Thank you Toby. Just a few thoughts: 1) go on an RYA day skipper course will teach about how to handle a small boat. 2) have a RIB tender. Not tippy. 3) when boarding a moored boat come along side an have a line from your thwart that you tie as firmly as you can to the middle of the boat so that the two are tightly together and won’t move apart during boarding and also you can hold the shroud for stability as you move onto the boat. 4) in shallow water use the centreboard as depth gauge so if it touches you know it is too shallow. Happy sailing
Another lovely video, Toby. I've just bought another Wolstenholme-designed pocket cruiser, a Kite called Ruby. I softened the transition from dinghies to a bigger craft by cruising a dinghy for several years, so I've already had some experience of mooring buoys, marinas, manoeuvring under power and so on. But so much of this film rings true, its enormously helpful - especially, as others have said, the unvarnished honesty you bring to the subject - thank you!
Great video. S'funny how it doesnt take much. We've just gone from a Laser 13 to a 17ft Crabber..Light and day..Something too about the gaff rig is just so satisfying, hard to explain, kinda softer than a Bermudan rig, more forgiving.
@@tobygoessailing I'm sure I remember tables for tyre pressures for various driving uses years ago, like fast motorway and so on. It might be that self levelling suspension and stiffer springs aided the cars the marina person observed.
Another great video. I Have a Leisure 17SL trailer sailer, the hardest part for me is finding places to launch, I live in central England. 5-6 years ago I looked at Marinas the cost is the main reason for buying a trailer sailer, unfortunately this also means I can't sail enough other than in my dinghy at the local sailing club. I like the Norfolk Gypsy. The point I'm making is, there is always a compromise. I do get inspired by yourself & Alex Goes Sailing, show people like me where to go. Especially when you show the launching of a boat.
Sailed lasers a lot some years ago, always wanted the sea sailing adventure....just bought a Hurley 22 bilge keel....have a swing mooring....looking to do sailing next year, plenty of time to do some practice on the picking up the buoy stuff...and TLC.
Thanks for yet another great video, Toby. I enjoy your and Shamrock's adventures vicariously, no longer having even a dinghy and being miles away from the sea.
11 місяців тому+3
you said two things there, that make me pretty sure your trailer is unbalanced... the front wheel slip and particular how you fixed it, the swinging, pulling and pushing at higher speeds... sounds like center of mass to far in the front.
Great stuff Toby. I have just also bought a Gypsy. Not my first yacht (have had Sadler 26 and Moody 31 previously) but my first "gaffer" and trailer sailer, so like you lots to learn! Am about to commence rigging practice in my back yard (after the gale force winds drop...) and do some work on her before taking her up to the Clyde (i live in Cumbria) for the summer. Keep up the videos, I have enjoyed them all and they have helped me decide on the Gypsy rather than, say, a Shrimper!!
Thanks so much Toby. I’ve loved restoring an old clinker built motor cruiser. It’s taken years. I’d never considered owning a boat and as the restoration neared completion it dawned on me everyone expected me to put it in the water and not on the mantelpiece. I cling to my swinging mooring with accomplished sailors as far as the eye can see. I really appreciate the lifeline, particularly because we’re navigating the same waters and eagerly look forward to you posts.
Great video Toby , I especially liked your top tip of raising the jockey wheel up a bit to put a bit more pressure on the front driving wheels. I no longer tow but man I wish I knew about that back in the day ! All the rest, well I admire your honesty and candid approach to sailing and happy to show the ‘bad’ bits as well as the good. Good on yer ! Cheers, R.
I am on a similar journey. Ive sailed dinghies a bit, but last week bought a Manta 19. So far ive only sailed her in light winds on lakes, but the plan is to get her into the sea next spring. Im sure I'll learn a lot.
