Keeping dry feet while launching by yourself

[Jim Marshall]

The discussion on loading has got me to wondering if I'm launching in a typical way when fishing alone.



I do all the normal stuff, like plug, tie-downs, etc. while waiting in line. Then I unhook and unwind the strap until it's extended out about 7 feet or so. I rehook the strap to the eye and coil the loose strap up on the bow. I back in until boat floats off, then GENTLY ease out of the water a few feet. The nose of the boat is resting on the end of the trailer.



I've got those Westbar ramps on the trailer, so I "walk down the trailer," unhook the strap, dock the boat, park the truck and I'm done.



I busted a taillight one time trying to figure out how far to float the boat off of the trailer, but now I know how much loose strap to spool out, and marked that spot with a Sharpie on the strap.



Nothing works on a ramp that's not steep enough, but this method has worked in most cases. If you've found a better system, I'm all ears!



Jim

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Sounds just like what I do Jim, but I use a rope tied to a cleat and the dock myself. Have got the rope caught up backing in, so I may try your method now.

 

[Bill McElroy]

I just use a rope and cleat and tie off to the dock....if there is no dock,..then i back in until i see the transom float,,..STOP..unhook the bow strap,..hop in the boat,..back off the trailer and beach the boat off to the side,..pull the trailer out and park it. Done deal.

 

[Ken Neeley]

What Mac meant to say was:



Find the rope, trip in the coil. Rub my shin and dance around screaming for 5 minutes.

Back in until the transom floats...get out while forgetting to put the gearshift in park...dive back into the truck in the nick of time..slam my head on the gearshift and dance around the launch screaming for 5 minutes.

Hop in boat, trip over the rope again and wind up with my a** in the air and my head in the livewell.

Start the boat, beach it, park the truck. Done deal.

 

[Bill P]

Macs way is the way to do it, minus the painful antics that Ken describes. I use to hook a rope to the bow eye, and let it float off the trailer, but I found if it was really windy, you couldn't beach the boat where you needed to, most of the time. If it's deep enough, then float the transom, and drive it off the trailer, or you can push it off, while your climbing in, and use the trolling motor to beach it where you want to.

 

[Ken Neeley]

Bill,

I agree...the few times when I can't find company to go fishing, I do it like Mac also.

 

[Mark Hofman]

I do it exactly like Bill. No rope, just a charged trolling motor battery and a well-set emergency brake. One heave-ho off the trailer, one knee on the gunwale as it floats off and climb in. Drop the TM and motor off to the dock or beach.



This doesn't work real well if, however, if a strong wind is coming over the transom.

 

[Brian Feist]

I too tie off to the dock or large stationary object near the launch and gently back up until the boat leaves the trailer. I also don't hesitate to ask bystanders for assistance if there are any near-by, especially if they are waiting for me to launch ahead of them.



In reverse, I find it difficult to load my boat on to the trailer without getting wet. I normally take a pair of sandals with me when it's warmer and just wade in to line up my boat. However, when the water gets too cold for comfort, I break out the hip boots.

 

[stan jones]

i have a rope thats long enough to loop around my winch i leave the rope long enough to pull the trailer out enough to grab it without getting my feet wet and the boat doesn't get to the end before i grab it. stan

 

[Carli Drake]

Use wadders! I do! Okay so I'm not a cowboy errrr cowgirl, but my feet are dry! I drove on the trailer a few times until one trip to Champlain and saw a guy put his Ranger thru the back window of his pickup truck! Another guy I know did the same thing (drove thru his pickup) the following year! It doesn't take me any more time to crank on/off my boat than it does anyone driving it on.

When I go to tournaments, Stan (post above this one), or one of the other guys usually puts me in or pulls me out.



Carli

 

[TrepMan]

I do it like Mac except with bungee cords instead of rope. I have the Westbar walking ramps too, great invention. I just back her down till the rear of the boat starts to float. Put van in park w/parking break on and take KEYS out of van! Climb in on the ramp, start her up, take her to the dock and come back and get the van. If water is down, just beach her and pull out. Same thing loading her, I do powerload and then climb up front, hook up the winch hook and out I go. There have been a few times when the water was too low that I opened the back of the van up to climb thru (both ways) to avoid getting wet. I'm just too afraid to use the rope and dump method, I could just see me forgetting to tie the rope to the trailer and away she'd float.



Oh and DONT FORGET to turn your vehicle off and TAKE THE KEYS with you. I used to let my wife's truck idle in park (with parking break on) when we lived in houston and fished Galveston bay. That is until that fateful trip with the wife as I expertly backed the truck/trailer down the ramp, left her running with the parking break on and then expertly LOCKED the doors to the truck with it RUNNING! Yes my wife was there watching and it took quite a while to work the coat hanger to pop open the electric locks on that Chevy S10. So from then on I did 2 things - 1st I have an extra key to each vehicle in my wallet at all times, and 2nd ALWAYS turn the vehicle off and TAKE THE KEYS!.

 

[Mike Watson]

I've got a rope with a heavy clip at each end. One clip to the bow eye the other clip to the safty strap eye on the trailer. Back the trailer in until the boat floats off. I have enough rope where the boat doesn't come off too far but far enough to float. Unclip the rope from the saftey eye and pull the boat to the dock/beach. Park the truck and trailer.

 

[C C]

I do exactly what Mike W does and it works everytime like a charm. Getting the boat loaded sometimes with a busy ramp is not always a dry event, but I don't mind getting my feet wet once in a while.



Cass