Launching boats at moreton.

[anglermatt]

Would like some advice on lauching a 6m boat at cowan cowan on moreton island if anyone has and advice please. Thanks

[PADDLES]

is it on a "normal" trailer (not extended for beach launching) and being towed by a 4wd (not a tractor)?

if the answer is yes then i'd probably launch down behind the wrecks where the water shelves off a bit deeper closer to the beach. up along the beach the drop is a fair way out and there's a good amount of shallow water between the shore and the deeper water. how heavy is your boat? can it be winched onto the trailer from the ground or very shallow water? otherwise you're going to have to back your trailer and car right into the water. any west in the wind will make it hell to get back on the trailer as well because there'll be 1-2 foot waves.

are you an experienced beach launcher? i'm not myself but we've got friends over there who are and they pick their tides very carefully and also don't mind getting their cars wet. their boats are only light 5m boats too.

[marto78]

We have only ever launched smaller boats around the 3 - 4m mark at Moreton anything bigger then 5m we usually launch at Nudgee at just anchor it out the front of the campsite. Its definetly a lot easier and cheaper then the barge and sand tracks.
Thats just my opinion but if you are actually staying in a house at Cowan I can see the reluctance to leave your boat out the front.
cheers Marto

[Pretzil]

We have launched our 6m plate centre console at the wrecks, it is a bit more expensive but since u cant buy fuel on the island any more (tell me if thats changed yet) it was a better idea for us. Also, when the wind gets up its good to be able to pull it out of the water so you arent up all night worrying about it dragging.

We found it best to do it in a spot where the water drops off quickly (barge point) and we could drive straight up to the trailer, or have someone in the boat when we launched it and float it off.

[Midnight]

Gday Matt,
The advice given so far is good re launching down near the wrecks where it does drop off quickly. Otherwise in Easterly wind conditions just about anywhere will be ok if you can back it well in into the water.

I see your biggest issue being, trying to tow your boat and trailer up into the Cowan bypass track off the beach. The entrance to the track closest to town on the southern side (at the northern end of the airstrip) is very steep, deep and a tight turn to get a 4wd and 6m boat up.

Check it out if you are not familiar with the track there.

There are a few moorings out the front of Cowan these days too, maybe look into using someone's for the time you are there.

Cheers,
Myles

[White Pointer]

G'day,

I guess this is an extended stay holiday and you want car, camping gear as well as BMT on the island.

I also have a 6M boat with 175HP on the back and the fuel burn for the 40 minute crossing to Cowan Cowan will be a lot less than the cost of the ferry crossing plus the cost of lugging the BMT across sand.

I suggest that you launch at Scarborough and then leave the trailer somewhere and just take the car across on the ferry.

If you must take car plus BMT you really need a trailer extension. I can help you out with storing the trailer at Scarborough and with a trailer extension, if you don't have one and our trailer's main chassis members are the same size.

PM me if you want a hand.

Regards,

White Pointer