Excellent video, thank you. I too 'graduated' from many years of dinghy sailing to a boat similar to yours, a Cornish Shrimper, so i found myself nodding along in agreement with your list. I had exactly the same aspirations, to go out to sea, take on longer passages and so on, did the Day Skipper too, but interestingly (or not), after owning a number of small yachts in the 21' range, I've now returned to the simplicity of dinghies, and presently sail a Mk1 Cormorant. I found that eventually, once these aspirations were out of my system, there came a point when the very things you describe, the annual servicing, hauling out, winter storage, even the preparation for a passage, victualling the boat etc, actually became a bit of a chore and I have since rediscovered the pure joy of sailing in small boats again, free of all those things. Only my opinion of course, I'm not suggesting the same will happen to you! I wish you all the best, and fair winds. Subscribed. Incidentally, the towing capacity of your car may not have been exceeded, but perhaps the maximum nose weight was. Just a thought.
Thanks v much. Yup, I can see how a dinghy could regain its appeal. And it might happen well to me at some point! Re. the trailer & towbar - yes, I’m going to check out the balance of the trailer, as (from yours & other comments) it seems there’s too much weight at the front.
Toby, your story and mine are so similar in many ways. You're a couple of years ahead of me and as always your videos are both instructive and inspirational. Thank you!
Great video. I'm following in your wake.. looking to buy a proper sailboat and leaving the dinghies behind. What I find has helped me in overcoming mental obstacles is having a very aggressive long-term goal. Something like doing a circumnavigation (which is not my goal btw). I got seasick really bad twice during my transition from dinghy to longer boats in coastal waters, but having my aggressive goal allowed me to curse the seasickness away (I now use R-Calm tablets.. seems to work perfectly). Coastal sailing will be a small stepping stone towards my goal, and, as with the seasickness, I will refuse to let coastal sailing scare me from proceeding onwards towards the goal. So far I have met a number of boat owners who are scared of open seas.. I think being scared is the wrong attitude for progressing. One needs to acquire knowledge, skills and experience, but constantly fearing all the risks has a counter-productive, even paralysing effect. BTW, my goal is Patagonia.
Top notch video. Thanks for posting. I’ve towed similar sized boats safely with a Subaru forester. All wheel drive helps. I recommend you get a set of ball weight scales. Check out the many videos on the subject. Too much or too little weight on the ball can have consequences. The vehicle also has a max ball weight meaning the margins can be fine with a smaller vehicle. One frightening incident at highway speed back in my early days was enough to get all that sorted quick smart. Nice boat! Sarah Ann is a similar configuration. I have a tandem trailer recently towing her 2000 km from Queensland to Tasmania without a moments stress. But my vehicle is larger and rear wheel drive. I did make some vids on the trailer setup for all three of my trailer sailers. You’ve obviously got your head screwed on so no doubt you’ll sort it out. Looking forward to following your journey. Cheers Chris. PS I think you will enjoy this story of restoring and relaunching Sarah Ann.
Thanks Chris, that's helpful. With no experience of trailers, I just assumed that's what they were like. But as you & other people have pointed out, it sounds like a balance issue. So I'll be checking that out. I've watched a few of your excellent videos before, but not that one - I'll take a look.
@@tobygoessailing My guess is it’s too light from what you described. The front wheel spin is typical of weight transfer on the ramp. Check everything with a trailer mechanic. Some have suggested 10-15% of the ATM the ball for a single axle. For a small towing vehicle that would be at the lower end to stay within the max ball weight which should be marked on your towbar. Then take into account how you load It as you can upset the balance quite easily by overloading aft or fwd
Hi Toby, I've been subscribed since last year and your story is so similar to my own experience from over 50 years ago. I started here in New Zealand with a 16ft Blue Peter trailer yacht and after a series of ever larger yachts ended 10 years ago with a 34ft Gemini cruising catamaran. Your videos allow me to re-live those learning experiences. I made the same mistakes such as running aground until the next high tide and minor scrapes with other moored boats. If I was doing it all again (unlikely now I'm over 80), I would stay with a smaller boat in the 20 to 24ft range. It's a nice balance between being seaworthy, affordable and manageable, particularly for a single hander. I look forward to future videos of you sailing and enjoying your lovely Norfolk Gypsy.
Thanks Toby. Very insightful and interesting. I made the shift from a 21 footer bilge keeler to a 26 foot long keeled boat this year, and it's remarkable how relevant your conclusions are to my situation!
