Getting Boat on Trailer

[RedOwl]

I feel pretty comfortable launching a boat on a finished/public ramp, but do you have any words of advice/warning for launching on an unfinished ramp?

We like to boat up in Northern WI and some of the boat landings are nothing more than an area where they've carved out the shoreline a little bit and removed most of the rocks and logs from your path.

Is it unwise to launch an inboard at a ramp like that? If you've done it, how do you alter your launching procedure?

[SacRiverRat]

Nothing irritates me more than seeing one person of a multiperson vehicle doing all of the work and delaying me,

Well maybe you should relax or get to the water earlier Not everyone has the luxury of having a partner that wants to do that.

Of course if they hog up precious space, and tie up the ramp, I understand. At least all the places we go, there is enough room to briefy tie up a boat near the end of the dock, leaving plenty of space for someone else to launch while the driver parks and quickly returns to the boat.

[Sunsetter95]

Nothing irritates me more than seeing one person of a multiperson vehicle doing all of the work and delaying me,

Well maybe you should relax or get to the water earlier Not everyone has the luxury of having a partner that wants to do that.

Of course if they hog up precious space, and tie up the ramp, I understand. At least all the places we go, there is enough room to briefy tie up a boat near the end of the dock, leaving plenty of space for someone else to launch while the driver parks and quickly returns to the boat.

I agree... if the ramp is not busy. I don't even think I have mouring lines on my boat because we never tie it up anywhere. I think the last time I tied up to another boat, he had bumpers and lines.

[areamike]

and above all remember boat ramp launch etiquette

Edited March 27, 2008 by areamike

[footnlongline]

something that really chaps me when I am the guy waiting on them. So teach your wife & friends to help you, and trust them to do their part so the process goes smoothly & quickly.

AMEN to that. My wife sits in the boat, I unhook then back her in, she fires up the boat and away she goes. 30 sec. max and I'm out of there. On the load, she drops me off then pulls away while I get the truck. Then I back in with my buddy clip set, she drives on until the pin fires thru the bow ring and away we go. 1 minute max. The boat launches where we go are very busy and I get annoyed when folks tie up like they are the only ones around. If everyone would learn the proper way to launch and load the world would be a much better place.

[Gunslinger]

There is a lot of good advice here, both unloading and unloading. Here is another long one.

A few things I didnt see were paying attention to the wind and current (if there is any) and planning to deal with it ahead of time. The mention of the boat "moving to the right" when in gear is called "Stern Walk" and is due to the pitch and rotation of the prop. It will do it forward and reverse. I turn my boat (counter clockwise) within it's own length just using the forward/reverse in and out of gear. Once you get the boat off the trailer, spend some time away from things and practice going REAL slow. Learn how it "walks." Find a bouy or something you can manuver around (something that gives and doesnt scratch). A thing to remember, your boat will not turn until there is water flowing over the rudder. To do that you have to be moving, especially when in reverse. Getting the boat in motion, taking it out of gear, and using the rudder takes patience and practice.

Getting onto the trailer was the hardest for me. I come in at an angle, to the left of the trailer (lining up the left rear of the trailer with the right rear of the truck), aiming for the middle of the trailer. Usually, with a bit of forward steam (3-5kts). As the bow comes across the rear of the trailer, reverse throttle pulls the stern to the right, into line. Turning to the right (to counter the sternwalk) and adding throttle puts me right on the money. If there is a wind/current from one side to the other, drive it onto the trailer into the wind/current. If things go sideways, facing the wind is better than being pushed into somthing else. ALWAYS have some fenders ready, if not already attached and in the boat (so you can just toss them over the side and they will be where the need to be. ALWAYS have a fender ready to put between your boat and the "something" else (never use your body). I spent a few years practicing in the Coast Guard (sucks when you have to repaint what you scratch- so you learn not to scratch/dent). Spend the time, as I said earlier, just getting used to the throttle and rudder. Time spent there will pay off later. Nothing like watching the new guy (my brother in law for example) trying to muscle his boat around (it cost him) . Time in the boat and doing it is what is going to make you better and more confident.

