4: TALK TO THE CREW
You should ensure that everyone
(especially newcomers) understands
what’s about to occur if you’re using the
jockey wheel system described above.
When you’re ready, unhitch the safety
chain and electrics and lift the boat
(often a two-man job) off the towball.5: READY TO LAUNCH
Once your boat and trailer rig are free
from the tow vehicle, attach a rope
between the towball and the front of
the trailer. It should be long enough
to get the boat to a sufficient depth of
water to launch. Your trailer should
roll backward with the natural slope of
the beach. Once it takes up the slack
in the rope, the trailer will stop and the
momentum should allow the boat to
unload.
Note that having your rollers in good
working order helps immensely. If the
trailer does not roll easily, then some
manpower should be employed to push
the rig to the desired depth, and then
semi-float the boat off the trailer.Once the boat is off the trailer it’s
best to immediately spin it around so
the bow faces any incoming waves.
One or two people will need to hold the
boat in this position until the trailer is
parked.6: TRAILER RETRIEVAL
Now drive the vehicle forward, pulling
the trailer out of the water with the
attached rope. Coil the rope up before
reversing the vehicle so that the trailer
can be set back onto the towball. Then,
drive clear of the launch area and park
somewhere out of the way of beach
users and the high tide.7: MOTORING AWAY FROM
THE BEACH
Once back at the boat, trim the engine
up to a point where you retain control,
but are unlikely to hit the prop or skeg
on sand, rocks or submerged objects.
Your helpers should keep the nose
pointing into the swell at all times.
Then wait for a lull in the surf, ensure
everyone has hoisted themselves safelyinto the boat, and go for it. A lot of this
system comes down to experience and
understanding the surf, although years
of surfing and reading a beach can only
help.
Finally, be sure to trim the motor
down as soon as you’re deep enough to
get onto the plane safely. The quicker
you get going the better. On a poor
day it’s worth getting your boating
companions to walk the boat out to
where the engine can be trimmed fully
down so that you’re not tackling waves
with a half-trimmed engine. Then they
can simply pile in and go when a break
in the waves allows.
This is where a wetsuit is beneficial,
since it keeps you warm and helps stop
you and the crew from worrying about
getting wet. Beach launching will get
you wet — be prepared for it — but it’s
a small price to pay for great access to
relatively virgin waters!
This concludes part I of Scott Amon’s
story on beach launching. In our
next issue Scott will explain retrieval
techniques.“While there are many variables when it comes to beach
launching,the one common theme is that many people
come unstuck (or stuck, as is often the case)...”
Beach Launching
38 trade aboat.com.au