"One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniques??

[SeaKaye12]

We've all seen the lone fisherman who pulls up to the ramp and with little fuss goes about launching his boat with no help.<br /><br />Some of you have it down to a science...and I was thinking that readers here might like to have you share your experiences/ tips/ techniques/cautions with them. I know I would.<br /><br />While launching is relatively easy when you have two or three people to help guide the trailer and tend to lines...it can be quite a challenge when you have to do it yourself.<br /><br />Post away People...and thanks for reading!<br /><br />Chuck

 

[cart7]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Launching - Tie a rope from front bow cleat to rear of trailer and let it hang along side the boat. Back the boat into the water until the boat floats free of the trailer and takes out all the slack in the line. Now, slowly pull forward pulling the boat to shore. Beach or tie off the boat at courtesy dock, park truck and proceed to enjoy a day on the lake.<br /><br />Trailering - Back trailer into the water. Get boat that's beached or at courtesy dock and drive it onto the trailer. Attach winch line an snug. Get out of boat get in truck and pull out.<br /><br />Easy really.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

I launch solo all the time. Easiest with an open bed pickup and side bunks/guides on the trailer to prevent any sideways movement. Set the trailer deep (and set the parking brake!) so you don't need to use the winch. Now go get the boat and idle the boat right up onto the trailer till the bow bumps the front roller/stop. Leave boat in gear so it's pushing against the front stop while you reach over the bow and hook up and snug the winch. Go back to the cockpit, neutral/cut ignition/raise the motor. Jump out from the bow of the boat into the truck bed, walk forward and jump off of the side of the bed onto dry ground with dry feet, drive out.

 

[tommays]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

number one thing i allways get ready in and out of the way place and then move to the ramp with my bilge blower running so i dont waste time waiting for it to clear any fumes <br /><br />i get two good fenders ready that i can flip over the side after i back off the trailer and allways have a bow and stern line ready and untangled<br /><br />start the motor warm up about 1 min back off and we have a coupple of docks that dont block off the ramp so i move there a quick tie up and the trailer is out of the way in about 3-4 minutes tops <br /><br />if my wifes there she parks the trailer and it takes very littel time<br /><br />tommays

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

When launching solo, make sure that all of your gear is in the boat prior to decending to the launch ramp, also remove the transom straps and transom saver, insert boat plug.<br /><br />You may now proceed to the launching of your boat, back the boat and trailer as far back as you can go without the back wheels of the tow vehicle getting wet. <br /><br />Apply emergency brakes and put vehicle into park.<br /><br />Lower your engine, start it, now remove the bow strap and take your boat and secure it to the dock.<br /><br />Immediately go and remove your tow vehicle and give someone else the opportunity to launch their boat.<br /><br />Get back to your boat quickily before someone else decides to make good use of it for you.<br /><br />Now go fishing or whatever else it is that you do, give the next person a chance to use the dock.<br /><br />For those who would like to stand around and chat, you are in the wrong place.<br /><br />Try Dockside chat at www.iboats.com

 

[CATransplant]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

A lot depends on your boat and trailer design. Getting the trailer positioned at the right depth helps both launch and retrieve. For my boat, I launch deep, but retrieve with the trailer a lot shallower, since the boat needs to be on the keel rollers for most of the load, when the bunks take over. <br /><br />It took me a few tries to get that right, but now, I'm never more than 5 minutes on the ramp itself.<br /><br />I use a 50' bow line, but no stern line. Once the boat is off the trailer or when I'm returning to the dock. I take a couple of turns around the dock cleat or pole nearest the bow, then run the rope back and take a couple of turns around my transom cleat, then tie off to the dock cleat nearest the stern. It's easy to cast off single-handed that way.<br /><br />If it's busy, I push the boat past the end of the dock and tie up on the off side to help the next guy. If not, I tie up on the near side.<br /><br />I don't power load, ever. It's frowned upon at the lake I frequent, since it digs holes just behind the ramp.<br /><br />Most important of all is doing all your prep away from the ramp, both on launch and retrieve. The only thing I do after winching the boat up is attach a safety strap to the bow eye to supplement the winch strap. Then it's back to the parking lot to prep for towing.<br /><br />To prevent stupid human tricks on launch, I have a set sequence I always use in the setup area, and then double check before pulling onto the actual ramp:<br /><br />1. Remove and stow transom saver, using tilt pin to keep motor tilted.<br />2. Remove and stow gunwale strap.<br />3. Install plug or check that it is installed.<br />4. Put gas tank in place in stern, attach fuel hose to engine, and pump firm.<br />5. Check battery connections. (I always push the choke knob and listen for the click, too.)<br />6. Check and stow any fishing gear, PFDs, and any other gear.<br />7. Make sure bow rope is attached and not tangled.<br />8. Check all previous 7 steps one more time. This is even more important if you're not launching solo, since other people can be distracting.<br /><br />9. Launch and enjoy the day!

