Solo Launch

[lee dustin]

I'm looking for tips on launching and trailering my boat solo. I have a PT175 and I am comfortable launching the boat with the help of another person but have not ever done it on my own. Any help from experienced boaters will be appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help. I can't access the internet while at work so I'll have to see any responses tonight.



Thanks Again,



Lee

 

[fatrap]

My method is just back in so the back end is floating. Climb through the back of the truck onto the trailer. Fall off trailer into water. Climb back on trailer into boat motor off trailer, tie to dock remove vehicle and trailer to the parking lot.

Method two:

Hook long rope to cleat on boat. tie other end to dock. Back into ramp until boat floats off. Park rig in lot. Go to dock and reel in boat. Go fishing.

Method three: If ramp is busy. Ask the guy behind you to pull out your trailer and park it while you tie up.

fatrap

 

[Steve Robinson]

What about Solo recovering? What are your methods?

 

[Texas Transplant]

I launch an 18 foot fiberglass Stratos, by myself - quite often. Here is my process.



I'm not the most nimble of people, and tend to run to the large size (no snickering Trep). I have a launch rope with a snap-hook on it. It's a 50 footer, large diameter. I hook it to the bow eye, and then walk over and tie it off to a cleat on the launch dock. If no dock available (not generally the case though), I will tie it off to a tree/rock.



I back it in slowly, until the boat just floats off. I pull up out of the water, stop, and then go get my rope from the cleat and pull the boat to the ramp - tie it off, then park the truck/trailer. I have an SUV and have on occasion climbed through, but prefer not to do that. Most ramps here, would require me to get my feet wet otherwise.



On putting it back on, I will drive up on the trailer, secure the bow line and winch, and either go in the water, or sometimes go back through the vehicle. Getting 'down' off the bow can be a lot simpler for me that climbing up.



Tex

 

[Andrew Zuber]

I have a 'calibrated' piece of rope...

I connect it to the bow eye and to the trailer right at the winch (note: very important to connect BOTH ends of this rope!).

Drive the trailer in slowly...when the mighty TV-18 floats off the trailer, I drive slowly back up the ramp...with my 'calibrated' rope, the trailer is normally about 3 feet out of the water when the boat comes up on the ramp (ya gotta love an aluminum boat!!!)...

Taking it out, I park it somewhere...back in the trailer, then FLOAT it onto the trailer...once you get the knack on how far to back it in, it's cake...



If it's windy, all bets are off...ask for help!!!



az

 

[fatrap]

Solo recovery:

tie to dock

go get trailer. back in

go get boat. drive on trailer

climb off front of boat to back of truck

fall off into water

walk up ramp get into truck on pre positioned towel

drive to parking lot

change into clothes from the morning session that have been drying in truck all day.

fatrap

 

[joe haley]

hello my name is Joe Haley Ilive in O`Fallon Mo I`ve always enjoyed Bass fishing but because of medical reasons I am no longer allowed togo out in my boat which is 929 cdx dc with 225 opti so i will enjoy reading about yourtrips

 

[fatrap]

Joe

Tough break. Is the health thing permanent or a temporary setback. You gotta know somebody who can take you if that's possible.

fatrap

 

[Rocky Lohman2]

I keep the boat attached to the winch strap, but back the crank off 8 turns and lock the winch. Then I back the boat into the water until it just floats. Since I have a SUV not a Pickup, I have to walk around it and walk out on the trailer tongue ( have added safety tape to it), and start the outboard. Then I go up front, unclip the boat and back off the rest of the way and tie off to the dock. Finally I move the tow vehicle. Take about two minutes or less.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Welcome Joe,



Sorry you've had a tough break. I am temporarily in the same position it sucks. You should go to "New Message" and introduce yourself to everyone. A lot of people won;t read this thread.



Bill

 

[Michael Snow]

Y'all should just give me your boats .



Careful on "walking the plank" (trailer tongue). If you lose balance, don't try to keep it. Jump in. If you try to keep your balance, you might end up with one foot on one side and one on the other and a "Dorf!" moment you won't soon forget.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

For recovery I use the TM and drive it up onto the trailer and lift the TM right before it hit's the trailer crossbar/axle. That's the Jersey way of doing it cause most lakes are electric only. I cut a pair of my old wader so now they are knee high boots. Step off the bow onto the trailer, then into the waterand winch her up the rest of the way. Sounds long but after practice I can do all that in 3 minutes flat.



To launch, when by myself I do as the others and reverse into the water/launch, tie the rope to one cleat on the boat and the other to the dock or something close by and float the boat off, go park, and then retrieve your boat with the rope. In a pinch I ties to he trailer or my truck bed, but just remember that the boat is tied to it before you take off to park your truck:angry:

 

[Rich D]

Me and coordination don't get along. For loading, I went to Gander mountain and bought a $15 pair of hip boots for spring, fall. (Summer I wear shorts and sandals fishing) To launch I use the rope/float off method. To load, I walk in and pull it on the trailer.

 

[Jim in VA]

Lots of methods. Mine is similar to others for my PT 175. I have a length of line with a bow clip on one end and a caribbeaner on the other. I prep the boat for launch (away from the ramp!). As part of the prep, I unhook the bow eye from the winch strap and hook on the other line. Bow clip goes to the bow eye, caribbeaner goes onto the eye for the safety hook of the winch strap. I back the boat in until it floats off and SLOWLY pull forward until the front of the trailer is out of the water (going fast may cause the boat to follow just as quickly!). I then unhook and tie off to the dock or beach the boat.



