# Getting boat off of trailer for repairs



## SS-MINNOW (Jun 7, 2019)

Hey guys my boat has some damage that im tryi g to fix but i need to get it off of the trailer. I have no gantry or forklift its a bunk style trailer. 

Has anyone made there own jacks from scaffolding screws? Where should i try and jack up boat 

Also are my bunks in the correct location 
I know nothing about boats but lots about most other stuff


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

You can jack up the back and put a stand under it. Then do the same in the front and then pull trailer forward until you hit a crossmember, then do it again until you get enough room to work on the hole.

The hole: you have a problem if that was ever in the water. If not, then search on here for threads to fix it. Also go on youtube and find the poster boatworks today. He has a video on exactly how to fix it.


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## SS-MINNOW (Jun 7, 2019)

Well it was patched once but i was not happy with it. I paid 1200 for boat and trailer at dealer and the glass work was already done. I started picking at a corner and i could tell that there was little to no prep.work done . Once i peeled back a few layers i could shove my pocket knife right through the glass it was damp inside i drilles a hole at the bottom of the transom amd nothing came out. I cut out what i felt was de laminating . I shop vac it out i douched it with acetone and let it dry with a trouble light for added temp. I took a syringe and pumped some vynl ester resin in the hole and packed in biaxial cloth . Thats where im at in the pic


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Depending on how long it has been leaking the entire chunk of foam in there could be waterlogged. I hope not for you.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

That boat might be a bit heavy. My last boat I just removed motor, gas and console. Then flipped it over in the yard. Do as Ducknut suggested.


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## MooreMiller (Sep 10, 2016)

Not saying it’s right, but I’ve put floor jacks with a 2x6 under the hull and also flipped the hull over the the yard like Cpt Redfish has mentioned.


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

i have found a engine hoist to be best for this. You lift the boat up. To where just the front is touching. And you can pull the boat back manually. If your boat is light enough. Or you can chock the hoist. Slowly pull the trailer forward with your vehicle. Or the assistance of of few buds. There are a lot of these around. And I think they are on the loaner plan at most auto parts stores.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

2 ways. if the boats not too heavy, pull it back partway off the trailer (you can use a car to do this if you have to) until the rear tips down to the ground, then pull the trailer out from under and slowly lower the bow to the ground using the winch (better with 2 people). or as Ducknut said, pull it back several feet and put jackstands under it, move the trailer forward using blocks under the hull that you move each time you come to a cross member. put a single block under the keel at the bow. do not us CMU blocks. I know people do but they can fail very suddenly. if you work under the boat make sure someone is around.


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2019)

Hook the trailer to tow vehicle amd back up to a tree. Tie the boat to tree and pull forward 2’! This should give you ample room to make that repair. Before disconnecting trailer from tow vehicle chock the wheels and put jack stands or cribbing under rear of trailer.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Boatbrains said:


> Hook the trailer to tow vehicle amd back up to a tree. Tie the boat to tree and pull forward 2’! This should give you ample room to make that repair. Before disconnecting trailer from tow vehicle chock the wheels and put jack stands or cribbing under rear of trailer.


Watch your head for flying trailer tongue when you flip the release handle. Had a friefr do that with a load of wood and he slept right there for almost 3 hours because the tongue knocked him out.


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## SS-MINNOW (Jun 7, 2019)

I have her hooked to my kubota tractor. Up here in farm country everyone uses a hi-lift jack for alot of things. Got my butt beat by the handle when changing a front tire on a 4020 jd. But an extremely useful tool. I ended up stringing a log chain between 2 trees the using a lever chain hoist and a 4 in strap picked up the back of the boat. Neighbors just love me


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Boatbrains has it exactly right... and you can get the same effect by carefully jacking up each side of the transom (generous 2x4 or 2x6 between jack and hull as a pad...) then once the rear of the boat is supported off of the trailer you can pull the trailer forward - far as needed... I've even pulled the trailer 2/3 of the way our from under the hull - then supported the front end of the hull with concrete blocks and pieces of 2x6 before finally pulling the trailer completely out from under the hull which is fully supported fore and aft on blocks and wood.

To reverse the process set your trailer in front of the grounded hull and use your winch ( I cheat with a PowerWinch) to actually pull the trailer back under the hull - with the trailer attached to the tow vehicle and alternately loading the trailer a few inches - then backing up the tow vehicle a few inches - until the hull finally lifts off of the front blocks - then just keep winching until everything is back where it should be... You'll know you're almost done when the rear of the hull comes off of the rear blocks....

Give a bit of thought before you start this entire routine to exactly where you want your hull to be if you're pulling the trailer out from under it.... since that's where you'll be doing your hull work until whatever repair is completed (another of those ask me how I know routines...).

Hope this helps and somewhere my Dad (long gone) who was career Corps of Engineers is probably smiling since he taught me that there's always a way to make do when a job needs to get done - and you're the poor fool who has to figure out "how"...


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## RSC (Sep 28, 2016)

DuckNut said:


> You can jack up the back and put a stand under it. Then do the same in the front and then pull trailer forward until you hit a crossmember, then do it again until you get enough room to work on the hole.
> 
> The hole: you have a problem if that was ever in the water. If not, then search on here for threads to fix it. Also go on youtube and find the poster boatworks today. He has a video on exactly how to fix it.


Check our Carolina skiff owners .com / lots of helpful ideas there for this exact situation


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## SS-MINNOW (Jun 7, 2019)

RSC said:


> Check our Carolina skiff owners .com / lots of helpful ideas there for this exact situation


Site got closed down. Besides i like it here better


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## RSC (Sep 28, 2016)

SS-MINNOW said:


> Site got closed down. Besides i like it here better


Sorry did’t know it was shut down, haven’t been on it since I sold my Carolina skiff...Like it here better also..


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

SS-MINNOW said:


> Site got closed down. Besides i like it here better


We like you better as well.


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## Lakin Zoe (8 mo ago)

When you wanna lift a boat off a trailer, you can choose between two methods use the portable lift or the hydraulic jack. A portable lift makes it easy to unload a boat and lowers the chances of accidents and hurting yourself. Besides using the hydraulic jack is a method recommended for vessels 15 to 25 feet long.


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