Whats the best way to lift a boat from the trailer...

[Mr. Crusader 83]

with the engine still in it? Im having my trailer redone, and i dont want to pull the engine to get the boat off the trailer.

[Instigators]

Up or Off:D

[TahitiTiger]

I would say an "A" frame over the bow with a winch to lift the bow. Then use an engine lift hooked to the engine and raise the rear.

[squirt'nmyload]

you supply the beer....i'll come up..... and when we get drunk enough we will surely figure it out :D :D

[Mr. Crusader 83]

you supply the beer....i'll come up..... and when we get drunk enough we will surely figure it out :D :D
Sounds good to me. Thats when i do my breast :jawdrop: work. :D

[Mr. Crusader 83]

I would say an "A" frame over the bow with a winch to lift the bow. Then use an engine lift hooked to the engine and raise the rear.
Think I can put a tow strap around the 4 point engine mount and lift from there with a cherry picker?

[roostwear]

Rivertard Sr and Jr helped me pull the Stevens off the trailer with just a cherry picker, 2 slings (3" ratcheting tie down straps actually), 4 tires and a floor jack. Piece of cake.

[FuelInMyVeins82]

Rivertard Sr and Jr helped me pull the Stevens off the trailer with just a cherry picker, 2 slings (3" ratcheting tie down straps actually), 4 tires and a floor jack. Piece of cake.
and a partridge and a pair tree :D

[Riverat84]

hey, i need to do this also, getting my trailer redone real soon, any other ideas? i like the ones that have been said, but cant put it in a picture in my head :confused: :idea:
Reid

[Xerophobic]

forklift from behind :D
(alloy boats only)

[Riverat84]

forklift from behind :D
(alloy boats only)
haha that doesnt help us glass men! ive seen that, and wish it could be done w/ my jet...maybe...?
Reid

[cave]

If I ever do it I'm gunna launch it behind my house. Dock it and stay up for as long as it sits there. Neighbors may get back at me for starting it once a week.
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/cave13/backofpad-1.jpg

[Unchained]

I've done it before using nothing but the tongue jack and a pile of wood blocks.
Crank the jack all the way down,
put a block pile under the very back of the hull at the transom ,
crank the jack all the way up,
put a block pile under the keel about 12' forward of the transom.
roll the trailer ahead a little until you hit a crossmember, jack and reblock, roll ahead, etc.
You can use a floor jack to help rearrange block piles.

[soulboater#1]

now you guys got me curious-I need my sled off the trailer to redo the bunks.Yeah i have been told to make the bunks,launch the boat and then do whatca gotta do. Me-I would want to make it perfect and not rush the job. Might want to take a few days to do the job.

[Xerophobic]

haha that doesnt help us glass men! ive seen that, and wish it could be done w/ my jet...maybe...?
Reid
Sorry I should have clarified further.... loooooong forks :D
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/forks.JPG

[Riverat84]

good god! i want a forklift now...that would help so much...just like sean(mr.crusader83) i dont wanna have to pull my motor just for that reason, im going to get ALOT of metalwork done, then get it either powdercoated white, or shot in white imron, the shit that they use for bigrigs. thanx for that pic, thats crazy!
Reid

[Riverat84]

I've done it before using nothing but the tongue jack and a pile of wood blocks.
Crank the jack all the way down,
put a block pile under the very back of the hull at the transom ,
crank the jack all the way up,
put a block pile under the keel about 12' forward of the transom.
roll the trailer ahead a little until you hit a crossmember, jack and reblock, roll ahead, etc.
You can use a floor jack to help rearrange block piles.
OKAY...that sounds sketchy, but much easier!... i would love some pics for this, actually alot, if you have them...what dimensions of the wood blocks, etc.? if this is something i can do in my storage spot, then im all for it!...i dont like the idea of my V on just wood blocks tho, maybe tires covered in beach/bath towels? maybe someone can help me and ill pay in lots and lots of beer? :D :idea:

[BLEWBAYOU1]

I use a winch for the stern by lifting the motor and engine puller for the bow. That's it!!!:) By lifting the engine still bolted up that's 8/10ths of the weight right there. Thats how I changed by bunks by myself,very easy.
Brian

[Riverat84]

I use a winch for the stern by lifting the motor and engine puller for the bow. That's it!!!:) By lifting the engine still bolted up that's 8/10ths of the weight right there. Thats how I changed by bunks by myself,very easy.
Brian
ok so the stringers wont rip off when its lifted up by the engine? thats what i was scared of...im down with that for sure, but what winch on the back do you mean?

[BLEWBAYOU1]

Not at all ,The boat is lighter than the motor and the stringers support the motor so no problem at all!!!:)
Brian

[BLEWBAYOU1]

One more thing, I don't even remove fuel or all the other crap that I carry in my boat.
I have a winch in my garage so it helps a lot,all I have to have for the bow is an engine hoist,but it could be done just as easy with two hoists.:)

[455Rocket]

OKAY...that sounds sketchy, but much easier!... i would love some pics for this, actually alot, if you have them...what dimensions of the wood blocks, etc.? if this is something i can do in my storage spot, then im all for it!...i dont like the idea of my V on just wood blocks tho, maybe tires covered in beach/bath towels? maybe someone can help me and ill pay in lots and lots of beer? :D :idea:
It's not that difficult... seen it with bricks, tires, 2x4's, 4x4's you name it! You just pull the trailer out slowly and move the blocks as you go. From what i've heard about your storge spot I wouldn't do anything there... without a shotgun :D
Let me know and i'll lend a hand.

