Does your sailboat have a keel that pulls up? Then you might consider yourself lucky. This type of boat can be launched just like you would a regular motorboat. But if your sailboat has a fixed keel, it will take some special safety precautions. With this kind of keel, the trailer has to back down to the end of the ramp to get the boat into water deep enough to float and be disconnected from the trailer. Your tow vehicle cannot back it down far enough without getting submerged. You must follow a safe procedure for launching successfully.
Do you have the proper equipment to do the job safely? Your tow truck needs to be at least a mid-sized SUV or pickup truck, something fairly heavy. That weight is needed for safety. It is essential to keep all sections balanced, the truck, the trailer, and the boat.
Your tow vehicle must NOT be a front-wheel-drive type. Why? Because when the weight of the trailer presses down on the rear section of the tow vehicle, its front wheels lose traction. Some good choices of tow vehicles are rear wheel drive with manual 4-wheel drive option, all-wheel drive, or a 2-wheel drive as long as it is rear-wheel drive.
The two safety accessories you need for the job are a good quality rope and a good set of wheel chocks. You need a long, strong rope that is in a very good condition. This will be used to let the trailer into the water, so it must be strong enough to bear the total weight of the trailer and boat. Be sure it is thick enough and in good enough condition. Plan on replacing the rope each season you boat. You need some quality wheel chocks with sturdy ropes attached so you can easily yank them out at the right moment. Do not buy cheap safety equipment. If you have the money to invest in a boat, trailer, and tow vehicle, then you should spend the money to buy some quality tow rope and good quality wheel chocks.
Follow these basic steps to safely launch a fixed-keel sailboat:
1. Back the trailer up to the edge of the water.
2. Place the wheel chocks behind the trailer wheels.
3. Detach the trailer from the tow vehicle. Be sure the trailer's spare tire is mounted at the front of the trailer. This is necessary to hold the trailer tongue up and allow it to roll smoothly.
4. Attach a long rope from the tow vehicle to the trailer.
5. Drive the tow vehicle away from the lake until the rope is taught.
6. Pull the chocks out from behind the trailer wheels and back up the tow vehicle so the trailer and boat are submerged in the water. Unless sandbars are encountered at the base of the ramp, your driver should be able to easily back up until the boat floats and free itself from the trailer.
7. Drive the tow vehicle forward until the trailer is out of the water. Chock the trailer wheels, then back the tow vehicle down to hitch the trailer back on.
If you encounter sandbars you are going to need some assistance. Look for a courtesy dock that might be running along side the ramp, and have your crew tie on some dock lines and pull the trailer and boat into the water. Or ask a power boat owner to assist and have them pull your trailer and boat deep enough into the water for you. I'm sure it won't take long to enlist the help of one of the many friendly boaters.
Keep safe and wear your life vest or life jacket. Alcohol and water don't mix, so leave the beers back at camp until the end of the day.
Do you have the proper equipment to do the job safely? Your tow truck needs to be at least a mid-sized SUV or pickup truck, something fairly heavy. That weight is needed for safety. It is essential to keep all sections balanced, the truck, the trailer, and the boat.
Your tow vehicle must NOT be a front-wheel-drive type. Why? Because when the weight of the trailer presses down on the rear section of the tow vehicle, its front wheels lose traction. Some good choices of tow vehicles are rear wheel drive with manual 4-wheel drive option, all-wheel drive, or a 2-wheel drive as long as it is rear-wheel drive.
The two safety accessories you need for the job are a good quality rope and a good set of wheel chocks. You need a long, strong rope that is in a very good condition. This will be used to let the trailer into the water, so it must be strong enough to bear the total weight of the trailer and boat. Be sure it is thick enough and in good enough condition. Plan on replacing the rope each season you boat. You need some quality wheel chocks with sturdy ropes attached so you can easily yank them out at the right moment. Do not buy cheap safety equipment. If you have the money to invest in a boat, trailer, and tow vehicle, then you should spend the money to buy some quality tow rope and good quality wheel chocks.
Follow these basic steps to safely launch a fixed-keel sailboat:
1. Back the trailer up to the edge of the water.
2. Place the wheel chocks behind the trailer wheels.
3. Detach the trailer from the tow vehicle. Be sure the trailer's spare tire is mounted at the front of the trailer. This is necessary to hold the trailer tongue up and allow it to roll smoothly.
4. Attach a long rope from the tow vehicle to the trailer.
5. Drive the tow vehicle away from the lake until the rope is taught.
6. Pull the chocks out from behind the trailer wheels and back up the tow vehicle so the trailer and boat are submerged in the water. Unless sandbars are encountered at the base of the ramp, your driver should be able to easily back up until the boat floats and free itself from the trailer.
7. Drive the tow vehicle forward until the trailer is out of the water. Chock the trailer wheels, then back the tow vehicle down to hitch the trailer back on.
If you encounter sandbars you are going to need some assistance. Look for a courtesy dock that might be running along side the ramp, and have your crew tie on some dock lines and pull the trailer and boat into the water. Or ask a power boat owner to assist and have them pull your trailer and boat deep enough into the water for you. I'm sure it won't take long to enlist the help of one of the many friendly boaters.
Keep safe and wear your life vest or life jacket. Alcohol and water don't mix, so leave the beers back at camp until the end of the day.
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