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Fleet Admiral
- Joined
- May 26, 2009
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Re: How do you launch your boat with one person?
welcome to Iboats, Psycho. what you see here are lots of answers for many different questions, a couple may answer yours. But people tend to give advice from their experience/perspective, and assume your boat and ramp are like theirs, adn theirs is "normal". Tain't so.
First, we don't know your ramp. Are there docks? long lines of impatient know-it-alls and incompetents? Can you tie to a dock for 5 minutes while you park, or not? Wind, waves and current an issue?
Second, a 16' boat on a roller trailer is a pretty easy deal, but it still has its challenges. A 12' may be easier. A 24' cabin cruiser on bunks will be harder. You now have advice for several rigs. Look for the ones that pertain to you.
One thing generally true is that it is harder to retrieve than to launch, so think through that process, too.
I think the real follow-up question is: are there people there who are willing to help you? Some ramps are deserted; some are packed with rude people who just want you out of the way, some are busy with fellow boaters and family-types who are more than glad to help. Hopefully yours is the latter, or deserted.
the fact that you mentioned the 9 year old suggests your question is also, what to do with her. The first thing is: the trailer/ramp thing is busy and dangerous so you need her to be safe in one place the whole time. Depending on the child and the ramp situation, that may be in the boat; it may be in the car with you the whole time. But do get her involved at an early age as soon she will be helping more. And if you do have to leave the boat "in the way" and she's cute and can say "My daddy will be right back and we're going fishing just him and me!" then even the meanest geezer will cut you some slack.
welcome to Iboats, Psycho. what you see here are lots of answers for many different questions, a couple may answer yours. But people tend to give advice from their experience/perspective, and assume your boat and ramp are like theirs, adn theirs is "normal". Tain't so.
First, we don't know your ramp. Are there docks? long lines of impatient know-it-alls and incompetents? Can you tie to a dock for 5 minutes while you park, or not? Wind, waves and current an issue?
Second, a 16' boat on a roller trailer is a pretty easy deal, but it still has its challenges. A 12' may be easier. A 24' cabin cruiser on bunks will be harder. You now have advice for several rigs. Look for the ones that pertain to you.
One thing generally true is that it is harder to retrieve than to launch, so think through that process, too.
I think the real follow-up question is: are there people there who are willing to help you? Some ramps are deserted; some are packed with rude people who just want you out of the way, some are busy with fellow boaters and family-types who are more than glad to help. Hopefully yours is the latter, or deserted.
the fact that you mentioned the 9 year old suggests your question is also, what to do with her. The first thing is: the trailer/ramp thing is busy and dangerous so you need her to be safe in one place the whole time. Depending on the child and the ramp situation, that may be in the boat; it may be in the car with you the whole time. But do get her involved at an early age as soon she will be helping more. And if you do have to leave the boat "in the way" and she's cute and can say "My daddy will be right back and we're going fishing just him and me!" then even the meanest geezer will cut you some slack.