HOW TO RECOVER A BOAT ON A TRAILER

Last month we explained how to launch a boat from a road trailer, this month we are looking at how to recover it back onto the trailer.

- Jon Mendez

If you are recovering it at the same site that you launched from, then you will know the slipway’s key characteristics; how steep it is, how slippery it is, whether there is a drop off at the end and whether there are any tidal constraints. The slipway in these photos is only usable about 2.5 hours either side of high water.

The last thing you want to do is rush the recovery process so arrive early and take time to get everything ready. Your first task is to drop one of your crew ashore to retrieve the car and trailer and position it ready for recovery. The trailer needs to be on the slipway with the wheels of the tow car just above the water’s edge and the trailer deep enough for you to drive the boat onto it, preferably all the way to the winch post. This may not be possible if the slipway has a gentle slope – generally speaking the steeper the slipway, the easier the recovery.