Thanks for your excellent review. I am sailing a Cornish Shrimper 19 and it‘s my first season with this beautiful boat. I had a lot of similar situations and feelings as you descriped. It‘s good to see not to be alone with this beginner problems. I learn a lot from your videos. Keep on!
I've been watching your videos and love the content. I just wanted to make a point though after you talked about towing. A caravanner previously of 30 years, I know a thing or too about this subject. You said the boat is 1.5 tons, you have to allow that the trailer might be getting on for 0.25 ton, so you need a vehicle that is equal to or more than this in total. 1.75 ton. Your car looks like an estate car which would be probably just under this, so getting dodgy. The risk is the trailer being in charge of the tow vehicle. Ideally the towing ratio should be 85% but if you are experienced you can go to 100%. The reason the trailer started swaying or snaking at 50mph, which is the magic speed it all starts to happen is, the trailer was not heavy enough at the front. The hitch weight needs to be 7% of the overall trailer mass and, this might be too heavy for the recommended hitch weight of the car? Edit: After further watching you told us about your car. The handbook is misleading. A manufacturer will quote what the vehicle is 'capable' of towing, this usually determined by an incline. However on UK roads the law does not always allow those figures. For instance, I had a Kia Sorento and the handbook quoted my automatic at being capable of towing 3.5 ton. But on UK roads the max I could tow was the kerbweight of the vehicle, which is much less. Actually just under 2 ton. 85% of Kerb weight: 1747.6 kgs; 95% of Kerb weight: 1953.2 kgs
Thanks Steve, that's v helpful. I think the problem was partly to do with the balance of the trailer (i.e. how far forward/back the boat sits on it), and partly to do with the size of my car. I've since adjusted the balance - by moving the upright post that the bow of the boat attaches to. But I'm sure a bigger vehicle would make the most difference. That will have to wait...
Thanks for taking the time. Very clearly explained video. I've just started sailing and my long-term aim is longer trips in yachts, so this has been useful.
Thanks. It's not exactly flattering, but definitely more interesting for people to hear about screw-ups. As for changing, don't have any immediate plans.
Hi again Toby, thanks again for another great video. As others have said here, my path is very close to yours. My boat is also close to yours on the Crouch. you are very much an inspiration to me, I look forward to passages like yours as my confidence rises. please dont stop.
A very nicely balanced description of your choices and the various other options. Thank you. I opted for a swinging mooring because of the cost, because I don't have an engine, not even an outboard and I like the row out to the boat. My feeling is that if the wind and sea are too much for me to row out to the boat, then I'm not going to be going sailing either 😁 A thought about towing up a ramp. Check the downward force at the hitch. Recommendations suggest that this should be 10-15% of the total weight of your boat and trailer. If you are on the high side of this, then there is more downward force on the towbar lifting up the front of the car. Less weight at the hitch means less force lifting the front of the car and more grip, hopefully. But, too little weight on the hitch can lead to the trailer swaying from side to side when driving at speed. Personally, I avoid the issue and tie a long rope between the car and the trailer so that the car is on a flatter section of the hard, but I do have quite a wide beach and not a narrow marina slipway.
Thanks. That's useful - I'll see if I can check the weight at the hitch. Speaking of rowing, my engine (temporarily) conked out the other day whilst I was anchored in the river, so I've been thinking of getting some oars for Shamrock for emergencies. Not sure whether rowing a 1.3 tonne boat is even realistic, but it would be nice not to be entirely reliant on the engine for getting in & out of the marina.
@@tobygoessailing I have a pair of sturdy 8 foot oars that you are welcome to try on Shamrock. If they are suitable then you can have them as they have been sitting in my storage container for the last 8 years doing nothing.
