How far to back a trailer into water - newbie question

[Skutter]

Recently bought my first boat and it came with a trailer.
Ive only loaded the boat once and that was after the test drive and with help from the old owner.
He kept stressing about not letting the water come higher than about a 1/4 - 1/3 of the wheel height on the trailer because the salt will wreck the bearings etc.
Been watching videos on solo launching and loading a boat from a trailer and it seems people will back the trailer a good ways into the water with the wheels fully submerged and this seems a lot easier than it was when we loaded the boat with the wheels barely in the water but is it actually so bad for the trailer? or is there anything you can do to minimise the salt damage to bearings / axels etc?
Any advice much appreciated.

 

[Beach]

Have you tried packing the bearings etc with high melting point grease after use?

 

[Skutter]

I got the boat home yesterday so I haven't actually used it yet myself. - just wondering how far I should back it into the (salt) water when unloading it hopefully tomorrow afternoon. But keeping the bearings well greased can't be a bad thing or?

 

[Another Angle UK]

It kind of depends on your trailer. Some newer trailer are designed with a 'swing arm' and rollers which makes launch and recovery possible without getting the bearings wet. Older trailers with bunks may need to go deeper (submerge the mudguards) to get the boat off and back onto the trailer.

Look for 'Bearing Buddies'. These can be fitted to some hubs and they provide a slight positive pressure of grease in the hub. That positive pressure keeps the water out. It's always worth letting the bearings cool down before getting them in the water.

 

[Skutter]

Good tip about letting them cool down. The trailer has 2 keel rollers up the middle and a couple of wheels in line with back roller but they only seemed do any guiding once the boat was past half way on the trailer. The trailer also has a little platform to walk on down it. Will try and remember to get a picture of it when the boat is off the trailer next.

The tricky part seemed to be getting the boat keel inline with the roller and that was with one person guiding the boat and the other ready on the winch so that will be interesting when I try it solo and its this that I think would be easier if the trailer was backed further into the water.

 

[Topwater]

Sounds like you may need extra rollers? Pics will definitely help

 

[Another Angle UK]

As Topwater said a picture of your set up would help. I've a few videos on my channel showing the boat launch and recovery.

On my old trailer, I found having the rear most roller just under water and then lifting the keel onto that roller held everything in line whilst I hooked on the winch strap and started to winch. Once you have some tension on the strap everything should line up.

 

[ChrisBfishing]

Launch ramps/slips can be variable gradients. You may have no other option than to dunk the axle a fair bit depending on where (and when) you go. Rinse the trailer well with fresh water as soon as humanly possible after retrieval, including the wheels and hubs. Try and keep as much salt as possible off. Clean and repack bearings with a quality grease every season at an absolute minimum (more if you intend to go in and out of the water like a ducks head, or travel any serious distance to launch). Replace bearings at the first sign of deterioration! The previous owner is right, the salt water WILL wreck the bearings, BUT they're a consumable product. They can be replaced fairly cheaply.
You could always look at fitting guide poles to the trailer. They may help you line up a bit easier (especially if retrieving somewhere with a strong tide)
JUST DON'T DUNK THE LAUNCH VEHICLE IF YOU LIKE IT!

 

[Skutter]

Good advice!

Have checked a couple of local ramps on the bay this morning and got two to choose between that aren't so steep and have a fresh water hose next to ramp to rinse of the trailer directly. Going to be the first time launching the boat and I'll be solo unless I can convince the missus to come so i'm bricking it a bit tbh

 

[Another Angle UK]

Once you've done a couple of launch and retrieve on your own you'll fine.

I also have a long rope so I can rope the trailer down and back up the slipway if it's slippy. If the slipway is green don't be fooled into thinking 4x4 wont slide. Just stay on solid ground.

 

[ChrisBfishing]

Good advice!

Have checked a couple of local ramps on the bay this morning and got two to choose between that aren't so steep and have a fresh water hose next to ramp to rinse of the trailer directly. Going to be the first time launching the boat and I'll be solo unless I can convince the missus to come so i'm bricking it a bit tbh

I'm sure everything will be fine!
However, If you can convince your good lady (or a mate) to assist you for the first time or two, it may not be a bad thing IMHO.
Also, if it's not a steep ramp, there's actually a higher chance of going in up to the rear axle of the tow vehicle to have enough water to launch! The above advice about a rope from the trailer 'on a slip' to the tow vehicle, and avoiding the green slime on the ramp is most advised if it looks like your car may get salty! Especially if it's a Fiat or Mazda Best of luck with your new boat!

