I need to get my Hawk 20 off the trailer for some maintenance/alterations I have to make to the trailer. Is it possible to run the boat off the back of the trailer onto some tyres or blocks of wood and then to re-load it afterwards?
Rather you than me! Without a hoist of some sort you have two issues. First, the trailer won't budge once the bar at the back of the tilt-back is on the ground, so you can't very easily move the trailer from under the boat (or slide the trailer back under the boat when trying the reverse manoeuvre). So you will need to take all the weight of the boat off the trailer when the boat is only about half off or on the trailer. Secondly, you will probably need to raise the boat up from where you slid it to, in order to get the boat to a suitable height to offer it up back onto the trailer. Whether a system of jacks and support beams could be made to do this I don't know. You probably worked all this out for yourself...
Hello there. Thanks for your interest and reply. Well today I tried it and was successful. I had the car coupled and broke back the trailer. The boat slid backwards until the stern made contact with the drive. I had previously put down some wooden boards to prevent the bottom being scratched. As you said, the rear frame cross bar also came into contact with the drive but I put some boards under the rear bar. I then drove slowly forward letting out the winch bit by bit. The trailer slid easily out from under the boat. I don't think there will be a problem getting her back on as the stem will easily pull onto the first roller. If not I will only need to jack the front of the boat up a little to get her onto the trailer sufficiently enough to pull her on with the winch.
Ok, but it will be in 4-5 weeks time. I will try to get some photos as well.
Hello there. Well today I loaded the boat back onto the trailer. It was far easier than I had imagined. It was helped by the fact that our drive is on a slope. The car was not hitched to the trailer. I backed the trailer to the boat and then gradually winched her on. I put wooden planks under the U bolts on the back bar to stop them scraping on the drive as well as planks under the transom also to stop it scraping on the drive. In some positions the boat moved forwards onto the trailer and at others the trailer moved backwards under the boat. It was all over in about 10 mins. I have attached several photos which are self explanatory. Cheers for now, Lawrence Clarke
Thanks - I must try that .Did you have the centreboard in ?
Yes, the centreboard was in. On reflection it might help to put a bit of grease on the boards on which the trailer/transom slides. It is a very controlled process and if at any stage you are getting into problems you can easily stop and winch the boat back onto the trailer. I was very surprised how easy it was.
