Tips
Boats and slipways, it remains a love-hate relationship. You just want to sail in the most beautiful places, but to get there a trailer slipway is indispensable. To make the "trail" as fun as possible, there are a number of things to look out for. The following tips will help you through the summer ...
Into the water ...
- Make sure the boat and trailer are in good condition and ready to be towed so that others don't have to wait.
- Make sure you stay calm in the event of crowds at the slipway, thereby preventing damage to the boat, car or trailer.
- Remove the lightbar from the trailer, tension straps from the boat and check whether the drain plug is in place.
- Look in advance at the length and smoothness of the slope to make a good estimate.
- Do not drive your wheels into the water if you only have rear-wheel drive on a slippery slope.
- Check if the slope under water continues long enough.
- Pay attention to (small) children, make sure that bystanders keep a safe distance and certainly not stand behind or between a (reverse) driving combination.
- Drive the trailer and boat off the slipway, do not drive too far down the slipway! Are the first rollers wet? Then that is often far enough.
- Put the car on the handbrake.
- Attach a line to the boat and have someone hold it on the dock.
- Use the winch to launch the boat or push the boat off.
- Drive the car to a parking lot, lock the car and trailer.
Out of the water ...
- Pay attention to the length of the slope and the parking brake, just like when launching.
- Take your boat out of the water calmly, winching too quickly or navigating the trailer often causes damage!