Boat ramp launching
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- Rank: Mate
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 11:30 AM
Solid advice. Sadly no beach wheels right now. The other problem is I will be solo. Having pulled a dinghy up that ramp with a dolly, there's zero way I'm hauling a P16 rigged up that ramp.
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Joshua
Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
‘87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
‘89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 12:16 PM
Yes, beach wheel it on the ramp using the ramp just like any other beach launch. Nowhere did I suggest to sail up on the ramp.
The alternatives to this are to either hoist the sails with the boat on the trailer and back the trailer into the water and tie off at the dock or back the boat into the water using the trailer, tie off to the dock and then hoist the sails with the boat in the water. Both of these options will be more difficult and prone to disaster if the wind is strong and/or coming from a less than ideal direction.
As long as you’re not clogging up a busy launch ramp, just wheel the boat down to water’s edge and rig it like you would anywhere else.
If beach wheels are not available, then back down the ramp with the trailer. But my point is, avoid using a dock and driving around on the trailer with the sails up if at all possible. As long as the ramp isn’t crowded, beach launch from the ramp.
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 12:36 PM
I see what you're saying and I think it could be done.
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Joshua
Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
‘87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
‘89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 02:33 PM
If you are solo - you are (possibly) in for real trouble if you get to the ramp and it's windy either launching or retrieving.
getting a cat on a trailer (even submerged) can be a pita in wind, unless it is a perfect "tail wind" it's gonna be pushing the boat all around
Unless you are highly skilled - i would suggest you just drive the 15 miles to a proper beach launch site and save yourself (and anyone else waiting to use the ramp) a lot of stress
your "title" says you are at the Texas City Dike Yacht Club...
don't they have beach launching? -
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 02:41 PM
That they do. I am an officer for them and help them out however I can. However, I am not what one would call local to Texas City. It's a solid 2.5-3 hour drive to the dike. If I go for an event, it's an all weekend campout.
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Joshua
Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
‘87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
‘89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 02:47 PM
gotcha - what is the "local" launch spot (beach) -
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 02:54 PM
Magnolia Beach is where most people go. It’s a drive to be sure but that’s the most local to me.
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Joshua
Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
‘87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
‘89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 03:51 PM
sure looks like a great place to launch (according to google) -
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 04:10 PM
Assuming the beach isn't filled with RV's (Thanks to a new city ordinance) it can be. The few things I really dislike, is the drive for one. I can literally walk to the water and put my feet in the water, but to put the boat in the water, it's a whole endeavor. Secondly, the beach is a dredging spoil beach as most are around here and the shell is freaking rough on hands, feet and hulls.
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Joshua
Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
‘87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
‘89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 05:02 PM
Sorry I worded that poorly. I've edited my post.
I still disagree with the idea of hoisting the sail with the boat on the ramp.
I think you would grind up the bottoms trying to get her head to wind.
I launch and then tie off to the dock so I'm blowing off downwind of the dock.
I raise the sail with the boat in the water.
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 05:25 PM
https://www.google.com/ma…d28.5602765!4d-96.542754
Is this the spot? Is that a public ramp? Is that a public beach to the right of the ramp.
If yes I'd step the mast near the ramp, launch, and paddle around to the beach and hoist sail there.
Could you go from trailer to beach wheel at that beach and rig up
right on the beach?
Edited by gahamby on Mar 19, 2019 - 06:29 PM.
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Mar 19, 2019 - 08:55 PM
You can use the winch. Beach wheels required -
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Posted: Mar 20, 2019 - 05:47 AM
It’s only going to grind the hulls if you place the boat directly on the ramp surface. As I said in previous replies, the options to prevent damaging the hulls would be to either put down a large piece of carpet or put the boat on beach wheels and use chocks/padding on the sterns. Both of these I have done or seen others do when rigging on hard surfaces. Better than having your boat tied to a dock banging around and trying to sail away or capsize IMO.
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Posted: Mar 20, 2019 - 04:57 PM
1 set of wheels? - 1 person - 1 winch .... up the ramp?
