Powrlaunch System (Now Sold)

[Peter Cockerton]

Prompted by reading the posts on trailers and maximum load weights i had my Bayraider GRP weighed at the local weighbridge, 840 kg, shock horror so Joybell and trailer is on a diet.

The main culprit i think is the Powrwheel electric trailer mover which i fitted a couple of years ago, very, very reluctantly i'm going to have to manage without it so it's up for sale on Ebay.

If you could make use of it and don't have a problem with trailer weight it's a very useful bit of kit, below is the Ebay words i have used to advertise it.

£450.00

12 Volt boat launcher and recovery system.
This youtube video explains all there is to know about the system
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JheEd8Ey2k

Installation is straight forward, the link below takes you to the instructions.

http://www.powrwheel.com/support/PDF-other/Powrlaunch%20Instruction%20Manual.pdf
 
Or type powrwheel (no "E" after the w) into Google.

 The unit is fully functional.

    These units cost £1400 originally, this one is several years old now, the motor cans have been hammerite painted this year, the other parts hammerite two years ago.

    The Powrlaunch system allows you to move your boat in and out of the water effortlessly. It enables your boat trailer to be moved without the aid of a towing vehicle in and out of the water so you do not have to reverse your car into salt water every time you want to launch and recover your boat.

    The powrlaunch system allows you to launch your boat singlehandedly with safety and ease,No need to have a person in the boat while another parks the car

    The remote control handset can work in distances of up to 30 metres giving you the ability to control your boat trailer safely and accurately from the shore or from the boat while keeping your feet dry.

    Works over grass,gravel,concrete,paving or tarmac.


    Powrlaunch utilizes two 12v motors with reduction gearboxes that can be driven independently for maximum manoveurabilty. The motors are mounted on subframes that clamp to the trailer chassis not requiring welding or drilling of the chassis.

    The trailer movement is remotely controlled by a handset by simply pressing one of the clearly maked buttons on the handset the trailer can be moved in any direction and turned in its own axis if required.


    Braking is completely automatic and occurs immediately the finger is removed from the handset


Call me on 07774 111112 if you have any questions.

Peter Cockerton

[Jonathan Stuart]

Ouch, I think Peter takes the award for the most over-weight unbraked trailer....unless anyone can beat 840kg?!!!!

[Graham W]

Powrlaunch plus battery and electrics = about 60kg?

Given my recent bearing problems I'm going to get mine weighed with the normal load aboard (oars, lifevest or two, first aid box, fenders, warps etc etc).

[Peter Cockerton]

Jonathon

Of all the recognitions to get, i get the most overweight un-braked trailer. Well following several visits to slimmer’s world Joybells and trailer has lost somewhere in the region of 126 kg in under a week so perhaps she is due for a more prestigious award.

As Graham has pointed out the removal of the powrwheel motors, fixing brackets, electrics board and support post, battery carrier and fixing brackets took around 72 kg off straight away.

I have weighed all the other items which i removed first with a hope that i could keep my beloved mover but this only amounted to 28 kg. Some of the items would have to be carried in the car,

Main Sail 5 kg
Spinnaker 3 kg
Main Boom 7 kg
Electric outboard and small battery 10 kg
Rowing Plank 3 kg
Mast raising kit 5 kg
Small battery for instruments 3 kg

Other items removed to go back on the boat now
Forepeak fill in panel 5 kg
Oars 4 kg
Outboard main tank 3 kg

This will take the boat and trailer to 736 kg, "still sailing close to the wind"
I consider myself very lucky that i wasn't stopped before this weight reduction as the fine could have been 100 kg @100 per kg that's £10, 000 plus having to pay for a low loader to take the boat away.

I assumed wrongly that i had around 130 kg balance after taking the weight of the trailer and GRP boat. Not sure why the numbers don't add up.

Peter

[Jonathan Stuart]

Peter,

OK, Joybells is definitely slimmer of the week :-)!

