Trailer launching a 500 off the shoreline

geriksen

geriksen

New Member
Jul 24, 2007
378
Austin TX
Boat Info
98 500 Sundancer
Engines
6V92 DDEC Detroits
Our lake is so low this is what we have to resort to.
This is our shop launching my 98 500 Da last week
here is a link to a small photo gallery
That's me in the brown jacket.
We do this almost every day. Pulling them out this way is even more fun.
I built a whole fleet of these trailers that are set up for "drive on"
You have to get every one just perfect so you don't tag a propeller.


http://gallery.me.com/eriksen12#100037
 
Now I see a good use for a 10 ton army truck. We bought one to set out trailers, a little on the large side for log trailers.
 
That's effin crazy...
There's no upright "guides" on the trailer- how do you get her centered properly when driving on?
Sounds like a tremendous amount of work- don't you have to adjust the bunks to every boat?
 
It is a tremendous amount of work and we have to be very careful when wet loading. The trailers are all set up with large openings in the center to allow room for shafts and struts.
I take pictures of every boat we load and haul so that I know where the bow of the boat needs to be relative to the trailer when we wet load the same boat again.
If you look at the picture that looks back up the hill, you can see where we normally launch at the top of the hill.
When we get to the top of the hill it takes us a good 5min of slow backwards crawling to to get down to the bottom. It's a long, steep climb going up too.
I have two travelifts that we use for loading and unloading but you can see why they are useless at the water for us. Our lake goes up and down so dramatically the "well" would never be in the right place.
I know they guys in Atlanta are having the same problems.
You should have seen us do the 580SSS!
Truckwise, the gentleman is correct. That is a 10Ton military truck. We also have a 5Ton and a 2.5 ton (deuce and a half)
 
A 42 Chris Battlewagon.....in a LAKE? I know Texas does everything bigger but that is either a bit over the top or you have some meanass bass in that place!!! ;-)
 
dpmulvey said:
A 42 Chris Battlewagon.....in a LAKE? I know Texas does everything bigger but that is either a bit over the top or you have some meanass bass in that place!!! ;-)
Click to expand...


LOL- I'd like to have seen it with double-spreader riggers trolling teasers and and a six-lure spread around the lake...that would have the bass guys scratching their heads.

Seriously, from the vantage point of those pictures it looks like a tiny lake- my first impression was that you were launching a Destroyer into a bathtub... What lake is that and how large is it?
 
That is great!!!

No tie down straps to the bow? I could not imagine having one of those slide of the trailer.
 
tobnpr said:
LOL- I'd like to have seen it with double-spreader riggers trolling teasers and and a six-lure spread around the lake...that would have the bass guys scratching their heads.

Seriously, from the vantage point of those pictures it looks like a tiny lake- my first impression was that you were launching a Destroyer into a bathtub... What lake is that and how large is it?
Click to expand...

I had a lot of fun with the Battlewagon. It was great for the parade of lights. ;-)
And the tower had a whole new purpose on our lake. We are on Lake Travis. It is 68 miles long but it is so low right now it looks like a ditch. We are praying for rain!

the Chris Craft was my project. It took four years to rebuild. I traded it for the 400DA that I am trying to sell. The 500 is to keep. I liked my first one.

Here is the Chris Craft project photo gallery. The short version.... and you can see our lake here too.

http://gallery.me.com/eriksen12#100014
 
dpmulvey said:
A 42 Chris Battlewagon.....in a LAKE? I know Texas does everything bigger but that is either a bit over the top or you have some meanass bass in that place!!! ;-)
Click to expand...

I even had a fighting chair for it! That was one muscular boat.
I could care less about fishing. I just love that kind of boat and wanted the folks on the lake to experience one. The first day i rolled into the party cove with that boat it got a standing ovation. I swear, it was crazy. everyone loved it. It just left for Houston two days ago on a truck. It will be raising some marlin soon. ;-)
 
That looks like a lot of work! Salt water is a bitch, but at least ocean and bay is always full.
 
uh, Frank..., haven't you heard, Algore says the ocean levels are no longer stable.
 
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