The trick I have for lining the boat up on the trailer (taking it out of the water) is to look way beyond the car... Look very far ahead, thru your truck/car if you can and pick a centering point...
do not drive onto the trailer, try to drive it over the trailer, thru your car and up to that point you are looking at way out in the distance...
your peripheral vision will work wonders for you, but you have to trust it... if you start looking at the trailer wheels your done...
Wind is a factor for sure, makes it way harder... but the same trick works.
How do you launch solo?
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Wallyboss
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- Location: Carlsbad Springs
I made my own side bunks when I had a trailer for my 14footer. Go to Princess Auto get metal strapping about half inch thick and 2 inches wide. Then you stick one end of it in between some deck boards on your deck and you shape it so that you can bolt them with square brackets ,put 2 on each sides and then a carpet covered 2x4 between both of them. and then you bend them so your boat fits tight and in the middle.
I usually tie the rope to the winch also then back up until the boat floats away.
What I had problems with at first with my new boat was to put it back on, but now I know what I was doing wrong , I was backing the trailer too much in to the water. now i just slowly guide the bow in then give a bit of gas and I let it settle then I give it a bit of gas and look on my back window to see if it is centered and if it is then I give more gas to drive the boat up right to the front roller then I let the gas on a bit so the boat doesn't slide back down. I kneel at the bow reach down and hook the winch hook and tighten it.
I usually tie the rope to the winch also then back up until the boat floats away.
What I had problems with at first with my new boat was to put it back on, but now I know what I was doing wrong , I was backing the trailer too much in to the water. now i just slowly guide the bow in then give a bit of gas and I let it settle then I give it a bit of gas and look on my back window to see if it is centered and if it is then I give more gas to drive the boat up right to the front roller then I let the gas on a bit so the boat doesn't slide back down. I kneel at the bow reach down and hook the winch hook and tighten it.
When hell freezes over, I'll be there icefishing!!!
If you can't stand behind our troops,
Please feel free to stand in front of them!!!
Experience is that marvellous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again
If you can't stand behind our troops,
Please feel free to stand in front of them!!!
Experience is that marvellous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again
I also launch solo most of the time.
Make sure you have the boat key before you leave
at the launch undue the rear straps/buckle and transome saver
check plug, make sure batteries are connected
roll down windows and open back hatch/door
back the boat down the ramp until the bunks are still showing
put van/car in park and apply parking brake,
if the current is going the correct way (where you want the boat to end up)
attach rope to front eye and don't let go of it, undo winch strap and chain from boat
now the fun part, push the boat off the trailer until it just clears the bunks wait a few seconds for the current to move the boat, pull back the boat and tie to dock or beach on shore.
if the current is going the wrong way walk along the tongue and hop in the boat, lower the engine enough to get it in the water and start it. go to the bow and unhook from the trailer, push off if you can, then reverse, if not just reverse the boat off the trailer. Tie up to dock or beach. Go park vehicle.
As for getting back on the trailer when done.
roll down windows and open back hatch/door
back the boat down the ramp until the bunks are still showing
put van/car in park and apply parking brake,
if you are at a dock that is blocked from the current, you can attach a rope to the front eye and walk the boat onto the trailer close enough to hook up the winch strap to wind it up and chain and drive away
without a dock, drive the boat back on the trailer until it is close enough for you to grab the winch strap and it is not being pulled by the current. raise engine and turn off
hook up winch strap walk up the tongue enough not to get wet and winch up the boat, then chain. walk thru vehicle if the water is too deep.
drive up and away from the ramp and and do up straps and saver.
Most of this can be done in about 3 minutes to launch and 2 out, sometimes it seems like the longest part is getting back to your boat make sure not to leave expensive things showing in you boat that can be taken when you go to and from your vehicle.
If you are bringing a 9 year old they can hold the rope and watch the boat when you park, I have a 5 and a 6 year old and thats what they do. Children love to help, just make sure you can see them at all times when moving boats and trailers around. A life jacket for the children whenever they are near the water gives you piece of mind.
Good luck, and it gets easier everytime.
Make sure you have the boat key before you leave
at the launch undue the rear straps/buckle and transome saver
check plug, make sure batteries are connected
roll down windows and open back hatch/door
back the boat down the ramp until the bunks are still showing
put van/car in park and apply parking brake,
if the current is going the correct way (where you want the boat to end up)
attach rope to front eye and don't let go of it, undo winch strap and chain from boat
now the fun part, push the boat off the trailer until it just clears the bunks wait a few seconds for the current to move the boat, pull back the boat and tie to dock or beach on shore.
if the current is going the wrong way walk along the tongue and hop in the boat, lower the engine enough to get it in the water and start it. go to the bow and unhook from the trailer, push off if you can, then reverse, if not just reverse the boat off the trailer. Tie up to dock or beach. Go park vehicle.
