www.iFourWinns.com

[list=]Hi

I have a Four Winns 268 that I trailer. I’ve been boating most of my life and am proficient at launching and retrieving smaller boats. I’ve launched my previous FW 248 and 288 a few times, but always had them retrieved via a boat lift. I’d like to launch and retrieve my 268 myself and would appreciate any advise. I am also considering buying trailer guides to assist in retrieving the boat.

I be very grateful for any advise and recommendations.

Thank you.

Carlos [/list]

We trailer our 268 every weekend we can, which is most weekends in the summer in Minnesota. I'm always driving the truck and trailer, She is always in the boat. She will have the outdrive trimmed up to somewhere in the upper half of the gage. We use our cell phones and bluetooth headsets as a live communication system while loading. We can talk even though we are in line and away from the ramp, but it really works well for us as the boat is coming onto the trailer. We do use a rather steep ramp that allows driving the boat off and back on to the trailer. I put the Four Winns trailer in the water until the small front pads are just partially sticking out of the water. It helps give the boat driver reference points if the boat and trailer are straight with each other. You might even decide to go a little deeper with the trailer. This might work if the water is clear. Our trailer has a two-speed manual winch. This has helped me a lot. On this steep ramp, when she drives the boat on the trailer and I winch it up into place, the back of the boat will sometimes move to one side or the other. As I start to pull the boat out of the water, I look for the chines of the boat to each cover half of the fender width. With the phones and headsets I can tell the Admiral which way the boat's stern needs to move and how far. When it is lined up and coming out of the water I can tell her that she can shut down and trim up.

If loading the boat by hand, you might want the trailer a bit deeper. A steep ramp makes that two speed winch worth it, but it does put a lot of strain on the winch post.

I've thought about the guide posts, but she is not very interested in them. She just says she is out of practice. Many of the guide posts are made for smaller boats, not boats that weigh 7000+ pounds. If you go that way, be sure that the set you get are heavy duty enough.

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Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

Thank you.