@@tetleyk That's very kind, thanks! Before I take you up on that, I'll need to work out if it's feasible (as in, can I sit in the cockpit in the right place for rowing?, and is rowing a 1.3 tonne boat even possible?) & also see about rowlocks. Let me do that & get back to you.
its not your car or tyres thats the problem ,its the weight distribution of boat on the trailer weight is too far forwards ,ideally you want the heaviest part of keal ontop of the axle so its balanced like a see saw and it will be a dream to tow ,but me thinks thats not the trailer that was intended for that boat check trailer id badge will give you max towing weight ot should be around on or at the hitch ,someone bought an tailer at some point maybe secondhand ,a double axle trailer more suited for that boat with long shoal keal i would have thought or get your boat to sit further back maybe modify some trailers you can adjust move axle to get it better balance also load your cabin with everything nearer to stern maybe balance it better if its loaded correct should be easy to lift the ball hitch and tilt boat and trailer up
Hi Toby, I’ve recently bought a small sail boat, and I keep her in the black water, maylandsea, could you recommend a boat yard I could take to have the rigging and sail checked over? Thanks.
Hi James, sorry, I don't know of one. I take my boat back to the Norfolk Gypsy boatbuilders in Norfolk (Neil Thompson Boats). Next time I'm at Bradwell I'll ask around about local boatyards & let you know if I get any recommendations.
You're right. A few months ago I got the same bit of advice from someone else, and so I moved the winch post backwards a bit. It fixed the problem. Thanks.
Thank you Toby. Just a few thoughts: 1) go on an RYA day skipper course will teach about how to handle a small boat. 2) have a RIB tender. Not tippy. 3) when boarding a moored boat come along side an have a line from your thwart that you tie as firmly as you can to the middle of the boat so that the two are tightly together and won’t move apart during boarding and also you can hold the shroud for stability as you move onto the boat. 4) in shallow water use the centreboard as depth gauge so if it touches you know it is too shallow. Happy sailing
Good points, thanks Colin.
Another lovely video, Toby. I've just bought another Wolstenholme-designed pocket cruiser, a Kite called Ruby. I softened the transition from dinghies to a bigger craft by cruising a dinghy for several years, so I've already had some experience of mooring buoys, marinas, manoeuvring under power and so on. But so much of this film rings true, its enormously helpful - especially, as others have said, the unvarnished honesty you bring to the subject - thank you!
Thanks Paul. As I don't have years of finely-tuned expertise to share, relating my various cock-ups seems like the next best thing! Glad you liked it.
Great video. S'funny how it doesnt take much. We've just gone from a Laser 13 to a 17ft Crabber..Light and day..Something too about the gaff rig is just so satisfying, hard to explain, kinda softer than a Bermudan rig, more forgiving.
Thanks. Yes, and a gaff rig also looks great. More character, I'd say.
Cheers Toby. Sound advice and candid info. One thing came to mind about towing up the ramp was, perhaps to pump up the rear tyres a bit.
Thanks Dale. Good idea. I did pump them up a fair amount, but I could try a bit more.
@@tobygoessailing I'm sure I remember tables for tyre pressures for various driving uses years ago, like fast motorway and so on. It might be that self levelling suspension and stiffer springs aided the cars the marina person observed.
Another great video. I Have a Leisure 17SL trailer sailer, the hardest part for me is finding places to launch, I live in central England. 5-6 years ago I looked at Marinas the cost is the main reason for buying a trailer sailer, unfortunately this also means I can't sail enough other than in my dinghy at the local sailing club. I like the Norfolk Gypsy. The point I'm making is, there is always a compromise. I do get inspired by yourself & Alex Goes Sailing, show people like me where to go. Especially when you show the launching of a boat.
Thanks Joe. Lots of good sailing to be had on the east coast - as long as you enjoy flat landscapes & mud!
Great video Toby - very much enjoyed your thoughts on moving up to a bigger boat.
Thanks Dave
Sailed lasers a lot some years ago, always wanted the sea sailing adventure....just bought a Hurley 22 bilge keel....have a swing mooring....looking to do sailing next year, plenty of time to do some practice on the picking up the buoy stuff...and TLC.
Thanks for yet another great video, Toby. I enjoy your and Shamrock's adventures vicariously, no longer having even a dinghy and being miles away from the sea.
you said two things there, that make me pretty sure your trailer is unbalanced... the front wheel slip and particular how you fixed it, the swinging, pulling and pushing at higher speeds... sounds like center of mass to far in the front.
I hadn't considered that. Thanks, will look into it.
