LOVE THE X - HATE THE TRAILER

[waltpm]

My 97X has bottom paint, but don't consider this to be a problem. The boat will never load correctly, because as someone said, the angle to the winch is not correct. However, after the ballast drains and I get on flat ground I do the bump at about 10 mph. If it doesn't come all the way to the v-block, I tighten the winch strap and do it again. The whole procedure adds 2-3 extra minutes and is no work. I'm 75 and I often launch and retrieve by myself.
BTW, I also owned a Mac25 with bunks and it was much harder to bump forward. I sometimes resorted to spraying the bunks with silicone before retrieving.

Walt

[Sloop John B]

If you plan to travel any distance with the empty trailer get your tire pressure down to 25 lbs. The 50 lbs. makes it bounce like a baloon. For great distances, on the innerstate for instance, spend time getting weight on the thing, like sand bags.

Where did you gets the $2900 tandem trailer? Is it low for getting in and out of the water? Is it galvanized, or aluminum?

[DaveB]

The only time I trailered my Tandem Trailer empty was from the place I bought it to my launch in Cape Coral, a distance of approx. 85 miles over the back roads and never bounced due to the swing axel that allows smooth conditions on any pot hole or road condition. You can't do this in a single axel trailer.
Dave

If you think the trailer is bad with the boat on it ... try pulling the trailing around with no boat

I don't do this often but did it last night. Pulled it across town through the city and a short freeway haul. Man-Oh-Man ... the trailer was bouncing and bucking and banging, all over the place. Didn't matter what speed.

The last time I did this was last year and it did the same thing, and actually threw off one of the bunks. I didn't see it come off or notice until I got home. No idea what happened to it

[Carioca]

Switch from a rope to a heavy strap on your winch.

[SkiDeep2001]

If you plan to travel any distance with the empty trailer get your tire pressure down to 25 lbs. The 50 lbs. makes it bounce like a baloon.

As a general rule I agree with what SJB says and even if you have the boat on the trailer it is a good idea to reduce the air pressure in your tow vehicle and trailer when travelling a good distance on gravel roads. I know from 30+ years of travel in British Columbia and numerous blowouts, even with new tires, that gravel roads and fully pressurized tires are not a good mix. Rob

[Wind Chime]

Thanks for the "lowering the tire pressure" tip!

[SkiDeep2001]

Just remember to put the proper pressure back in when you hit the highway You can travel up to around 35 mph to the nearest gas station if you don't have a portable pump but DO NOT hit freeway speeds or that could cause a blowout too on underinflated tires. Rob

[Phil M]

If you plan to travel any distance with the empty trailer get your tire pressure down to 25 lbs. The 50 lbs. makes it bounce like a baloon.

As a general rule I agree with what SJB says and even if you have the boat on the trailer it is a good idea to reduce the air pressure in your tow vehicle and trailer when travelling a good distance on gravel roads. I know from 30+ years of travel in British Columbia and numerous blowouts, even with new tires, that gravel roads and fully pressurized tires are not a good mix. Rob

I disagree with that idea. Full tire pressure on the tow vehicle and trailer at all times, as you are not going to stop and inflate your tires when you get back on to pavement. Travel MUCH slower (say 25 - 30 mph) on gravel roads, or the rocks will eat your boat bottom. If I remember correctly, my trailer tires are 65 psi.

Phil M

[SkiDeep2001]

Phil, to each his own. After dropping the pressure while traveling hundreds of miles on gravel in BC per trip I went from 1 or 2 flats per trip to ZERO over a 10-15 year time frame. (est.) I carry a 12 volt compressor at all times and always stop and refill to specified pressure when I get back to the main/paved highways. Most gravel roads years ago, and many to this day, would not allow you go faster than 20 to 25 mph, too many ruts and potholes. I'm not talking oiled gravel roads, these were more like unmaintained straight gravel roads. Maybe that is what kept most tourists away from the pristine back country 15-30 years ago. Times have changed, there seem to be crowds everywhere now. Rob

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

You must release the tension on the winch strap, before doing the bump. It pulls down on the bow.

~Rich

Mr Rich's message will probably solve your problem, but if difficulty continues -- just add a little liquid diswashing soap onto the contact areas of the bunks...that Mac X will slide up front beautifully.

Dont forget to empty the ballast before doing the "Mac-bump"

[Pacamac-uk]

Quote........"Switch from a rope to a heavy strap on your winch"............

You need to be careful whatever you use.

I ended up with nasty bruising to my upper arm when my strap tore apart and whiplashed towards me. Very painful but a very impressive bruise for a week or more!

I suspect that a steel wire may have parted company strand by strand and a warning of failure would have been had. If not then it may have taken my arm off or worse.....

[Retcoastie]

Would a broken forestay make a good winch cable?

[Gypsy]

Had a friend who lost an eye , when a bow hook straightened out as He was winching the boat onto the trailer.
He had to wear an eye patch for the rest of his life , because the hook not only destroyed his eye , it tore up his eye socket as well.

[Paul S]

You must release the tension on the winch strap, before doing the bump. It pulls down on the bow.

~Rich

Mr Rich's message will probably solve your problem, but if difficulty continues -- just add a little liquid diswashing soap onto the contact areas of the bunks...that Mac X will slide up front beautifully.

Dont forget to empty the ballast before doing the "Mac-bump"

Yup, make sure ALL securing straps are loose, but NOT disconnected, (winch line, safety line, stern strap if you have one). I carry soap and drip dishwashing soap on the bunks..make it a bit easier.

I was wondering why the macbump wasnt working.. then I realized the stern strap was super tight as well as the safety line.. loosened them up, good as gold.

[Paul S]

Would a broken forestay make a good winch cable?

I wouldn't use it. I have had great luck with the flat strap. been using it for 25 years on the mac and our old powerboat. As long as it stays flat, you should be good to go.