 

[Dutchman]

We used to back it down enough and a tap on the brakes and off it came probably wheel hubs did not even get wet.

But retrieving the hubs were fully under water even on the break back trailer i had.

 

[GPSguru]

Recently bought my first boat and it came with a trailer.
Ive only loaded the boat once and that was after the test drive and with help from the old owner.
He kept stressing about not letting the water come higher than about a 1/4 - 1/3 of the wheel height on the trailer because the salt will wreck the bearings etc.
Been watching videos on solo launching and loading a boat from a trailer and it seems people will back the trailer a good ways into the water with the wheels fully submerged and this seems a lot easier than it was when we loaded the boat with the wheels barely in the water but is it actually so bad for the trailer? or is there anything you can do to minimise the salt damage to bearings / axels etc?
Any advice much appreciated.

It depends on the type of trailer you have (i.e swingbeam, roller coaster, carpet bunked, or roller bunked), and the angle (or steepness) of the slipway.

As an example, most carpet bunk trailers need to be completely submerged, whereas a decent swing beam trailer can winch the boat on perfectly square without the wheels being in the water !

I have a full swing beam trailer (Rapide) and launch / recover a 6m Ribcraft (1.5T all up weight) about 60 times per year. On the slip I use, I find it best to reverse the trailer in to about wheel hub depth.

My wheel bearings are ALKO triple sealed one piece bearings and I changed them after 4 year of use, so in reality they are pretty good, however, even with a hub wash system, the brakes are a different storey, and I tend to change the brake shoes every year.

 

[Mr Fish]

In my experience it was pack the bearings with grease, then grease anything else in sight, wash down after use and replace the bearings every couple of years or so.
No way was the boat going to come off without submerging the wheels.

I did a couple of solo launches and retrieves but it wasn’t always easy even with two of you - bear in mind wind and waves will move the boat and lining it up on the trailer wasn’t straightforward by any stretch.
With mine, once the main keel and the ridges of the cathedral hull were on the rollers, it was a straight winch, could even do it dry if needs be, but getting to that point was the tricky part.

Frankly, don’t think I’d even try solo if I’d never done it before, often you need two pairs of hands.

The other thing to consider and the issue I had, was where do you put the boat while you’re parking the vehicle and the trailer?
We have a harbour with a big tidal range and the best I could do was temporarily moor the boat on a waist deep mooring while I legged it back to the vehicle, parked up and then legged it back down with inches of water to spare.
Having a second person to hang on to the boat in the water was pretty much invaluable for our set up.

 

[Skutter]

Forgot to take a picture of the trailer last night but it has a central keel roller and two wheels at the back and then another keep roller at the front. Asked the locals to the bay which is the easiest ramp and they all had the same recommendation. - not too steep, lots of room no moored boats near the launch and a jetty by ramp to tie on to and very sheltered.

Off loading went ok to be fair. I watched an old boy and his kid go in before me to see how they did it then backed my trailer in till the water was over the rubber but not all the way up to the hub. Had lines on the bow and stern attached to the boat and coiled on the jetty with plenty of slack before fixing them with slipped knots. Boat went in - trailer has a platform to walk on so I used that to unclip the winch then went on to the jetty to pull the boat in and tie it then went and parked the trailer. No one was waiting to use the ramp so I could take my time.

When I came back in the old boy and his kid were just backing their trailer down to load out so I parked up on the other side of the jetty and watched how they went about it.

Fetched the trailer - Old boy then asked if I wanted help to which I accepted and told him im new to this kind of thing. Old boy added words of advice like - don't loose your fingers on the winch handle if it goes and then just held the stern line to stop the back end drifting round but he didn't have to do much and the rest went pretty straight forward. Trailer was backed in as much as before, walked the boat using the bow line to the trailer and got it centered in line with the back roller and clipped on the winch and when I started to winch the bow just lifted up on the roller - took care to keep it dead center and it winched on fine - not quick but smoothly bit of winching with one hand and then adjusting the bow line with the other.

Rinsed the trailer off when I got home.