Great stuff Toby. I have just also bought a Gypsy. Not my first yacht (have had Sadler 26 and Moody 31 previously) but my first "gaffer" and trailer sailer, so like you lots to learn! Am about to commence rigging practice in my back yard (after the gale force winds drop...) and do some work on her before taking her up to the Clyde (i live in Cumbria) for the summer. Keep up the videos, I have enjoyed them all and they have helped me decide on the Gypsy rather than, say, a Shrimper!!
Thanks Simon. Glad you like the videos & hope you enjoy the Gypsy!
Good synopsis Toby, having sailed small boats and canoes for years. I moved up to a 20ft gaffer last year. Fair winds..
Thanks John. Same to you
Thanks so much Toby. I’ve loved restoring an old clinker built motor cruiser. It’s taken years. I’d never considered owning a boat and as the restoration neared completion it dawned on me everyone expected me to put it in the water and not on the mantelpiece. I cling to my swinging mooring with accomplished sailors as far as the eye can see. I really appreciate the lifeline, particularly because we’re navigating the same waters and eagerly look forward to you posts.
Thanks. Sounds like a great project. "A boat... to go in the water? No, not that kind!" Hope you're enjoying it.
Very useful stuff, thank you.
Good oh, glad to hear it.
Great video Toby , I especially liked your top tip of raising the jockey wheel up a bit to put a bit more pressure on the front driving wheels. I no longer tow but man I wish I knew about that back in the day !
All the rest, well I admire your honesty and candid approach to sailing and happy to show the ‘bad’ bits as well as the good. Good on yer !
Cheers,
R.
Thanks v much!
I am on a similar journey. Ive sailed dinghies a bit, but last week bought a Manta 19. So far ive only sailed her in light winds on lakes, but the plan is to get her into the sea next spring. Im sure I'll learn a lot.
Good move! It's exciting. Good luck.
Excellent video, thank you. I too 'graduated' from many years of dinghy sailing to a boat similar to yours, a Cornish Shrimper, so i found myself nodding along in agreement with your list. I had exactly the same aspirations, to go out to sea, take on longer passages and so on, did the Day Skipper too, but interestingly (or not), after owning a number of small yachts in the 21' range, I've now returned to the simplicity of dinghies, and presently sail a Mk1 Cormorant. I found that eventually, once these aspirations were out of my system, there came a point when the very things you describe, the annual servicing, hauling out, winter storage, even the preparation for a passage, victualling the boat etc, actually became a bit of a chore and I have since rediscovered the pure joy of sailing in small boats again, free of all those things. Only my opinion of course, I'm not suggesting the same will happen to you!
I wish you all the best, and fair winds. Subscribed.
Incidentally, the towing capacity of your car may not have been exceeded, but perhaps the maximum nose weight was. Just a thought.
Thanks v much. Yup, I can see how a dinghy could regain its appeal. And it might happen well to me at some point! Re. the trailer & towbar - yes, I’m going to check out the balance of the trailer, as (from yours & other comments) it seems there’s too much weight at the front.
Toby, your story and mine are so similar in many ways. You're a couple of years ahead of me and as always your videos are both instructive and inspirational. Thank you!
Thanks Steven, glad to be of help!
Great video. I'm following in your wake.. looking to buy a proper sailboat and leaving the dinghies behind. What I find has helped me in overcoming mental obstacles is having a very aggressive long-term goal. Something like doing a circumnavigation (which is not my goal btw). I got seasick really bad twice during my transition from dinghy to longer boats in coastal waters, but having my aggressive goal allowed me to curse the seasickness away (I now use R-Calm tablets.. seems to work perfectly). Coastal sailing will be a small stepping stone towards my goal, and, as with the seasickness, I will refuse to let coastal sailing scare me from proceeding onwards towards the goal. So far I have met a number of boat owners who are scared of open seas.. I think being scared is the wrong attitude for progressing. One needs to acquire knowledge, skills and experience, but constantly fearing all the risks has a counter-productive, even paralysing effect. BTW, my goal is Patagonia.
Thanks Laurence & good luck.