[Riverat84]

It's not that difficult... seen it with bricks, tires, 2x4's, 4x4's you name it! You just pull the trailer out slowly and move the blocks as you go. From what i've heard about your storge spot I wouldn't do anything there... without a shotgun :D
Let me know and i'll lend a hand.
haha yeah i know! im suprised im still focking there...nah, look at it this way: there's no trailer to take the boat away once i do this lol :devil:
yeah ill let you know. thanx,
Reid

[Longstr]

I have always heard that you are suppose to pull the motor when doing this.. :eek: supposedly stress crack the hell out of the hull with out pulling it because of all the added weight. :confused: Just what I have been told though.

[snake321]

I have always heard that you are suppose to pull the motor when doing this.. :eek: supposedly stress crack the hell out of the hull with out pulling it because of all the added weight. :confused: Just what I have been told though.
I'm down with this^^^^^
The motor might be up in the air but there's 400 lbs. downforce pullin on the stringer to boat sections. Plus pullin a boat up using the bowhook opens up the door to a bowhook disaster. We all know it can be and has been done but I don't wanna be that guy postin broken bowhook pictures.

[YeLLowBoaT]

I've done this many times, with several boats... what you do is you go buy 4 hd casters, then build a dolly ( normally a little longer then your bunks... depends on the boat) about 1" higher then the trailer( more on this later) then using 2 jacks( one in the front, one in the rear with blocks so you don't fook the gel) jack the boat up until its just barely off the trailer...pull the trailer forward as far as you can( IE until you almost hit the jacks) slide in the dolly, let the jacks down and repeat. I've done this by myself several times.
now when it come time to put it back on the trailer, if you have a wench, use that, if not come-along works great. that is why you build the dolly 1" higher then the trailer... so its alot easier to get back on the trailer( which is alot harder then getting it off.)

[hotrod56cars]

I've done trailer swaps/repairs with 3 boats so far, all were complete boats at the time (w/engines, etc... ).
Tie the back of the hull (I tied to the jet pump) to a tree or some other immoveable object. Hook up a truck to the trailer and drive slowly forward about a foot. Unhook the trailer from the truck. Lower the tongue of the trailer as far as it will go. Put 2 stacks of blocks under the transom, stacking them up as close to the transom as possible, on each side of the transom. Raise the trailer's tongue up. The back of the boat is now off of the trailer. To get the front of the boat off I used a cherry picker on the eyelet that secures the boat to the trailer and slowly jack the front of the boat off of the trailer. Then pull the trailer out from under the boat. If the boat is going to be off of the trailer for more than a couple of hours I would (did) lower the front of the hull down onto a automotive jack stand with a piece of carpet in between the hull and the jack stand. I've done this 3 times (19' Miller, 21' Day Cruiser, and a 18' Aquacraft v-drive flatty - all with engines and drives) with no problems whatsoever.
The only time I think I would be concerned about putting a boat in dry drock like this is if the hull were a light lay-up. OldRigger chimed in on one of my threads with a picture of it done and he said it was done correctly. :D

[THE BOSTON SIDEWINDER]

At the marina here we do it 20 times a day, not rocket science, just be careful.

[Widetrack]

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/widetrack5/th_09-08-07_1454.jpg (http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/widetrack5/09-08-07_1454.jpg)This is what I did. If you have access to a car lift 2 short chains and some saw horses. Raise lift above boat. Chain to bolt holes on front of block and lift rear of boat. An a frame would work for front with strap and hoist. But I lifted the boat by hand as someone drove the truck and trailor out. Placed on saw horses.

[Cruiser 509]

I used a rolling floor jack with 4x4's with small notches that set under the V in the front, to lift my 400lb CP. It took some time to get it off of the tandem trailer.
I had to lift it at the back and set it on blocks, lift the front, move trailer, repeat for 2 axels 2 cross braces. Then I set it on tires. All in All it worked well but it was scary not knowing if it would work or do permanent damage to the boat I wish I still had. This was along time ago and the details are a little fuzzy.
It can be done easily but be careful it's you and your pride and joy thats dangling in the air.

[Bow Tie Omega]

I used 1 a-frame, one 3 ton chain hoist, 3 straps. One strap thru the eye of the boat, one under the front third of the boat and slide another under the boat where the actaul motor sits. The majority of the boat weight sits on the rear two straps while, the front strap under the eye is more or less to help out with balance. If you can not get the rear strap under the boat where the motor is, I grabbed a 4"x4", cut the top of it to the shape of the bottom of the boat and uses a hydraulic jack to raise it just enough to get the strap under. I then used a series of cinder blocks and notched 4"x6"'s that were notched to cradle the boat (I believe 4 total). Reverse the process when you want it back on the trailer.

[bp]

with the engine still in it? Im having my trailer redone, and i dont want to pull the engine to get the boat off the trailer.
did you get it off??? just curious, who is re-doing your trailer???