Don't you also have a Bramber trailer which, allegedly has 60kg more capacity, i.e. less weight, than the CLH? Of course, that's assuming that the trailer manufacturers' info is correct.

The design weight of the BRe is only 20kg more than the BR20, so when I heard of the weight issues with BRes I did wonder whether a greater than planned difference in design weights was the issue or if GRP BR20s are also heavier than specified. Based on no evidence other than my gut feeling, I suspect it's a mix of the two.

[Peter Cockerton]

Jonathon

Trailer is a Bramber, the plate states Gross Weight 750 kg, the Max Load is 590 kg.
If Bayraider 20 GRP is 465 kg (not sure what that includes) i should have around 125 kg less whatever is not included in the declared weight.

Peter

[Graham W]

Taking most extras out of my GRP BR20, including motor, anchor and warps but leaving in the booms, mizzen mast, yard, oars, three sails and spare wheel, I weighed in at exactly 750kg on the trailer.  I have a feed mill down the road that will weigh vehicles for £5 a go, 24 hours a day.

My Honda CRV with two passengers and their normal airline luggage, plus the above items removed from the boat and the trailer nose weight, only has additional carrying capacity of 130kg - the weight of two small adults.

[Andy Dingle]

With a Wood Epoxy BR20 I am quietly sniggering in the back ground ...

(tee hee..!)

[Peter Cockerton]

Taking most extras out of my GRP BR20, including motor, anchor and warps but leaving in the booms, mizzen mast, yard, oars, three sails and spare wheel, I weighed in at exactly 750kg on the trailer.  I have a feed mill down the road that will weigh vehicles for £5 a go, 24 hours a day.

My Honda CRV with two passengers and their normal airline luggage, plus the above items removed from the boat and the trailer nose weight, only has additional carrying capacity of 130kg - the weight of two small adults.

Graham

Is your trailer a Bramber with 590 max load suggesting the trailer weight is 160 kg . If not what does the plate say for maximum load.

If it is a Bramber the same as mine i can work on  carrying the same items as you in the boat.

Peter

[Graham W]

If it is a Bramber the same as mine i can work on  carrying the same items as you in the boat.

Peter,

No it's a CLH.  The certification label says the GVW is 750kg but unhelpfully, the capacity has been left blank.

[Jonathan Stuart]

According to Matt, CLH told him that their trailers weigh 220kg. That is just what CLH said and I don't believe Matt has been able to verify that.

[Matthew P]

According to Mrs Peacock's bathroom scales (never known to over-state weight)  I can save the following on Gladys Bramber trailer gross weight:

6Kg  Spare wheel*  - carry in center of car behind driver seat.  Also avoids theft worry.
2Kg  Spare wheel bracket* - not required - see above
4Kg  Jockey wheel* - carry in car, also prevents it being naughty and dropping onto the road while towing
4Kg (estimated) Number steel tube plate extension arms - replaced by glass fibre tubes mounted on the boat transom with the number plate about a meter above the road just behind the rudder.

16Kg Total

* Yes I know, tow bar weight has to be maintained within specified limits to avoid snaking so I check this.

The outboard always lies on its side at the front of my car boot and I leave it half an hour after mounting in the boat in the hope that the oil and petrol find there way to where they should be before I start it.  Probably taking a risk with starting and running but as well as reducing trailer weight I prefer not to have a big lump levering up and down on the hull structure so far behind the trailer support rollers.  But regardless of weight the external petrol always travels tied into the boat, out of sight but not in an enclosed locker, because I think it is safer - but someone might correct me on this.

If I was to have the choice again I would spend the extra and specify a braked trailer with 13inch wheels.  This worked very well with my old Drascombe Coaster which I am guessing was much heavier but was as easy to launch as Gladys.  Thanks to Mr Pi the little 10inch wheels must have to rotate a lot faster than 13inch with consequent tyre and bearing wear. 

Matthew
Gladys BR20 GRP