Top notch video. Thanks for posting. I’ve towed similar sized boats safely with a Subaru forester. All wheel drive helps. I recommend you get a set of ball weight scales. Check out the many videos on the subject. Too much or too little weight on the ball can have consequences. The vehicle also has a max ball weight meaning the margins can be fine with a smaller vehicle. One frightening incident at highway speed back in my early days was enough to get all that sorted quick smart.
Nice boat! Sarah Ann is a similar configuration. I have a tandem trailer recently towing her 2000 km from Queensland to Tasmania without a moments stress. But my vehicle is larger and rear wheel drive.
I did make some vids on the trailer setup for all three of my trailer sailers.
You’ve obviously got your head screwed on so no doubt you’ll sort it out.
Looking forward to following your journey. Cheers Chris. PS I think you will enjoy this story of restoring and relaunching Sarah Ann.
"Sailing Sarah Ann: Relaunching a Piece of Maritime History" Wooden boat restoration.
ua-cam.com/video/E1nEx_7CtCc/v-deo.html
Thanks Chris, that's helpful. With no experience of trailers, I just assumed that's what they were like. But as you & other people have pointed out, it sounds like a balance issue. So I'll be checking that out. I've watched a few of your excellent videos before, but not that one - I'll take a look.
@@tobygoessailing My guess is it’s too light from what you described. The front wheel spin is typical of weight transfer on the ramp.
Check everything with a trailer mechanic. Some have suggested 10-15% of the ATM the ball for a single axle. For a small towing vehicle that would be at the lower end to stay within the max ball weight which should be marked on your towbar.
Then take into account how you load
It as you can upset the balance quite easily by overloading aft or fwd
Hi Toby, I've been subscribed since last year and your story is so similar to my own experience from over 50 years ago. I started here in New Zealand with a 16ft Blue Peter trailer yacht and after a series of ever larger yachts ended 10 years ago with a 34ft Gemini cruising catamaran. Your videos allow me to re-live those learning experiences. I made the same mistakes such as running aground until the next high tide and minor scrapes with other moored boats. If I was doing it all again (unlikely now I'm over 80), I would stay with a smaller boat in the 20 to 24ft range. It's a nice balance between being seaworthy, affordable and manageable, particularly for a single hander. I look forward to future videos of you sailing and enjoying your lovely Norfolk Gypsy.
Nice to hear. I'm obviously treading a well-worn path! Thanks v much.
Thanks Toby. Very insightful and interesting. I made the shift from a 21 footer bilge keeler to a 26 foot long keeled boat this year, and it's remarkable how relevant your conclusions are to my situation!
Interesting! Thanks
Thanks for your excellent review. I am sailing a Cornish Shrimper 19 and it‘s my first season with this beautiful boat. I had a lot of similar situations and feelings as you descriped. It‘s good to see not to be alone with this beginner problems. I learn a lot from your videos. Keep on!
That's good to hear, thanks!
I've been watching your videos and love the content.
I just wanted to make a point though after you talked about towing.
A caravanner previously of 30 years, I know a thing or too about this subject.
You said the boat is 1.5 tons, you have to allow that the trailer might be getting on for 0.25 ton, so you need a vehicle that is equal to or more than this in total. 1.75 ton.
Your car looks like an estate car which would be probably just under this, so getting dodgy. The risk is the trailer being in charge of the tow vehicle.
Ideally the towing ratio should be 85% but if you are experienced you can go to 100%.
The reason the trailer started swaying or snaking at 50mph, which is the magic speed it all starts to happen is, the trailer was not heavy enough at the front.
The hitch weight needs to be 7% of the overall trailer mass and, this might be too heavy for the recommended hitch weight of the car?
Edit: After further watching you told us about your car. The handbook is misleading. A manufacturer will quote what the vehicle is 'capable' of towing, this usually determined by an incline.
However on UK roads the law does not always allow those figures.
For instance, I had a Kia Sorento and the handbook quoted my automatic at being capable of towing 3.5 ton. But on UK roads the max I could tow was the kerbweight of the vehicle, which is much less. Actually just under 2 ton.
