OK, here's another "solo" question (while I'm figuring out my mast-raising setup)...

So far I've sailed my Prindle 18 w/ at least one other person, so at the end of the day we've just grabbed the hulls and lifted/pulled it up onto the trailer. (Not the most graceful method, but hey, it works!) When sailing solo, of course, that won't be possible. Since I'm installing a winch for the mast stepper anyway, my thought is to pull the boat onto the tilt trailer w/ a rope via the same winch. So here's the question: Where do some of you others attach a line to pull your cat up onto a trailer? I know that the dolphin striker is a no-no, but I'm wondering about the following:

1) a line around the still-raised mast (but might this pull the mast off the ball?),
2) a line from the bridles/forestay shackle (but will this cause undue stress?),
3) a strap wrapped under the tramp and up over the rear crossbeam (wrong angle to pull against?),
4) ???

Hey, I don't want to do something stupid and break this thing--I don't think my wife would appreciate me spending any more money on it.

By the way, the beach where I launch doesn't allow me to pull so far down as to submerge the back half of the trailer (sand is too soft), so I can't just float the boat on...

Thanks all,
Kevin
Largo, FL

For my P-18:

Tell you the truth, I do use the dolphin striker however I'm coming up out of the water at a ramp on rollers and the amount of resistance is fairly low.

When I used to winch the boat up on the sand, (beach storage, and I mounted a winch and wire to a post that I used as a tie up), I set up a double sided wire. I bought the wire at West Marine for the winch. About ten feet from the end, I had them splice a line to the left and one to the right. I added a hook to each one.

Take each wire and loop around the tramp and front cross bar (not the striker); there is a spot on my P-18 where there is room to run the wire through. Once done, I was able to winch the boat, with the stress being distributed to each side of the boat equally.

I had them put 75' of just wire on there so I could pull the boat up all the way from the surf line if the other guys on my beach had bailed out and I was all alone. It worked great and was very useful.

Sheldon

I use the dolphin striker to pull my boat back on the trailer. I do have a piece of plastic hose on the post (split to install) that is 1/2" shorted than the striker post. This keeps the tow rope up against the front crossbar, where it is strongest.
Jack

I have Hobie 14 Maxi with a steel ring anchored to a riveted fairlead below the mast on the front cross beam. I originally installed it to act as a guide for the barberhauler system. It has found dual use as I normally hook there for the winch up the trailer. I then switch the winch line to a hook up from under the trailer, around the front beam for towing.

Pat

I am not sure I get the dilemma? Why not attach to the forward beam? Personally, on my SC 17, I take the strap (not rope) from the trailer wench and go around the forward beam right next to the mast step (where there is an opening in the tramp)and hook it back on to itself (wench strap). It is a very solid attachment point, and I have no fear of breaking or deforming anything when I wench the boat on the trailer. Do you have a place to pass the strap thru the tramp near the center of it?... at the forward beam? I don’t have a dolphin striker on my boat, but even if I did, I would still opt to go around the front beam if the tramp allowed me to do so.

Regards,
Bob

Prindles have a one piece trampoline, so you can't wrap a line around the forward beam.
Jack

Hey Jack..

Actually my P-18 tramp has a little space right where it enters the forward track on the crossbar. That is where I used to thread my two wires to haul in the boat.

Sheldon

I still lift my nacra 5.2 up onto trailer off beach. I don't find it that difficult, it shouldn't weigh less than a prindle 18.