sink the trailer farther so that I can just winch the boat on, but it seems that if I do that the boat doesn't always sit correctly on the trailer. I've done this on all the boats I've drive in the past as well as all of mine. Seems to work for me, but to each's own!

_________________
1996 4 Winns Horizon 170 SOLD
1997 4 Winns Sundowner 205 SOLD
2000 4 Winns Horizon 230 CURRENT
Tow Vehicle: 2007 Toyota Tundra Limited SOLD
1999 Chevy Tahoe 4x4 SOLD
2003 GMC Yukon XL 2500 6.0

I have had several different boats plus friends and family. They all load a little different and different places etc.
What I have learned is that when unloading, leave it hooked, back it in until it just starts to float.
When loading I put the trailer in just a little less than that so it hits on the rails or rollers just enough to keep it straight.
Run it almost all the way up and hook it.

_________________
1992 Baja 38 Special Twin 502 Mags

03 Stingray 3.0
88 261 Liberator 460 King Cobras
95 Bayliner 1850 3.0
77 Fiber Form 20ft 350/385hp
70 Wescraft 1800 SS 455 Jet

Lead, Follow, or get the Hell out of the Way!

This is not the exact one I was thinking of, but it does the same thing. Drive on your trailer and it auto connects to the bolt on the bow.

http://www.etrailer.com/Boat-Trailer-Pa ... /KBB1.html

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

That looks very practical for a solo boater.

JB

_________________
2010 Crownline 180BR
3.0 litre Mercruiser
Onyx black Narrow hull and middle deck band
Bimini/Targa, Bow and Cockpit canvas
2000kg tandem Dunbier trailer

Tow vehicle - Nissan Pathfinder Ti