To load, I reverse the procedure. I start off by tying to the dock, then back the trailer in. Since I'm not that skilled at the finer points of boat maneuvering, I generally guide the boat over to the trailer by hand and get the bow onto the right position on the trailer. I'll then power on (or winch up if the trailer is in deep enough) and hook up the winch strap (locking it down). Then I pull away and finish cleaning up. This method requires getting wet, but in warm weather its not so bad. In colder weather, this means using waders or hip boots.



Just take things slow and easy and you should be able to solo launch and retrieve with ease. Remember, you get to take your turn on the ramp like everyone else and so long as you are doing things as efficiently as possible, no one will mind you taking the time you need to properly load and unload. This does mean, of course, that prep and clean up should take place AWAY from the ramp.



Good luck

 

[cliff warren]

I was waiting on the ramp to clear up one day and watched a man tie the bow line off to the back of the trailer,not knowing what he was doing I watched carefully,he backed in the water boat floated off the trailer he pulled forward slowly ,untied bow line from the back of the trailer beached his boat ,parked his truck and away he went,Well that got me to thinking I know how to do that now,and knowing that I was going to have a weekday off from work I said to myself(self your going solo)Well getting the boat in the water went fine caught some fish and on the way back to this shallow boat ramp I was thinkin about how I was gonna do this being that I have a Tahoe not a pickup.To make a long story short I was trying to step around the bumper which didn't work slipped fell backwards busted my noggin and broke my arm,7 stitches in the back of my head,metal plate and 4 screws in my arm,all this the following week after I got the new boat.do you guys relize how much chin music my gave me for that one.

 

[Michael Snow]

Be careful about the sandals advice. They're great for the launch and load, but if you ever sunburn the tops of your feet, you won't soon do it again. I ain't sure it's any better than burning the twins... and I use my feet way more than the twins anyway.

 

[Rich D]

That's why they make sunscreen Snow! You only have to burn them once to remember to apply it on your feet!



Rich D

 

[TrepMan]

OK first Tex - on the size!!!



I don't use the rope trick, just take my time and with the PC 175 98% of the time just beach it next to the ramp and drive out/back.



Trep

 

[Rusty Williams]

Down here in Louisiana we have few *improved* boat launches. Have seen only a few with a dock. I usually just back trailer in until the rear of the boat is about to float then climb on bow and back boat off of trailer. Remember where your runners are in relation to the water for loading, then back trailer into the same posistion and drive boat onto trailer. After a little practice you should be able to do this in as little as 2 minutes.

 

[Dan J.]

I've used this method to launch alone on just about all types of boats I've worked on, used or owned:



Before backing down, unhook bow snap and let winch unwind while walking back to middle of trailer fender. Re-attach loose, measured and locked bow line to boat and back down ramp slowly. (Make sure motor is trimmed/jacked up.) When boat floats off of bunks, slowly pull forward. This should center the bow eye between the fenders with the pre-measured winch line locked. Release winch strap a turn or two to slack the snap to be unhooked. (Depending on angle of ramp, try pulling up to where the top of fender can be stepped on directly or within a step or two of the trailer frame.) Step onto fender top then bow of boat. Unhook winch line at bow eye and dock boat. Winch up free line and park tow vehicle. Go fishing!



I've used this method on 32' Party Cruisers and 16' Guide V's alike. After doing it a few times, it'll be like second nature. Be careful and good luck!

 

[Joe G]

i have a 175pt heres what to do to make it quick and you wont get wet . back down ramp till tops of trailer tires are level with water or a little deeperer fire up your out board and back off tralier tie to dock. on returning put trailer in same postion as lauching but not any deeper then just drive up trailer raise motor climb out front of boat on to tounge then pull out

 

[Shannon Daves]

Before I back down ramp I get everything ready. Put plug in, hook 25' rope to boat eye and other end to winch cable. I lock winch in "free position" and unhook winch from boat eye. Back down the ramp and boat floats itself off trailer. Now, you have to use some caution when pulling up ramp because if you do it too fast it'll pull the boat too hard and come into ramp too hard. After I pull up where the trailer is out of the water I take hold of rope and pull boat to whereever I want it. Go park and away I go.



Loading: Unless it is crowded I beach or tie off and go get truck trailer and then drive boat on trailer.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Teddy showed me how to do a "tournament launch" once. He got everything unhooked, backed down the ramp a a pretty good clip. slammed on the brakes and shot his 929 off of the trailer into the lake.



How did he get his boat you ask?





He came over and got into my boat and said, "Mr. Hammer, take me to my boat"LOL!!



By that time it was a good 50 yards out into the lake!!



TOXIC

 

[Bob G.]

I launch and load like Firescooby all of the time when I fish by myself.



Bob G.

 

[Larry Harp]

I saw a thing on the local news about a year ago that we all could use. A retired engineer here in the OKC area invented a remote control boat trailer. Powered by a golf cart motor, driving the wheel on the front like a jack wheel but with a bigger tire, it will back you down the ramp, after you are in the water you just drive the trailer by remote control back up the ramp and park it. When you are ready to trailer the boat you just do everything in reverse and the trailer gives you and your boat a ride back to the parking lot. I can't believe it hasn't caught on especially on higher end boats where the added cost wouldn't seem as signifigant.



Harpo