As for getting back on the trailer when done.
roll down windows and open back hatch/door
back the boat down the ramp until the bunks are still showing
put van/car in park and apply parking brake,
if you are at a dock that is blocked from the current, you can attach a rope to the front eye and walk the boat onto the trailer close enough to hook up the winch strap to wind it up and chain and drive away
without a dock, drive the boat back on the trailer until it is close enough for you to grab the winch strap and it is not being pulled by the current. raise engine and turn off
hook up winch strap walk up the tongue enough not to get wet and winch up the boat, then chain. walk thru vehicle if the water is too deep.
drive up and away from the ramp and and do up straps and saver.
Most of this can be done in about 3 minutes to launch and 2 out, sometimes it seems like the longest part is getting back to your boat make sure not to leave expensive things showing in you boat that can be taken when you go to and from your vehicle.
If you are bringing a 9 year old they can hold the rope and watch the boat when you park, I have a 5 and a 6 year old and thats what they do. Children love to help, just make sure you can see them at all times when moving boats and trailers around. A life jacket for the children whenever they are near the water gives you piece of mind.
Good luck, and it gets easier everytime.
wen i was using my boats i was doing it..solo for 75% off the time.
long rope..no prob..sometime get the fett wet a bit but hey fishing is a wet sport.
so yep long rop attche to the trailer and just stop wen the boat is clear off the trailer and fully floathing.
and yes at 9 y.o old anaught to old a rope..i was luanching a boat alone by then truly...and use my 9.9...mabe not a great ideal then..
but still dont it and my friends to..had a 50hp boat by 12 y.o..ho well good old time..was fun but not sher about so smart.
joco
long rope..no prob..sometime get the fett wet a bit but hey fishing is a wet sport.
so yep long rop attche to the trailer and just stop wen the boat is clear off the trailer and fully floathing.
and yes at 9 y.o old anaught to old a rope..i was luanching a boat alone by then truly...and use my 9.9...mabe not a great ideal then..
but still dont it and my friends to..had a 50hp boat by 12 y.o..ho well good old time..was fun but not sher about so smart.
joco
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Bass Addict
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 4536
- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:47 pm
- Location: I'm keeping an EYE on Fish-Hawk
1.Hook long rope on to eye at front of boat.....
2.I just keep backing up the car until I see water coming in the rear doors , by this time the boat is just floating off the trailer...
3.Storm out of the water until boat runs aground and practically rips my arm off....
Now for getting the boat back on the trailer , well you don't want to be around for this fiasco
2.I just keep backing up the car until I see water coming in the rear doors , by this time the boat is just floating off the trailer...
3.Storm out of the water until boat runs aground and practically rips my arm off....
Now for getting the boat back on the trailer , well you don't want to be around for this fiasco
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FisherLife420
- Participant
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:06 am
I just loosen the winch, back in abit to float the boat off, tie it up or maybe have to anchor it on shore if there's no dock or nothing to tie to.
Then go park.
For trailering, side bunks make a HUGE difference... HUGE! Especially if its windy and wavy.
They can be home-made easily as per WallyBoss's method. I'm going to use that way to make some for my buddy's boat. Thanks!
I've seen PVC pipe with metal pipe inside used as a guide too. Just a couple of pieces at the back standing straight up and a couple more further forward do the trick as well.
Then go park.
For trailering, side bunks make a HUGE difference... HUGE! Especially if its windy and wavy.
They can be home-made easily as per WallyBoss's method. I'm going to use that way to make some for my buddy's boat. Thanks!
I've seen PVC pipe with metal pipe inside used as a guide too. Just a couple of pieces at the back standing straight up and a couple more further forward do the trick as well.
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DropShotr
- Gold Participant
- Posts: 1716
- Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:06 am
- Location: At home....waiting for bass season.
This is how I do it.RobM wrote:I tied the rope to the winch bracket on the trailer. That way even if there is a strong wind or current my boat won't take off. I like having it tied to something solid, even though I have plenty of rope.
Buy yourself 40-50ft of quality marine rope. Tie a bowline knot http://www.tollesburysc.co.uk/Knots/Bowline.htm just big enough to fit through your front cleat and keep it attached to the front cleat all season. I pull all the line out just prior to launch and layer it back on the front deck, checking for tangles in the line that would stop it from paying out properly. After that it's tied to the winch bracket. As soon as the boat floats off the trailer I pull ahead enough to get the trailer tires at the waters edge. Then its a simple matter of getting out of the truck, removing the line from the winch bracket, and securing the boat to a dock or pull it back to shore. No wet feet launching....ever.
This piece of advice is a gem!!!Moosebunk wrote:It's funny, but even when I have someone with me I just want them to stand back... both when launching and trailering.
Different boats make for different challenges I guess.
I drive the boat onto the trailer. Everyone has different boat/trailer combos, so specific information may or may not be of realavence. Regardless, remember to trim your motor up before trailer approach. A bit of Dawn dish soap makes carpet bunks a bit more slipery and the boat loads onto the trailer easier.
