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E. TIPS ON BOAT LAUNCHING
With a present day trailer fitted with heavy duty geared retrieving winch and
roller supports, you will find that handling even a 23-footer is no chore.
However, since many launching ramps are rather steep, we would suggest that you
carry a set of wheel chocks in your boat or towing car. Don't depend on finding
stones, bricks or blocks of wood at the launching ramp.
A pair of wedge shaped wood sections fitted with a short 1ength of chain or a
lanyard will e1iminate the need to crawl under the car to pull the chocks free.
If you plan to trailer to unfamiliar areas, you may find that two sections of
heavy duty mesh wire, four to five feet in length and a foot wide, will prevent
your car from bogging down in sandy or muddy areas. Some trail-boatmen install
clamp-on bumper hitches to their front bumpers. If the ground near the
launching area isn't firm, uncouple and switch the boat trailer from the rear
to front hitch. Then push the trailer from your car's front end to the water's
edge while the car's rear wheels remain on solid ground.
If you own one of the larger North Americans, we recommend a folding wheel
dolly under the tongue of the trailer.
Where launching ramps are steep, the trailer may be disconnected and rolled
into position at the ramp with the aid of a dolly wheel. A spare section of
cable with eye splices fitted with "S" hooks provides a simple means to lower a
trailer down a steep grade to the water while controlling it by the car's own
power.
Those who often launch from sandy beaches have learned that a portable
pressurized tank-tire pump is convenient. Deflating automobile and trailer
tires to approximately half their normal pressure will prevent them from
bogging down. The air tank accessory will save the back and arm strain of hand
pumping and will eliminate even short distance travel to the nearest service
station on under-inflated tires.
Periodically lubricate winch bearing surfaces, rollers, components of the ball
and socket coupler and other swiveling or hinged components such as rear cradle
linkage.
F. STORING YOUR BOAT ON A TRAILER
There is no one right way to store a boat. Water offers the perfect cradling
to prevent boat distortions, but mooring afloat has the drawback of exposure.
When mooring at home, with the boat on the trailer, keep your rig in a
protected location, shaded and preferably under cover. Remove wet gear from the
boat. Loosen tie-down lines. Be certain that the trailer bed offers good
support at the keel. Protect boat from corrosive elements or salt atmosphere
and periodically wash down boat.
