I have a 88 seaswirl with a omc and 350 sbc and its not bad on fuel just driving around but skiing or tubing or anythjng and it really sucks it down lolol
My ramp does not HAVE a dock, the closest is maybe a 1000 yards away; young guys can get the truck stable, climb up over the bow, pull the boat back and drive to the dock, tie up, then hike back to the truck and go park it.
Some don't even have a hikeable dock or even one anywhere near by. On my first boat with the public ramp that was on the lake where I lived, for solo launch, I had to launch with a short rope, then climb onto the bow from the trailer, get on board and get out of the way, then drop an anchor and swim back to my truck to park it, then swim back out to the boat. If you had a spare driver who could park the trailer and come back later to get you, you were the exception. ...but the boondocks have their benefits too. I suppose I could have rigged a system tied to a tree with a float - sort of a makeshift dock, to avoid the swim, but ...meh
The catch rope is a great idea, but what to do when you launch where THERE IS NO DOCK? How do you get aboard? There is an answer, if you still insist on boating alone--but one more reason--don't boat alone. Think about "redundancy", in boating, we have two or more of pretty well everything--but you don't. Even "posting a full time look-out", that calls for a second person. If you lose your main--and you can even with a brand new engine--now you are heading into the rocks and the SECOND PERSON heads for the repelling pole while you head for the anchor. So many reasons to not boat alone.
Even if you don't boat alone, there are reasons you may want to launch and retrieve alone. For example, you're on a date, or with someone who is not really comfortable driving a truck with a trailer nor operating the boat, but is perfectly capable of dealing with an emergency situation once on the water.
Right off the bat--I wonder how many men "put her in park", let the weight of the truck/boat lean--hard on the gears with the parking brake as a back-up". Instead of putting her in neutral, placing the brake, letting the weight be held by the brake, then "backing it up" with the gears? Of course, then there is the deal I had in my old GMC--that joke of a brake could not hold the truck alone on ANY incline, you HAD to use the gears, and "back up" (a joke) with the puny emergency brake. Of course, we had the second person--and there SHOULD-IMO, always be a second person, hop out and place 2 chocks--to hold ALL the weight--then back THAT ups, with fist brakes, second, gears. But men like to just toss it in park, and get out. REALLY supid.
I agree with the chocks, but if the vehicle is undersized for the the boat, you're asking for serious trouble. You need a vehicle designed to haul the full weight of the boat and 4wd is best, if not then at least front wheel drive. 4L+brakes+chocks+turn the wheel all the way to the left or right, (whichever makes more sense in the situation). ...also, a brush to get rid of slime on the ramp if need be before launch and retrieval. Others waiting for the ramp are not going to be annoyed at you for getting rid of slime for them.
launching is simple...retieve is the real challenge when you have a shallow boat ramp and the wind is up your up to your ass in cold water and people waiting too ! i learned nothing here
Do your best to prep before getting to the ramp, and then forget about everyone waiting. If wind (or current) is too strong when you return, you may just have to wait it out at anchor or on the dock. ..of course, always best to check the forecasts first to avoid that.
Hi love this ! , so much so I just grabbed one she needs some love and if you would be so kind maybe you could help me out with some pics of the bits I’m missing I would really appreciate it if would be so kind
You shouldn't drive forward at all, IMHO. Use a long enough line, and "just enough pop" that the boat will clear the trailer and not snap back onto it. This is 1 MPH kind of stuff.
Looking at doing something very similar with a Bertram v20 im looking to buy. I would be very keen to know the extent of the work that went into the floor etc done by your shipwright as thats my main concern with the boat im looking at. Thanks
Hi if you still have the boat, how would you describe the handling in chop? Does it cut through like butter or does it bash through it ? I have regal and im just having a dislike to the way it cuts through rough chop.
i always compare fuel to a weekend at a good hotel my 28 searay will burn $400 on a good trip 80 klms a hotel near the water over a grand....you do the maths
Recovering a boat at night is never easy! We would love to show you our product for your trailer. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-o8Xy7KeHmTQ.html
Nice....looks good. Not perfect. The "140" is too big compared to the originals. The top orange stripe dips on the top left. The seahorse is angled wrong (between the 140 and Johnson). And the front decal is too big (original is smaller). But nice job.
why people don't use fenders to protect the gel-coat from scratches on their boats I will never know. I am also doing a pride 20 Bahia Mar 20 which is a Betram 20 and had to fix all the scratches but my has a 170 merc 4 cylinder
I had a 1964 Bertram 20 Moppie. It was built like a tank. The fit and finish were excellent. The bilge was fully gel coated and looked exactly like the hull and the entire floor was non-skid gel coat. Without a doubt the best riding boat I’ve ever had. I wish I still had it. It’s worth quite a bit now. Makes my ‘84 Wellcraft seem cheap by comparison.
