J/30 Class Association

trailer launching

Posted By: danallen78

trailer launching - 02/23/15 08:48 PM

Hey everyone. I purchased a J30 last summer. I haven't gotten it in the water yet because I had to rebuild my dock to handle it. I'm getting excited to get it in the water as soon as it warms up a little. My question to the community is how many of you trailer launch your boat? It's the only option at the lake I sail. For those of you who do, do you have any suggestions, trailer mods, etc you recomend? My trailer has a keel stop on it but no bow stop. anyone have any experience with that? I'm getting ready to weld a long toung extension together.I'd appreciate any wisdom you have to offer. this is my first big boat after sailing a chrysler 22 for the last 15 years.

Thank's
Dan
Posted By: JBiermann

Re: trailer launching - 02/23/15 10:02 PM

Post a picture of your trailer, keel stop? An extension bar and a steep launch ramp will be key to get the boat floating free of the trailer.
Posted By: Cap'n Vic

Re: trailer launching - 02/24/15 12:10 AM

keep an eye on the underwater length of the ramp. a few years ago we were launching a different keel boat, and the trailer wheels dropped off the end of the submerged concrete ramp. which then we had to go underwater to pry the wheels back up onto the ramp.

don't know what would be a good depth to float off depending on the angle of the ramp. will the trailer wheels have to hit 6 ft below water line or more?

v
Posted By: danallen78

Re: trailer launching - 02/24/15 06:57 AM

I got plenty of ramp now. Our water level varies quite a bit from year to year, the lake is fairly full now. That doesn't sound like much fun prying the wheels back on the ramp. Our ramps here aren't very steep unfortunatly. I'm planning on welding a 50' extension together with wheels and a ball hitch to connect to the trailer and a coupler to hitch to my pickup on the other. the waterline on the boat is about 6'6" above the pavement so i'm guessing that's about the depth I'll need. I'll see if I got a pic I can post, if not it might be a day or 2 before i get one. thank's
Posted By: danallen78

Re: trailer launching - 02/24/15 07:05 AM

Here is what I have. If you need a better pic let me know

Attached File
IMG_20140530_211346.jpg  (161 downloads)
Posted By: Jangles13

Re: trailer launching - 02/24/15 01:07 PM

Not on a J/30, but for a similar situation (5ft draft, 5'8" water needed) we used a 30ft, 2" tow strap and modified a hand cart as a trailer nose wheel. If you can line up the trailer for a straight shot, there's no need to mess with 50' of steel... hand carts are cheap and easy to come buy, can be rated for big loads, and allow quick attach/removal.

Using a winch would be another option, better management of the speed, particularly at 50ft.

This is all assuming your ramp is steep enough for the trailer to roll down when empty. Obviously the weight of the boat will cause it to roll down, but for retrieval, you may be right in needing something to push with.

Posted By: Jangles13

Re: trailer launching - 02/24/15 01:12 PM

After looking at the photo, I'll add that you should modify the forward pads to be easily adjustable. You want to bring the boat bow down as much as possible for the launch. Screw-type, i.e. jack stand, style is suitable.

If you leave the bow supported as it appears to be (that poppet all the way forward) then the boat won't slide off the trailer and instead will pivot with tremendous load will be on that one bow chock. Along with needing even more water depth to get the boat to float...
Posted By: danallen78

Re: trailer launching - 02/24/15 07:51 PM

thank's for the idea jangles. I mesured the angle of the ramp with a 4' level and it's about a 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" drop per foot I'm not sure if the empty trailer would roll down that. We get sand bars that wash onto the ramp in storms sometimes too, it would have to roll through that. I guess I could try it and see what the trailer does after I launch it. In any case I have enough scrap steel around to build the extension if needed.
The forward poppet will fold back. I'll make sure and fold that back. I can drop the forward pads too, the're the set screw type so I probably won't do it unless i have to. that might be a summer project to modify them though.
Did your trailer have a bow stop on it?
Posted By: Jangles13

Re: trailer launching - 02/25/15 01:24 AM

Our ramp is probably 2" or 3" per/ft, quite steep really. Yours is rather shallow, so I bet you likely will need the tongue extension to get through the sand traps.