85% of Kerb weight: 1747.6 kgs; 95% of Kerb weight: 1953.2 kgs
Thanks Steve, that's v helpful. I think the problem was partly to do with the balance of the trailer (i.e. how far forward/back the boat sits on it), and partly to do with the size of my car. I've since adjusted the balance - by moving the upright post that the bow of the boat attaches to. But I'm sure a bigger vehicle would make the most difference. That will have to wait...
Thanks for taking the time. Very clearly explained video. I've just started sailing and my long-term aim is longer trips in yachts, so this has been useful.
Thanks, glad to hear it.
Love the honesty. Don’t change.
Thanks. It's not exactly flattering, but definitely more interesting for people to hear about screw-ups. As for changing, don't have any immediate plans.
Hi again Toby, thanks again for another great video. As others have said here, my path is very close to yours. My boat is also close to yours on the Crouch. you are very much an inspiration to me, I look forward to passages like yours as my confidence rises. please dont stop.
Very kind, John, thanks
A very nicely balanced description of your choices and the various other options. Thank you.
I opted for a swinging mooring because of the cost, because I don't have an engine, not even an outboard and I like the row out to the boat. My feeling is that if the wind and sea are too much for me to row out to the boat, then I'm not going to be going sailing either 😁
A thought about towing up a ramp. Check the downward force at the hitch. Recommendations suggest that this should be 10-15% of the total weight of your boat and trailer. If you are on the high side of this, then there is more downward force on the towbar lifting up the front of the car. Less weight at the hitch means less force lifting the front of the car and more grip, hopefully. But, too little weight on the hitch can lead to the trailer swaying from side to side when driving at speed.
Personally, I avoid the issue and tie a long rope between the car and the trailer so that the car is on a flatter section of the hard, but I do have quite a wide beach and not a narrow marina slipway.
Thanks. That's useful - I'll see if I can check the weight at the hitch.
Speaking of rowing, my engine (temporarily) conked out the other day whilst I was anchored in the river, so I've been thinking of getting some oars for Shamrock for emergencies. Not sure whether rowing a 1.3 tonne boat is even realistic, but it would be nice not to be entirely reliant on the engine for getting in & out of the marina.
@@tobygoessailing I have a pair of sturdy 8 foot oars that you are welcome to try on Shamrock. If they are suitable then you can have them as they have been sitting in my storage container for the last 8 years doing nothing.
@@tetleyk That's very kind, thanks! Before I take you up on that, I'll need to work out if it's feasible (as in, can I sit in the cockpit in the right place for rowing?, and is rowing a 1.3 tonne boat even possible?) & also see about rowlocks. Let me do that & get back to you.
@@tobygoessailing You'd probably need to push row rather than pulling and don't forget than sculling over the stern is also a possibility.
its not your car or tyres thats the problem ,its the weight distribution of boat on the trailer weight is too far forwards ,ideally you want the heaviest part of keal ontop of the axle so its balanced like a see saw and it will be a dream to tow ,but me thinks thats not the trailer that was intended for that boat check trailer id badge will give you max towing weight ot should be around on or at the hitch ,someone bought an tailer at some point maybe secondhand ,a double axle trailer more suited for that boat with long shoal keal i would have thought or get your boat to sit further back maybe modify some trailers you can adjust move axle to get it better balance also load your cabin with everything nearer to stern maybe balance it better if its loaded correct should be easy to lift the ball hitch and tilt boat and trailer up
Very helpful, thanks. I'll investigate.
Hi Toby,
I’ve recently bought a small sail boat, and I keep her in the black water, maylandsea, could you recommend a boat yard I could take to have the rigging and sail checked over?
Thanks.
Hi James, sorry, I don't know of one. I take my boat back to the Norfolk Gypsy boatbuilders in Norfolk (Neil Thompson Boats). Next time I'm at Bradwell I'll ask around about local boatyards & let you know if I get any recommendations.
its not the front wheel drive its the trailers unbalanced ,you should be front heavy but be able to lift trailer hitch on and off tow ball
You're right. A few months ago I got the same bit of advice from someone else, and so I moved the winch post backwards a bit. It fixed the problem. Thanks.