I could see it with the trailer in the water but just the cat up the ramp?
that would require balancing the boat perfectly, and not tipping while winching ... sounds difficult -
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Posted: Mar 20, 2019 - 06:39 PM
It depends on the angle of the ramp. I always take the boat off the trailer and back in with the wheels, but on a flat spot. The small wheels in front of the trailer are adjustable and alow to adjust the back cradles height to slide the bows in easy. At that point i secure the boat to the trailer with a quick knot (i have a tow line always handy). Then slide the wheels back and continue with the winch. If you have rollers it should be much easier and alow for some angle. If done with the back cradles just above the water it should be much easier, but not below, as you say it would be hard to keep the boat in place. In my case i almost never move the trailer, it’s just where I store the boat (otherwise I should pay for the cat and the trailer) -
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Posted: Mar 20, 2019 - 06:48 PM
gotcha, trailer at the water's edge ...
not with the trailer up the ramp -
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Posted: Mar 20, 2019 - 06:50 PM
I actually have a second set of wheels, but to optimize the process:
https://www.thebeachcats.…4541e313d716ae97b6afe576
These wheels serve two purposes:
Avoid sliding the other wheels back, which takes some time and is not so good for the hull bottoms, and replace the hull chocks (at a very similar price)
But they are not sturdy enough, so I don’t promote the idea
Edited by Andinista on Mar 20, 2019 - 06:54 PM. -
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Posted: Mar 26, 2019 - 10:03 AM
When we belonged to the yacht club, I exclusively launched from a ramp. I had installed 2 1" PVC vertical tubes on the inside sterns. These would keep the stern aligned when I pulled the boat out. I had the system down where I would dunk the trailer where the front hull support was almost to the water. This would hold the boat on the trailer. I don't have a sail box for this reason, and I don't have one anymore. To keep the box on the trailer and dry, you could back the trailer down the ramp until the back end of the box get to water. Bring the boat to the trailer and just pull it up onto the trailer. This gets tiring at the end of the day. Install a winch and winch it up. Or, build a block and tackle. Either go around the mast step, which is strong enough on the Prindle, or make a quick bridle that attaches to the front cross beam. The bridle may help bring the boat straight as the single point may allow the boat to pivot around until the bows are on the front supports. The big trick is planning your wind direction. For a ramp that I used on the Bay, I stored the boat backwards on the trailer because the wind blew onto the ramp. You can beat up rudders doing this, be careful. I have installed a lot of the dock guards at the ramps so that I don't scratch everything.
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Scott
Prindle Fleet 2
TCDYC
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Posted: Apr 08, 2019 - 02:08 PM
Not sure what your ramp's like. On the two ramps I use I can back up until the bottom of the trailer wheels are just on the edge of the water. I can slide the boat off the trailer, then walk it over to the beach next to the ramp and finish rigging. To load it I do the opposite with two people, at least, it's pretty easy easy to pivot the boat onto the trailer and then slide it on (at the back of my trailer the hulls are on rollers). -
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Posted: Apr 08, 2019 - 03:03 PM
Each summer for the Tri-Point Anacapa Race about half the racers launch from the Ventura Ramp parking lot using Cat Trax and foam pads for the transoms. The rest of us back our trailer down the ramp until the rear trailer crossbar is just above the water (wheel bearings stay dry) and push the cat into the drink. In both cases, the mainsails are on the trampoline and the jib is rigged and not sheeted (or roller furled). Once on the water, we tie off to the furthest point on the dock (the absolute end is best) and raise the main from the trampoline. Raising the main this way in not my favorite, but with a coordinated effort with your crew is can be well done.
We trailer 900 miles round trip for the race, so even though I use Bearing Buddy's and the covers, I'm careful with my wheel bearings.
The angle of the ramp allows the two of us to push the boat back up on the trailer, but it is not easy. I have fantasized about an electric winch pulling up the cat by the front crossbeam, and using it to help me raise and lower the mast.
Agreed. This can be a terrifying situation.
Edited by klozhald on Apr 08, 2019 - 06:57 PM.
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Sheet In!
Bob
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