[Sunsetter95]

There is a lot of good advice here, both unloading and unloading. Here is another long one.

A few things I didnt see were paying attention to the wind and current (if there is any) and planning to deal with it ahead of time. The mention of the boat "moving to the right" when in gear is called "Stern Walk" and is due to the pitch and rotation of the prop. It will do it forward and reverse. I turn my boat (counter clockwise) within it's own length just using the forward/reverse in and out of gear. Once you get the boat off the trailer, spend some time away from things and practice going REAL slow. Learn how it "walks." Find a bouy or something you can manuver around (something that gives and doesnt scratch). A thing to remember, your boat will not turn until there is water flowing over the rudder. To do that you have to be moving, especially when in reverse. Getting the boat in motion, taking it out of gear, and using the rudder takes patience and practice.

Getting onto the trailer was the hardest for me. I come in at an angle, to the left of the trailer (lining up the left rear of the trailer with the right rear of the truck), aiming for the middle of the trailer. Usually, with a bit of forward steam (3-5kts). As the bow comes across the rear of the trailer, reverse throttle pulls the stern to the right, into line. Turning to the right (to counter the sternwalk) and adding throttle puts me right on the money. If there is a wind/current from one side to the other, drive it onto the trailer into the wind/current. If things go sideways, facing the wind is better than being pushed into somthing else. ALWAYS have some fenders ready, if not already attached and in the boat (so you can just toss them over the side and they will be where the need to be. ALWAYS have a fender ready to put between your boat and the "something" else (never use your body). I spent a few years practicing in the Coast Guard (sucks when you have to repaint what you scratch- so you learn not to scratch/dent). Spend the time, as I said earlier, just getting used to the throttle and rudder. Time spent there will pay off later. Nothing like watching the new guy (my brother in law for example) trying to muscle his boat around (it cost him) . Time in the boat and doing it is what is going to make you better and more confident.

Well said Gunslinger

[auto]

Nothing irritates me more than seeing one person of a multiperson vehicle doing all of the work and delaying me,

Well maybe you should relax or get to the water earlier Not everyone has the luxury of having a partner that wants to do that.

Very few people beat me to the water, however when I am rolling off the lake, wally is just getting to the ramp. I woud not consider it a luxury, but a necessity in a boating family.

Tying up the UNLOADING dock is a way of life with single taskmaster. One thing that always shocks the non-workers in the boat(s) blocking the UNLOADING dock is when the chica jumps onto their boat to get to the dock, the look on faces is priceless

Like the chica says, how hard it is going backward down a ramp?

Edited March 31, 2008 by auto

[VLXRonnie]

Nothing irritates me more than seeing one person of a multiperson vehicle doing all of the work and delaying me,

Well maybe you should relax or get to the water earlier Not everyone has the luxury of having a partner that wants to do that.

Very few people beat me to the water, however when I am rolling off the lake, wally is just getting to the ramp. I woud not consider it a luxury, but a necessity in a boating family.

Tying up the UNLOADING dock is a way of life with single taskmaster. One thing that always shocks the non-workers in the boat(s) blocking the UNLOADING dock is when the chica jumps onto their boat to get to the dock, the look on faces is priceless

Like the chica says, how hard it is going backward down a ramp?

I remember last year we had to do the same. Lake Berryessa was super busy and this guy was trying very hard to back his boat down the ramp. Luckily I was already in the water and was walking down to the ramp to get in my boat. As I pass I could tell this guy is starting to get frustrated and was looking for help. Unfortunately his buddies were non-at all . So being the good samaritan, I start instructing him which way to turn the wheel while I walked next to his truck backing down the ramp. After two tries I just offered to drive it myself. I got his boat in the water the fun didn't stop there. His buddy was trying to guide the boat with a dock line and decided to get in the boat. Long story short he did the splits and fell into the lake right in front of us between the boat and the ramp . But after we got his buddy out of the water and tied their boat up to the dock we hightailed it out of there. We did not want to be anywhere around that ramp when they started to maneuver their boat. Moral of the story is practice, practice, and practice. Just not a a busy ramp on a holiday weekend.

