Raise the trailer winch, avoid the Bump

[Cris]

Would like to hear from anybody who has moved the 26X trailer winch higher so as to pull the boat straight in to the bow bumper. The original design creates excessive downward pressure. Raising the winch might avoid the need to do the Mac Bump.

[SkiDeep2001]

Cris, check with Newell by PM, I asked him to post a pic, no response yet. 12th post down on page 1. http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... =9&t=16595 Or do a search, he may have already posted a pic previously. Rob

[Cris]

No response from my attempt to contact Newell. No luck with a search on this site.

I unbolted the winch and positioned it flipped over to see how things might line up. In the flipped position sitting on the top side of the mounting bar it would be necessary to cut the bottom off the rubber bow chock in order to allow the winch rope to pass through to reach the bow eye. Any thoughts from y'all?

[carriacou]

A couple of years ago I contacted Newell and got his mod which I added.
Following his instructions I simply moved the winch to the top of the bar it was normally mounted on then drilled a ¾ inch hole in the bar and ran the winch strap up thru it.

I have to say I had great luck for a year and a half of getting the boat on the trailer and never had to do the bump at all.

BUT

AFTER I did the bottom paint the boat sticks and I can no longer pull all the way up. The paint job was so good the even the bump has problems moving the boat on the trailer. I’m hoping that over time the paint will wear off enough that I’ll be able to again crank it on.

don

[Cris]

Newell answered he'll attempt to post pics.

I don't have bottom paint that would impede hull sliding on bunks, but I find that before loading the boat on the trailer a squirt of liquid dish soap on each bunk makes a big difference in the slip-n-slide factor.

My interest in entirely avoiding the bump is that I added a keel guard strip and once it moved/stretched slightly from the forces of cranking the boat hard on the bow bunk.

[SkiDeep2001]

My interest in entirely avoiding the bump is that I added a keel guard strip and once it moved/stretched slightly from the forces of cranking the boat hard on the bow bunk.

Cris, maybe you could groove the forward bunks slightly, the width of the keel guard without weakening them. The rears shouldn't be a problem since they are usually still under water when loading the boat. I plan on getting a keel guard this off season and will most likely have to deal with the same issue. For those with new bottom anti-foul paint, I have anti-foul but it has been on a while now and I have no problem bumping my so the friction does tend to lessen over time. Rob

[FredH]

I have an M25 so not sure that this will apply to your case. I have found that by using a ratchet strap over the back of the boat (behind the cleats) so that it is pulling forward minimizes the severity of the bump required to move the boat forward. I brake, tighten the strap again and brake again. Usually the boat is in place after two slight bumps.

This summer I saw an M25 trailer which was modified to raise the back end of the bunks. Looked like the brackets between the trailer cross member and the bunks were about 4-5 inches higher than the stock trailer. It would seem to me that this would improve the angle of the boat relative to the front stop on the trailer. Of course the boat would be tilted forward on the trailer as well. This may be an option.

[Dido]

We have only had our mac a few months but have launched and recovered her 5 times now, each time we have used the winch to pull the boat (Half a boat length) all the way onto the trailer, this weekend I suddenly thought to myself am I doing the right thing, the winch strap looked well loaded and I started to notice how much strain i was placing on the bow U fixing.

Q. Is there a risk the winch eye on the bow could be pulled clean out off the Bow ? or am i fine to keep winching

Si

[carriacou]

A couple of weeks ago we attended a winterizing class at BWY. Todd had done some work on my boat and remembered that I have Newells mod on the trailer winch and ask how it was working. I told him that the new bottom paint makes it too sticky to winch on and now I have had to again start doing the bump.

BWY said what they tell their Customers is: "back the trailer in so that the front Vee bunk is just under water then drive the boat on. Use a bit of tilt on the motor and drive the boat onto the trailer just like in the videos, that avoids the bump."

We have only launched once since then but did try Todd's method.

Instead of the normal 3 to 4 inches of space from the bow to the trailer vee we had about an inch.

So until I can try it a few more times the jury is still out, just not sure how well it will work long term.

[davidbagnall]

Ditto Carriacou's comments about putting the trailer more into the water.

I generally stop just as the top of the mud guards are submerged and the boat basically floats on and off. Have a look at the Mac sales Video. I can't find the 26X video in my quick search on you tube but if you look at the 26M sales video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAyG1NXUlYE and go in about 55 seconds. You will see how far back the trailer is in the water.

As for the Mac bump... This isn't unique to Macs and many bunk style trailers have a similar trick to get the boat fully settled onto the trailer. I also think that the rope used on the mac is part to blame and swapping that for a high quality strap may help. Having said that... there is nothing wrong with the mac bump and if you are really working to get the boat onto the trailer something is wrong.

Good luck

[Retcoastie]

I did a simple mod to the winch and can pull my to within 1/4 inch of the bumper on a dry trailer. All you need to do is redirect the pull.

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1430

I had the boat hanging in the barn, off the trailer, when this idea came to me. After lowering the boat back on to the trailer, it was very easy to pull it to almost touching the vee bumper, even with dry bunks. Coming out of the water, same thing.

I like easy, cheap fixes.

Ken

[Catigale]

Use a bit of tilt on the motor and drive the boat onto the trailer just like in the videos, that avoids the bump."

Called power loading and is against regs in most states in the Northeast

This practice spares you the bump, but destroys the launch ramp in the process.

Previous thread covers this, please don't do this.

[Dido]

So are we saying if the winch can pull the Mac onto the trailer all the way to the vee(subject to winch rating) then it is okay to do so

Depending on the angle of the launch ramp we use,the trailer and wheels can be fully submerged including the mudgaurds but the mac can only be driven on so far before the bow is resting on the front trailer support bar, only the winch can bring it the rest of the way onto the trailer, I can do this with little perseved effort but still worry about the u bolt on the bow that the winch is atatched to ?

[pokerrick1]

I simply moved the winch to the top of the bar it was normally mounted on then drilled a ¾ inch hole in the bar

Do you use a pair of pliers for this

Rick

[Divecoz]

Those of you experiencing issues with loading . Are you immersing your trailer first .. i.e. wetting / soaking down your bunks??
Depending on the material used to cover your bunks, can you use a spray as suggested here previously ..
Silicon Spray ( of some sort) Tire Shine, Armor All? Literally a little soap and water mixed and sprayed on the bunks will make them slippery as he....ck..
There are only so many reasons for difficulties with cranking your boat onto the trailer..
1. Did you forget to drop / drain the ballast tank.
2. Trailer is not backed into the water deep enough. ( VERY COMMON !) The front tips of the lateral bunks should be barely showing . These boats and these trailers are Easy Load in all but "windy" Conditions.
3. You really do have, too much stuff in your boat for the single axle and maybe even a dual axle .. trailer
3. You live in the Swiss Alps and the Ramp is at a 60 degree angle.
4. You Make Walter Mitty look like Hercules and you really need to begin hitting the gym a few days a week

As Catigale mentioned: You should all be aware of I hope... Its against the law to power onto a trailer, Just About , Anywhere and Everywhere!
The obvious reason being , you Blow a hole at the end of the concrete ramp that , does in time make that ramp usless! It then cost money to repair it and usually only after causing one or more people Big Issues with trailers falling into that hole and damaging the trailer and the pad and making it hard at best to DRAG your trailer out of that hole.