Good luck,
DropShot'r
I don't get up early to fish. By the time I get to the ramp the wind is blowin. The ramp I use most often the wind is usually blowing into shore.
I simply unhook the boat and back her in, pull out and park.
But usually by the time I walk down to the ramp the boat drifts into shore. It's a picnic area and there are usually spectators. You should hear the laughs when they see the boat drifting out untethered. 
But I come sauntering down 
just as it drifts in. One day a guy said "now that was cool" 
BTW I don't reccomend this technique and accidently discovered it one day when I did forget to tether it. 
Since I now have a glass boat I don't do it anymore. Luckily I never had to go swimming.
I simply unhook the boat and back her in, pull out and park.
But usually by the time I walk down to the ramp the boat drifts into shore. It's a picnic area and there are usually spectators. You should hear the laughs when they see the boat drifting out untethered. But I come sauntering down just as it drifts in. One day a guy said "now that was cool" BTW I don't reccomend this technique
and accidently discovered it one day when I did forget to tether it. Since I now have a glass boat I don't do it anymore. Luckily I never had to go swimming.I launch alone all the time, because my kids do not have the patience to fish. I have a rope permanently looped to the eye(where the winch hook attaches to) on my boat. On the other end is a loop premade into the rope. I loop that around the spring release lever on my jack of my trailer. Then I just back up. I get out of my car and pull it to shore. It works everytime. Never had any problems.
Without the side bunks, it is a pain to center the boat. Maybe try backing in just so that your rear center roller is half underwater. You may have to get a little wet and pull a bit, but if your boat is only a small aluminum, it shouldn't be a problem. You could even attach your winch to it and crank it up. It should come up fairly straight.
Without the side bunks, it is a pain to center the boat. Maybe try backing in just so that your rear center roller is half underwater. You may have to get a little wet and pull a bit, but if your boat is only a small aluminum, it shouldn't be a problem. You could even attach your winch to it and crank it up. It should come up fairly straight.
Last edited by waynerb66 on Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
First of all great thread Jay , I do the same as most,I tie the rope on the front end of the boat and release the chain leaving the winch still attached,
As soon as the boat floats off the bunks I grab the rope and give it a push to make sure it's clear of the trailer .I then Tie it to the dock or pull it into shore depending on the launch.
Jay you'll want to be careful where you tie the rope on your boat when launching with another person holding the rope. A few years back I launched here in montreal tieing the rope to the plate at the very front of the boat. At the time I would back up quickly and hit the brakes hard to quickly release the boat,worked well many times until one day the water was low and the boat lurched of the end of the concrete.
The plate the rope was tied to came down and smashed into the winch assembly breaking the plate off at the rivets and setting the boat free.
From then on I've tied the rope to the ring where the winch attaches to and backed up very slowly.
Ron
, I do the same as most,I tie the rope on the front end of the boat and release the chain leaving the winch still attached, As soon as the boat floats off the bunks I grab the rope and give it a push to make sure it's clear of the trailer .I then Tie it to the dock or pull it into shore depending on the launch.
Jay you'll want to be careful where you tie the rope on your boat when launching with another person holding the rope. A few years back I launched here in montreal tieing the rope to the plate at the very front of the boat. At the time I would back up quickly and hit the brakes hard to quickly release the boat,worked well many times until one day the water was low and the boat lurched of the end of the concrete.
The plate the rope was tied to came down and smashed into the winch assembly breaking the plate off at the rivets and setting the boat free.
From then on I've tied the rope to the ring where the winch attaches to and backed up very slowly. Ron
Yes this is a GREAT thread
First thing I find interesting is the talk about trailering, maybe I am just lucky or perhaps I was able to gain confidence early in my boat ownership but I have always driven my boat onto the trailer with great ease. What I see most people doing wrong is the trailer is too deep. It takes practice and confidence but the bunk should just be touching the water and 95% out of the water and once you are lined up and a couple of feet off of the trailer gun her and she'll go up no probs.
I think what I may try is really no different than how I launch now...I drive my boat off of the trailer...so with soem practice and confidence I think I can back it in just the right amount with out it floating off and then hop in and drive it off.
A 115HP sure can come in handy
First thing I find interesting is the talk about trailering, maybe I am just lucky or perhaps I was able to gain confidence early in my boat ownership but I have always driven my boat onto the trailer with great ease. What I see most people doing wrong is the trailer is too deep. It takes practice and confidence but the bunk should just be touching the water and 95% out of the water and once you are lined up and a couple of feet off of the trailer gun her and she'll go up no probs.
I think what I may try is really no different than how I launch now...I drive my boat off of the trailer...so with soem practice and confidence I think I can back it in just the right amount with out it floating off and then hop in and drive it off.
A 115HP sure can come in handy