Think an upgrade to an electric winch with a remote would be grand and probably be a little project this winter to add a battery box

Will say doing some of the stuff solo in general was a faff and much easier with 3 arms and very much appreciated the help but I've figured in my head a simple way to control the stern whilst winching the boat on myself which I will try using a sling and pulley and a cheeky knot I know and possibly adding a little capstan to the trailer so I can add fiction on the lines and tie it off when needed.

 

[Mr Fish]

Forgot to take a picture of the trailer last night but it has a central keel roller and two wheels at the back and then another keep roller at the front. Asked the locals to the bay which is the easiest ramp and they all had the same recommendation. - not too steep, lots of room no moored boats near the launch and a jetty by ramp to tie on to and very sheltered.

Off loading went ok to be fair. I watched an old boy and his kid go in before me to see how they did it then backed my trailer in till the water was over the rubber but not all the way up to the hub. Had lines on the bow and stern attached to the boat and coiled on the jetty with plenty of slack before fixing them with slipped knots. Boat went in - trailer has a platform to walk on so I used that to unclip the winch then went on to the jetty to pull the boat in and tie it then went and parked the trailer. No one was waiting to use the ramp so I could take my time.

When I came back in the old boy and his kid were just backing their trailer down to load out so I parked up on the other side of the jetty and watched how they went about it.

Fetched the trailer - Old boy then asked if I wanted help to which I accepted and told him im new to this kind of thing. Old boy added words of advice like - don't loose your fingers on the winch handle if it goes and then just held the stern line to stop the back end drifting round but he didn't have to do much and the rest went pretty straight forward. Trailer was backed in as much as before, walked the boat using the bow line to the trailer and got it centered in line with the back roller and clipped on the winch and when I started to winch the bow just lifted up on the roller - took care to keep it dead center and it winched on fine - not quick but smoothly bit of winching with one hand and then adjusting the bow line with the other.

Rinsed the trailer off when I got home.

Think an upgrade to an electric winch with a remote would be grand and probably be a little project this winter to add a battery box

Will say doing some of the stuff solo in general was a faff and much easier with 3 arms and very much appreciated the help but I've figured in my head a simple way to control the stern whilst winching the boat on myself which I will try using a sling and pulley and a cheeky knot I know and possibly adding a little capstan to the trailer so I can add fiction on the lines and tie it off when needed.

All sounds pretty smooth, good stuff!

A jetty to tie the boat to is ideal. I never had that so it was always a temporary tie off somewhere then a mad dash before the tide moved too much, but we have a big tidal range

 

[Another Angle UK]

Good news and well done. Hope you had a good little first trip - more importantly, did you take the rods and did you catch anything?

 

[Skutter]

First trip I took the rods but only caught greater weever fish - got stung by one through my own carelessness but luckily I didn't have a strong reaction but did stick my finger into a mug of hot coffee for half an hour whilst driving about.

Went on this morning early. Perfect weather. Tried the local ramp and I was pretty easy. No one else up so I could take me time. Caught a nice bunch on mackerel ( which is the missus favourite fish to eat) a hand full of small whiting and a couple of weevers but was careful this time. Was very much the early bird gets the fish as at first I had the spots to myself but by 10.30 half a dozen boats had come out near by to fish but it was quite by then so I just cleaned the fish and headed back in.

The missus was taking the dog for a walk near the harbour when I called her to let her know I was coming back in so she ended waiting for me and holding the stern rope when I was lining up the bow with the roller and everything went smoothly. Found no need to go more than about 1/3rd of the tiers submerged.

I made a check list for all parts of the process - - trailering / transport - loading off the trailer - loading on the trailer which has been useful.

 

[Another Angle UK]

Well done, confidence growing by the launch.

Something tells me in the future you'll never forget what a Weaver fish looks like. Lucky it wasn't a bad sting / reaction.

 

[Skutter]

I knew what it was - the bay is full of them - can usually tell if it's one on the line . I was being careful using a towel but was just bit careless with where I had my hand when I released it over the side and it did a nice f-you head flap and got the last knuckle of my index finger. If I can I will unhook them over the but some times it isn't so easy. Today I had a weever board with me - a 3 cm hole cut in a board which fits over a bucker with a cut to the hole for the line to go - Get the Weever in the bucket put the board on and then I can pull the head / lip part way through the hole with no risk of the spines being able to get me and get the hook off and then empty it over the side. It's a bit of a faff but it's one of the safer ways of dealing with them on a boat I reckon.