Solo Boat Retrieval

[Green Hornet]

Soon I'll be doing a fair bit of fishing on my own, so I'm looking into an easy system to get my boat back on the trailer by myself.
Driving it on isn't an option because the ramp I launch from is really short and I can't get the trailer in deep enough before the wheels go over the back of the ramp.
Having a look around, I saw this system and wondered if its worthwhile.
http://www.boatingandrv.com.au/Trail...t-Loader-EG11/
Anybody use one and rate it or are there better ones out there.

[Slazmo]

Originally Posted by Green Hornet

Anybody use one and rate it or are there better ones out there.

There is a pair on Gumtree F/S, the guy selling said that he "tried them on" and that was all the use they got. Unsure if thats the info that you needed?

Couldn't see why they wouldn't work however you wouldn't want to DohDohDohDoh up your approach...

A mate of mine who commercially pumps yabbies here in SEQ loads and unloads the boat twice or more a day and all that - I just keep remembering him saying that he 'loads the boat simply'. Not a easy feat when your by yourself, its raining and blowing 25 knots lol.

What kind of trailer and boat material do you have?

[spawn_again]

Hey mate, I had a similar system on my 400 hornet trophy. All I had to do was get the keel lined up in the first roller and the skids centred the boat every time making retrieval a breeze. I had a static system setup on the trailer, more like http://www.boatingandrv.com.au/Trail...-Retrieve-Set/

[Green Hornet]

Originally Posted by spawn_again

Hey mate, I had a similar system on my 400 hornet trophy. All I had to do was get the keel lined up in the first roller and the skids centred the boat every time making retrieval a breeze. I had a static system setup on the trailer, more like http://www.boatingandrv.com.au/Trail...-Retrieve-Set/

I've got a 435 Hornet and the trailer already had the system you show in your link. You'd probably also know my local ramp at Wrights Beach in St Georges Basin.
I was just thinking the system I mentioned might make it easier in a cross wind. Watching the vid, it looks like steeper angle on the rollers helps straighten the boat up while winding it on.

[scott1987]

I've got a 420 busta on a telwater trailer. As long as the fronts lined up with the roller I just winch it on and it self straightens. Have only had a issue doing it solo twice. And both times was blowing over 30 knots across the boat ramp.

[Green Hornet]

Originally Posted by Slazmo

There is a pair on Gumtree F/S, the guy selling said that he "tried them on" and that was all the use they got. Unsure if thats the info that you needed?

Couldn't see why they wouldn't work however you wouldn't want to DohDohDohDoh up your approach...

A mate of mine who commercially pumps yabbies here in SEQ loads and unloads the boat twice or more a day and all that - I just keep remembering him saying that he 'loads the boat simply'. Not a easy feat when your by yourself, its raining and blowing 25 knots lol.

What kind of trailer and boat material do you have?

Never used to have an issue with my old 12 foot tinny on my own but the Hornet is probably at least double the weight and more surface area to catch the wind.

[Green Hornet]

Originally Posted by scott1987

I've got a 420 busta on a telwater trailer. As long as the fronts lined up with the roller I just winch it on and it self straightens. Have only had a issue doing it solo twice. And both times was blowing over 30 knots across the boat ramp.

Mine's on a telwater trailer too. I've owned the boat for quite a few years but never been out on my own. Maybe I'm overthinking it. The only time I'll have trouble is if I get caught out in a southerly, the ramp's pretty protected otherwise.

[Siddo]

With this system proposed do you drive it on or just bring the boat up close. Only reason I ask is how do you sort winching it on? An easy way of doing this would be handy.

I self lauch/retrieve 90 percent of the time in a dory 420 which is not as big as a hornet but I bring it up to the roller and then jump up front and grab the winch whilst holding a short rope and then bring the winch strap back down. Failed a few times with wind and strong tide frustrations.

[spawn_again]

Originally Posted by Green Hornet

I've got a 435 Hornet and the trailer already had the system you show in your link. You'd probably also know my local ramp at Wrights Beach in St Georges Basin.
I was just thinking the system I mentioned might make it easier in a cross wind. Watching the vid, it looks like steeper angle on the rollers helps straighten the boat up while winding it on.

Hey mate i know wrights beach. Pretty deep ramp albeit short so you can get the trailer pretty deep and get most of the boat on the trailer meaning only a short winch. I had no probs solo retrieving the 400 with that static system but yours is prob a bit bigger. When i winched it on it just centred itself, even from an almost square angle to the trailer in a cross wind. I used to use erowal bay 90% of the time before getting the bass boat

[Green Hornet]

Originally Posted by Siddo

With this system proposed do you drive it on or just bring the boat up close. Only reason I ask is how do you sort winching it on? An easy way of doing this would be handy.

I self lauch/retrieve 90 percent of the time in a dory 420 which is not as big as a hornet but I bring it up to the roller and then jump up front and grab the winch whilst holding a short rope and then bring the winch strap back down. Failed a few times with wind and strong tide frustrations.

Even with 2 people, I have the winch strap hook at the back of the trailer before I back it down the ramp, so its ready to go.
I read some guys use a bow rope like you and some have a stern rope as well which they say helps hold the boat steady in a cross wind.

[Ratbags]

A mate of mine has the skids at the front roller, however the skids sit over the top of the roller to stop the keel dropping or wedging down the side, and the ezyguide at the back to keep it all centre, works well for him in all weather conditions. Similar hull & length to your hornet.

I have the skids over the middle roller to keep it all centred my trailer & drive on my topender 455, had a mate make up a latch on the winch post to lock in place for loading and similar release system to roll off a dunbier trailer.

image.jpg

[Ratbags]

Boat latch
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[Slazmo]

Just saw this on my FB page...

https://www.facebook.com/BoatsaNdHoe...6791064525979/

Looks like a idiot proof boat retrieval system.

[Green Hornet]

Originally Posted by spawn_again

Hey mate i know wrights beach. Pretty deep ramp albeit short so you can get the trailer pretty deep and get most of the boat on the trailer meaning only a short winch. I had no probs solo retrieving the 400 with that static system but yours is prob a bit bigger. When i winched it on it just centred itself, even from an almost square angle to the trailer in a cross wind. I used to use erowal bay 90% of the time before getting the bass boat

When the water level is low I've put my wheels over the back of the ramp a few times before the rear roller gets anywhere near the water.
Perhaps the Erowal Bay is a better option now they've put the jetty in.

[Green Hornet]

Thanks for the ideas Ratbags, I'll definitely look into that.

Slazmo, I'm going to have to watch that vid a few times before I can even work out what's going on. Looks incredible.