Launching/recovering '07 X-30

[btriantos]

I'm having a hell of a time finding the right conditions to launch and recover my new X-30. Launching, (with only 3-4 people in the boat), having my GF bring the truck bumper practically to the water, and literally powering off the trailer. I'm in so deep, that the trailer is floating! (yes, all tie downs and bow hook are off). I have to have a couple people practically muscle the backend off using leverage against the guideposts. On recovery, she is not that deep ("V" on trailer about a foot exposed, wheel wells, covered in water) I get on the trailer and it stops 3-4 feet short of the boat buddy. I have to have her come a little deeper to get the damn thing up enough, but still have to use quite a bit of power to engage and capture the boat buddy. I'm no rookie to this, as I have been boating for the last nine years... taking absolute pride in my launch and recover apptitude. But since we got the x-30, I feel like a moron. It is easy to launch by having nobody in the boat and simply pushing it off the trailer and tying it up a the dock, but I hate having to do that because I am conscience of the other boaters and the time held up at the dock. Any suggestions? What am I doing wrong?

[wakeX2wake]

its hard to imagine that you're floating the trailer... is it an original mastercraft trailer? i've never heard of anything even close to this... for any kind of boat... on every brand of inboard i've ever been on it's a simple let the boat float a bit and reverse off the trailer... and loading is as simple as putting the fenders just under the water and running it up slowly then putting the boat in gear w/ idle up a bit and winching it into place

[dummy]

I've got a 230VRS and the factory MC trailer. I used what I read on this site to help dial in my launching. For me, I launch with the top of the trailer fenders (above the forward wheels) just barely beneath the water. I undo the bow hook and the wife pulls the boat off the trailer with no drama. For loading, I leave the top of the trailer fenders above the forward tires just barely above the water. Having the trailer a little higher out of the water when loading helps the keel make better contact with the rollers and prevents the boat from going sideways throught the guide poles.

Of course, the steepness of the boat ramp, the height of your tow rig, amount of drop on your trailer ball hitch, etc all come into play. Here's how my rig sits. I may invest in a hitch with another inch or two of drop to help keep from smacking the prop guard on the trailer. The resulting change in trailer angle would probably necessitate not putting the trailer in as deep when launching/recovering.

[btriantos]

Originally Posted by wakeX2wake

its hard to imagine that you're floating the trailer... is it an original mastercraft trailer? i've never heard of anything even close to this... for any kind of boat... on every brand of inboard i've ever been on it's a simple let the boat float a bit and reverse off the trailer... and loading is as simple as putting the fenders just under the water and running it up slowly then putting the boat in gear w/ idle up a bit and winching it into place

Yes, that's my typical MO, but this sucker is a challenge. So, I start to reverse off the trailer and the whole trailer swings to the right (it's floating).... She's deep, the back end is floating, but almost appears "stuck" to the trailer. I get in the boat from the bow, in knee deep water (when GF is having problems backing the rig). I realease the bow hook, and the boats drops and goes out a couple of inches. The ramp is not that shallow, in fact, I'd say it's more on the steep side.

[btriantos]

My sits exactly like this on the trailer..

[Sodar]

Bow eye getting stuck on the V-block?

[btriantos]

Very possible..I haven't noticed that yet.

[dummy]

Originally Posted by Sodar

Bow eye getting stuck on the V-block?

That was my thought. If the trailer is too deep (or if the ramp has a shallow drop) mine ALWAYS hangs up on the V block.

[btriantos]

What do you do for the correction? Here, I was thinking I need to get deeper, but from the sounds of it I should do the opposite..right?

[Sodar]

Originally Posted by btriantos

What do you do for the correction? Here, I was thinking I need to get deeper, but from the sounds of it I should do the opposite..right?

Exactly. You are W-A-Y too deep.