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Tractor To Launch My Lsv


vpracer

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Anyone every use a tractor to launch their boat with? I have a Kubota L3200 and a 08 LSV wakesetter and am hoping that tractor will be able to back/launch my boat. I've seen it done plenty at the local boat ramps but it seems as though the tractors are pretty good size. I really don't want to be the guy on America's funniest home video's either!!!!

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consider a back-up on the maiden trip?

something like the boat and tractor chained to a substantial vehicle to act as an anchor if needed?

if it acts good then i'd be tempted to toy w it a little bit while i still had that chained up anchor to see if it's boarder line go v no go?

good luck w it and do get some video; just in case.

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I'd say it's a medium ramp. I've been on steeper and I've been on flater ramps. It is a concrete ramp with grooves so traction shouldn't be a problem. Its a 4wheel drive tractor but it's only around 2k lbs. I just have a picture of the boat/trailer pulling it straight into the water. I suppose eventually the boat would float, removing all the weight. The ramp is on my property so it sure would be convenient to not bring a truck up there every time.

I'll make sure and post the video of the first launch. I'm sure my kids will be on the sidelines watching this thing go down.

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I have a buddy who uses a tractor to launch his 21' Calabria on a dirt ramp in the middle of winter with snow on the ground. Heres a video of them doing it. The tires are chained up & they have to chip ice to get to the water. I'm not sure what size tractor he uses but it is 4WD & the rear tires are almost 5' tall.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Besides having b---ls of steel to ride in those conditions, his tractor doesn't look all that much different than mine. Hum. His ramp does look flater though.

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You don't say if your trailer is single axle or dual.

Tractor 3-point hitches rarely have down pressure, they only are made to raise a load. Most will raise higher than where you set them if the load will raise up like on a single axle trailer suddenly tilting the tongue up. If the trailer tongue lifts up it will raise the 3-point as well since there is no pressure to stop the lift. A dual axle will work fine. If you have a single axle I would hitch it to the draw bar and not the 3-point.

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I would be more concerned about stopping than traction. So check your brakes. I have been on more than one tractor that was good at pulling but not so good at stopping on a hill...

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Trailer is a dual axle trailer and excellent point on the 3 pt hitch raising up. i added a chain that will hopefully keep the 3 pt hitch from raising up when the tongue weight shifts upward. i read a thread about a dump trailer being raised up and it made the 3pt lift up quickly. I just got enough water back in the lake to give it a try so hopefully this wknd i can put the boat in.

I am concerned about stopping the whole thing but seems like once the boat is in the water enough to float, the weight will be somewhat less, allowing the tractor to stop. i will chain up my truck to the front to make sure i can stop the whole thing though, just to be safe.

I have this trailer mover:

http://www.armstrongag.com/Prodimages/TM.pdf?#view=Fit

its very heavy duty.

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I have a buddy who uses a tractor to launch his 21' Calabria on a dirt ramp in the middle of winter with snow on the ground. Heres a video of them doing it. The tires are chained up & they have to chip ice to get to the water. I'm not sure what size tractor he uses but it is 4WD & the rear tires are almost 5' tall.

I have one question....WHY?? Does he do that regularly or was that just a one time thing for the novelty? That's just crazy!

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A tractor will tow and pull like crazy. They are made to control huge loads relative to their size due to the gear ratios. I would be comfortable with it but why not check with Kubota to see what kind of weight your model will handle on an angle? I used to use a little JD tractor to pull 20000 pounds of hay bales so a Bu should be fine with your rig.

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This is unreal, coming from someone who lives in TX, I can't even imagine that much snow! This guy is hard coreCrazy.gif

I have a buddy who uses a tractor to launch his 21' Calabria on a dirt ramp in the middle of winter with snow on the ground. Heres a video of them doing it. The tires are chained up & they have to chip ice to get to the water. I'm not sure what size tractor he uses but it is 4WD & the rear tires are almost 5' tall.

Ditto, brakes would be my concern as well. Would that weight of the boat/trailer pull the tractor in?

I would be more concerned about stopping than traction. So check your brakes. I have been on more than one tractor that was good at pulling but not so good at stopping on a hill...

Edited by srintx
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Most dealerships use tractors to move boats around. We used Kubotas and JD's with and w/o front wheel assist. Always chain the boat to the 3 point hitch, good to go.

Edited by Madmanacrossthewater
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I have one question....WHY?? Does he do that regularly or was that just a one time thing for the novelty? That's just crazy!

Why not? It's right there in the back yard. I'll post up some pics of paddleboarding on Sat for ya. We're in drysuits so it's not like we're freezing to death.

BTW, born & raised in Texas. Lived in Seattle later in life where we learned that if you didn't get out when the weather wasn't ideal, you might not get out at all.

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  • 3 weeks later...

For the doubters (ok yes i had a safety rope on the whole set up) here is the video of the tractor launch. It went off without a hitch. Love that Kubota. Sadly, my Chevy couldn't get traction on the gravel ramp area, so it'll be the tractors job to launch boats all summer.

My link

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For the doubters (ok yes i had a safety rope on the whole set up) here is the video of the tractor launch. It went off without a hitch. Love that Kubota. Sadly, my Chevy couldn't get traction on the gravel ramp area, so it'll be the tractors job to launch boats all summer.

My link

What happened to the 'launch'? your vid cuts it short before the boat is even floatin!

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I currently use a BobCat to load and unload at our launch ramp.....works great....Ball is mounted in the bucket so it loads up and down to accommodate for varying river heights.... plus it is MUCH easier to pull forward steering than to have to back up steering....I used my forklift (Yale All-Terrain) prior to the BobCat....

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why am i not allowed to watch the video at the begining of this thread of the old timer foiling in the winter?

I had the same problem

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