My trailer doesn't have a bow stop. I put the trailer under the boat a few times without one, then thought it would be nice to have. So I welded up a stand (with steps!) and affixed it to the trailer with the boat in place. Launched o.k. but then when floating back on I couldn't get the boat close enough nor attached without slack such that when out of the water the boat was actually against the chock. The rope would stretch, or the tower bent under load, I'm not sure which, but once out of the water she was always at least a couple inches away, if not more. I guess this is why the powerboats have winches and rollers, to snug up after hauling... or at least put major tension on.

I removed the bow chock/tower because it was largely ineffective, and if the boat stood off the stand it would be bad for my tongue weight.

I found that sinking the trailer so that the pads hitting just forward of the keel were slightly higher than I want, I can get her to set well as a result of slight forward momentum (takes a bit of getting used to). The biggest problem for me is getting the stern to stay straight as she came out of the water, but I don't have keel guides.

It's even easier if you can be aboard and use your body as movable ballast. If you are in the stern and line her up and in straight, then move forward to the bow, she'll settle down on those pads nicely. Seems silly, but it only takes a fraction of waterline to go from float to not!

I always have a long bow line that is tied to the truck during any movement on an incline. That's my insurance to keep the boat on the trailer, but I've never seen it even slip a little, though the boat in question is lighter than a J/30.

Posted By: danallen78

Re: trailer launching - 02/25/15 04:06 PM

I wondered if the bow stop might have that problem. I've got keel guides and a keel stop I think I'll try those first. Thank you so much for all the info. You saved me a lot of welding and steel.
Posted By: sailon

Re: trailer launching - 03/02/15 03:55 PM

OK, assume that you have gotten the boat launched, now how are you gonna get it out?? smile
Posted By: JBiermann

Re: trailer launching - 03/03/15 03:05 AM

that's the fun part! back your trailer into the drink with your 50' extension, get big red flags on poles to mark your submerged trailer and a half dozen friends in scuba gear to wrestle her into position and crank up the pads. I recommend waiting until late november so the water temp can keep everyone on task.
Posted By: danallen78

Re: trailer launching - 03/05/15 12:51 AM

Haven't launched it yet probably, be about a month until until it warms up a little. I got pieces of pipe from the previous owner to mark the trailer. And if I really need it I do have scuba gear lol. I'll let you know how it goes.
Posted By: danallen78

Re: trailer launching - 05/16/15 12:57 AM

Well my dock project took longer than planned due to local bureaucracy. It's done now and ready for the boat. I had perfect weather yesterday. I got the boat hauled to the lake and with the help of a friend got the mast stepped and all the rigging tensioned. I had to come home for my sons kindergarten graduation before I had a chance to launch it. I'm hoping to launch on Monday morning if the weather cooperates. I'll try and get some pics.
I talked to one of our local sailors and he said he uses a cable to launch and retrieve his trailer so I'm gonna give that a try. wish me luck.
Posted By: danallen78

Re: trailer launching - 05/18/15 03:34 AM

Well everything went pretty well. I had a weather window Saturday afternoon that looked good. I was a little rushed due to thunderstorms coming in yesterday evening and my wife showing up an hour later than she was supposed to so I didn't get any pics of the launching. we backed the trailer down to the waters edge chocked and unhooked. I attached the dolly wheel I welded to the trailer while my wife pulled the pickup forward. I hooked the cable up and had the wife pull forward to release the chocks. I climbed in the boat and she backed it in. The trailer rolled down the ramp well till it got to the sand washed up on the ramp, it hesitated a little then broke through. I'm gonna try and roll the empty trailer through it sometime this summer and see if it makes it. I had 60' of cable and needed every foot of it. we monopolized the boat ramp for about 25 minutes, there were a couple fishermen who didn't look real happy about it, but they left for a different ramp I am assuming. We even had a couple of spectators watching the whole operation. the engine started right up and the boat came off the trailer easily. I lowered the front poppet before launching but left the rest of them as they were. I want to thank everyone for the advice and making the launch a success.
Posted By: JBiermann

Re: trailer launching - 05/18/15 01:22 PM

Hey man, glad to hear it went well. Well done
Posted By: danallen78

Re: trailer launching - 05/20/15 12:13 AM

phantom at her new home

[Linked Image]

Attached File
j30 milion dollar bay.jpg  (225 downloads)
Posted By: Conundrum

Re: trailer launching - 05/20/15 01:10 AM

Congratulations, Enjoy her!
© 2024 J/30 Class Association