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Everyone has a diferent method. Here's mine, born out of much trial and error and a lot of messups.<br /><br />Prep boat before launch, and release all tiedowns, as has been said!<br /><br />Back down so that trailer is in the water and vehicle is on the dry. <br />Hook prepared length of rope with loop-spliced eyes at both ends to trailer, lower trailer bogey wheel and unhook trailer. Hook other end of rope to ballhitch and guide trailer into deeper water.<br /><br />On my boat I have two thin lines. One is around 60 ft, permanently attached to the bow eye and hand held at its other end. The second line runs from the stern cleat to the first line, and is spliced into the first line about 6ft away from the bow eye. As the boat floats off, the line is long enough for me to hold it and walk onto the dock. Once on the dock I can feed the line through my hands until I reach the second line, which is in fact a loop from bow to stern. With this line I can pull and also steer the boat until I get clear of the ramp and tie it to a shore shackle.<br /><br />Park the trailer/vehicle, and go to sea.<br /><br />Recovery is the reverse. I drive onto the trailer, pull it out of the water on the towrope and rehitch on the flat. The vehicle never gets wet, and neither do I.<br /><br />Occasionally I mess up, but mostly this goes like clockwork, because I can almost do it in my sleep! Love to glance sideways a the ‘experts’ who mumble comments between themselves as I perform!

 

[Mark42]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Take your time.<br /><br />Take your time.<br /><br />Take your time.<br /><br />I never mess up when I take my time.

 

[Solittle]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

A lot of what I do in launching my 23'er is covered above. Two things - watch the wind and current as you approach the ramp area. Choose the ramp so that the wind or current will move the boat to the dock & not away from it. The other thing is that I do not power on or off the trailer. If it does not screw up the ramp it sure stirs up the water and crud on the bottom.

 

[monoshock]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

I think if you can, go to the ramp at an off time, maybe on weekdays and practice. I think this would be helpful. Most boats/trailer combos are a little different and you will just have to learn what works best for you loading and unloading. A wheel chock would be good also, I have used one when working solo before, when pulling out after loading the boat, I use a piece of rope tied to the chock and just drag it along side the tow vehicle until you are on flat ground.

 

[monoshock]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Sorry,copy.

 

[BillP]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

For launching I tie the bow line to the trailer where the winch is mounted and give enough slack to let it ride off the trailer. Then I back down to where the boat just floats and hit the brakes. The boat slides off and the bow line contains it. Then I get out of the car, walk the boat around to the dock and tie it up.<br /><br />For pulling out I dip the trailer just deep enough to get the boat floated 2/3s of the way. Then I hook the strap up and winch the boat in...maybe 5'. The ramps where I normally launch are too shallow to dip the trailer deep enough to drive all the way up to the winch pad. My auto's front wheels would be wet!

 

[Holdimhook]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

quote:<br />________________________________________________<br /> originally posted by Mark42<br />Take your time.<br /><br />Take your time.<br /><br />Take your time.<br /><br />I never mess up when I take my time.<br />_________________________________________________<br /><br />Only thing I can add is: PREPARE! lines, dock fenders, plugs, straps, etc. Get the mental checklist down and have things ready before you approach the ramp; both unloading and loading.

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Most people can get it off the trailer. Come back hours later and you find a STRONG wind at your back or from the side. You should have praticed mornings and nights in increasingly stronger winds a lot of times. FULL length guide on boards are a must for wind & current retreives to be done in 1 or 2 tries. If you do have a bad day of not being able to get on the trailer and someone barks a remark at you, bark back. "Help me or shut up". I found that gets them to help or shut up. As a last resort in a bad current or wind. Dock the boat, back the trailer at a severe angle to make the job easier.---------------------------- This is the best post topic of the year.

 

[robpoe]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

That was the problem I had with my last outing. STRONG wind to my back, and waves coming in (inland freshwater lake). Boat kept going sideways on the trailer.<br /><br />Had some nice lady (who could drive my Toyota 4Runner Automatic) pull it back a little so I could straighten the boat on the trailer, then pulled it out while I steadied the boat.<br /><br />I was so thankful she was there.

 

[Downeastah]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

My launch ramp is a 16' wide concrete ramp with NO DOCK errrr! Up here I have a 20' to 25 foot tide to deal with. My system relys on no delays to work. With tides climbing up to 4 foot vertical per hour you can't stop to chat. My boat works best with a clockwise preflight around the boat to unhook lights, lift the motor off its stop, starboard tiedown, drain plug, port tiedown back in truck down the ramp til three inches of fender showing, get out push boat off trailer pull back in on the lee of the trailers slightly beach (how far I pull up depends on if tide is coming or going) zip up ramp park and lock and scurry back down ramp load dog and wade in slightly to trim down motor and check that the girl will start and shove off.<br /><br />On return it is a reverse with power load of the boat. My ramp silts up bad so cleaning the ramp is a "good thing". snug winch and safty pull up and a counter clockwise reverse of the pre flight.<br /><br />By the way I alway leave my 25' bow line streched up the ramp when I leave the boat which has saved me a time or two.

 

[dakotashooter2]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

When loading a boat in a side wind if you have a transom mount trolling motor it sometimes helps to turn it to push or hold the stern into the wind while you hop out and pull the rig out of the water.

 

[txswinner]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Always blow up the boat before dragging it to the water. Throw it out and dive in after it.

 

[txswinner]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniqu

Honestly, I feel the same way about boating I do about swimming and never go alone. You guys need to be nice, make friends.

 

[dooma_Flatchy]

Re: "One Man Shows" at the Launch Ramp...Share your Tips and Techniques??

I had rather do my launching myself without any help. It messes up my system.

Before backing boat down the ramp I have it ready to launch( gear in boat transom straps, plug, bow rope attached to the trailer) back trailer down ramp watch for the boat to start floating, get out get rope, pull boat to dock, tie off boat, park vehicle and trailer, go to dock get in boat use trolling motor to move away from ramp and go from there in that order. 3 to 4 minutes tops.