getting the boat off the trailer

[Grant_West]

I was wondering if there is a ghetto way to get my boat off the trailer???

What im trying to do. I want color sand and polish the bottom of the boat. The parts of the boat that sit under the bunks are scratched from 4 years of loading and un-loading as well as other place's.

Option #1 At my Shop I have a car lift. Its the kind with the independent adjustable arm's that can move in and out Im guessing that I might be able to attach some strap's to the arm's of the lift and lift the boat off the trailer. The down side is because its a working shop I have limited time that the boat can be there.

Option #2 I get the boat off the trailer some how at my house and work on it not in a rush.

Either option I need somthing to put the boat onto where can I get ahold of a set of the roller's that are under this boat.

[Grant_West]

And one more option At the Install shop I have Fork lift.

This is how it go's
Shop#1 = Car lift
Home = Nothing
Install shop = Fork lift

[wakejunky]

Grant,

I know that WCCC has a bunch of those rollers that you are referring to. When I was there they had a bunch that they weren't using. You might opt to call over there and see if they'd be willing to loan/rent/sell you a set.
As for putting the boat off the trailer, that is a huge endeavor. lifting 4,000lbs up without the proper equipment is pretty risky. If I were to do it I would ligthen up the boat as much as you can and then lift it from the lifting rings. This would be the safest method.

Chris

[bkhallpass]

Grant, I've taken these boats off a trailer 3 or 4 times. We keep trying different ways.

I've done it like you see in you first photograph. Instead of the heavy duty pullies, we only had come-alongs. Lifted the boat just enough to clear the trailer, moved the tailer forward about two feet. Blocked out the rear of the boat, and then moved the trailer the rest of the way out, and blocked out the bow. Not a mobile solution, but idoes get boat off the trailer.

Have also used a couple of floor jacks (padded of course). Again, lifted the boat barely off the trailer moved forward a foot or two and blocked off the back. Then, we would lift the font of the boat, move it a foot or two, sit the front back on the trailer, move the jacks, and so on, until we worked the boat off the trailer. Was kind of a pain to have to lift the boat a dozen or so time to get it off the trailer, but it did work. We also cracked a trailer bunk doing it this way.

If you've go access to a forklift, I'd use that.

BKH

[AbunDiga909]

I remember seeing a pic on this site of a green 211, which was being suspended outside, by two individual I-Beams, each on an A-Frame on each of the sides of the beam, which were all on casters. I know its hard to picture, but just imagine something where you can lift your boat, on wheels. This may be something to consider. I know its a bit of an investment, but this way you can lift your boat, anywhere you want, and either keep this things to use later, sell them or do whatever. I'll try to find the pic and "lifting device" i'm talking about...

[DanielC]

WARNING ! IF YOU ARE UNDER YOUR BOAT AND IT FALLS, YOU COULD DIE! Be careful! Without trying to sound condescending, the fact that anyone is asking how to do this shows that they probably should not do this. The safest way to work on the bottom of your boat is on the trailer. If you do remove your boat from the trailer, on land, have at least two independent way of supporting your boat. Jacks, hydraulics, or fork lifts do not count as a way of supporting your boat. In the top picture in this thread, the chain hoist is pulling at an angle on the front lifting ring. This is not good, either. They all could fail, and the boat could fall. I do not want to hear of anyone getting crushed by thier own boat.

[Grant_West]

Yes Warning Taken. I think Ill use the car lift and the fork lift at the same time. Im thinking I can back the boat into the garage and use straps or a chain to attach to the lifting ring in the back.

The us a fork lift with a chain to lift the front off. Then pull the trailer off.
Im gonna try and get a boat dolly from either WCC or my local dealer. IMO the danger is not lifting the boat but working under it when its off. So I wont take any chance's with cinder blocks or home made wood block's
Im gonna be under there for a bit so the more secure and stable it is the better I will feel about staying under there.
http://www.hostarmarine.com/dollies/

[ag4ever]

I was thinking about doing the same thing to clean and wax the bottom of my boat, but I was planning on using my engine hoist on the rear with some form of steel arch frame above the bow with a chain hoist. My engine lift is rated for 2 tons, so it should hold the rear of the boat just fine, and the bow should be fairly light since I have a V-drive. Your direct drive would be more balanced.

When using the car hoist, be sure it is loaded evenly. I don't know if you can lift with only one pair of the arms and keep it from "tipping" over.

What is the fork lift rated for?

If it is enough, and has enough travel you might be able to put a sling under the boat and do it that way.

[jhiestand]

Be sure to let us know how you end up doing it, Grant! Oh, and be sure to take pix (like YOU need reminded!).

I did this once similar to how blkhallpass described, except we didn't keep setting the boat back down on the bunks. Instead, we used cinder blocks with wood to cushion in the front and back. Jacked boat up in back, blocked it up. Jacked up front, blocked it up. Moved trailer until it touches the blocks, insert jack and lift slightly, reposition blocks. Move trailer further. Took 4 or 5 iterations to clear all the blocks but finally the trailer was free!

I'll tell you what, tho. It was only a 79 Ski Nautique (small) and I was scared to death to get close to it as it looked precarious as all getout!! I'd SURE AS HECK not get under it! That being said, I know they "tri-pod" boats at boat shows with no problem at all. Still, I'd prefer something more solid underneath if I'm going to be under there myself.

Good luck!!

[bkhallpass]

We didn't trust cinder blocks. We used 8 x8 wooden blocks. It was extremely stable. Sat
like that for 3 months throught the winter storms and rain. We did fiberglass repair, grinding
and sanding on the bottom. We did place a couple of floor jacks under it, just in case, while
we were beneath the boat. BKH

[jhiestand]

We didn't trust cinder blocks.

I can understand that and would probably feel the same way with my current boat. The boat I "blocked" up was a '79, much much smaller and not anywhere near the investment I have in my current boat. Of course, even with it propped up on the cinder blocks I wasn't about to get under it! We had it up to do work on the trailer.