[Bill_AirJunky]

and above all remember boat ramp launch etiquette

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Great. Thanks Mike. That video was taken at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. Not our regular ramp but I'll probably see Mr Methodical Man at least once this year.

BTW, SacRiverRat, I wish the ramps we used were as big as yours. But the fact is that this is a small town with small lakes, and small ramps. At the Liberty Lake ramp, there is enough room that if Mr Methodical Man ties his boat to the ramp, no one can use the ramp while he's parking his truck. And there are only like 10 parking spaces in the lower ramp. So if their full, it's going to be a while before he gets back. Nevertheless, he'll instruct his wife & kids to hold the boat there & wait for him to return. And inevitably we'll see the same family do this several times over the course of a year.

It gets bad enough some times, I've been known to use the beach to launch or pick up the boat. Usually blows the guy away. Two years ago I showed up & another guy had seen us do this & decided to do the same with his Ford E100 van & fishing boat. He promptly got stuck. So now we have both the ramp & the beach blocked by a pair of matching knuckleheads. I ended up pulling his van & boat out of the sand that day.

Sometimes it's just a never ending comedy of errors.

Edited April 3, 2008 by Bill_AirJunky

[areamike]

I feel for all you ramp warriors. I am a little more fortunate and live on a lake that I can keep my boat on a lift all season. I only see the ramp once to drop in and once to pull out twice a year. Kinda like sex after my marriage.

[auto]

I feel for all you ramp warriors. I am a little more fortunate and live on a lake that I can keep my boat on a lift all season. I only see the ramp once to drop in and once to pull out twice a year. Kinda like sex after my marriage.

Now that is funny.

Mostly nowadays, I hang at a place where all the people using the ramp are on their game and have never waited for incompetence.

[Tahoe07]

I've been power loading & unloading boat for years without any issues. Recently local laws have been put in place that forbid power loading & unloading on some ramps. Others don't have issues.

Also, different ramps are different degrees of steepness.

And then my own property is not a ramp, but really just a sandy beach that we launch from.

Because of all these variables, my process tends to change to fit the situation. If it's not very steep, I'll unhook early & back in till the boat is floating. If I have a friend in the boat & know the ramp, I'll back in & hit the brakes so it pushes the boat off the trailer. If it's a steep ramp or I'm not 100% familiar with it, I leave the boat hooked up till I'm at the water's edge, then unhook & back the rest of the way in. Then we'll back the boat out of everyone's way so the ramp is clear, returning only to pick up the truck driver.

Loading is much the same. Back in till the fenders are at the water's surface, then power on to the trailer. If the local ramp doesn't allow power loading, then we'll winch load the last foot or two. Then hook up the safety cable. But it's most important to approach the trailer slow enough that you can back out if there is a problem, yet fast enough that waves & currents don't effect you much. Keep in mind the bunks & guides will help you align the boat on the trailer.

Last summer when I was looking at boats, we looked at a Vride where the owner was so cautious that he pulled the boat on & off the trailer with mooring lines, and kept the boat at the dock while he was parking the truck, blocking the ramp the entire time. I guess if he can't load & unload right, this is the best way to keep the boat in pristine condition. But it was time consuming & blocked the ramp for a good 10 minutes....... something that really chaps me when I am the guy waiting on them. So teach your wife & friends to help you, and trust them to do their part so the process goes smoothly & quickly.

[SC Fam]

Thank you all so much. I've learned a ton by listening to each of you. I did my first "solo" unload/load last weekend, and nobody died nor did anyone have to wait on me. I damn near scratched another guy's boat, but it turned out to be a near miss. That is really embarrassing when you are in your freakin' kazillion dollar new Malibu and the other guy is an obvious veteran with a well used boat...makes you feel very small. Anyway, this weekend I'm heading to the local boat ramp and practice loading and unloading (water temp is still below 50, so very very low traffic at our local lake....).

Thanks again guys.

Cheers,

Steve