Looking for opinions

I don't understand your need to hook up and crank it on the trailer......I back my trailer in the water and leave the top thee inches of my trailer fenders out of water.....I drive the boat on and walk to the front of the boat and lean over and hook it up....most of the time my boat is against the bow roller.....sometimes I might have to winch it one foot.

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Originally Posted by windstone

i do the same as cowboy and there is no problem what so ever. my rope is about thirty feet long and i tie it to the winch handle when unloading. if you take it real easy and just float your boat off and wait til the slack is out you can ease up enough to get out and gently pull your boat to shore. it is the loading that can get tricky and dangerous if you walk the plank to hook up and crank it on trailer. in the summer time i just wade out there and get it. winter time calls for my knee high snake boots on the lakes i fish, maybe hip boots if you don't have a very good ramp...........

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Originally Posted by "G"

I don't understand your need to hook up and crank it on the trailer......I back my trailer in the water and leave the top thee inches of my trailer fenders out of water.....I drive the boat on and walk to the front of the boat and lean over and hook it up....most of the time my boat is against the bow roller.....sometimes I might have to winch it one foot.

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I have arthritis plus the lower 5 vertrbre are frozen together, very little motion in lower back..getting down ain't a problem,,just turn all holds a'loose..getting back up is a major hurdle..left knee is gone,,right one is on its way,,,but hey,,other than that,,I'm great. There are lots of folks in the nursing homes that are in better physical shape than me..lol

I load the same way as you, getting into the boat from the trailer tongue is a major hurdle, (when fishing alone) Getting out of the trailer is a note worthy show after sitting basicly motionless for hours...Thats also why I am on here at strange hours, I hurt/can't sleep but a couple hours at a stretch..but I ain't complaining...just trying to make life a little simplier for me.

My hat's off to you, Xring! Sounds like just getting in and out of the water is a chore for you. I think a lot of us just take it for granted because we don't have physical limitations like you have. Hope you get a ramp or walkway built onto your trailer as I don't even like to picture you trying to walk the tongue of your trailer taking your boat out! Good luck! Thumbs Up

i don't know G. could be the way my boat and trailer are set up, but more than likely me not positioning everything just right.. i just can't get the nose of my boat that close to do as you do....may need to run a little faster on my approach. got to work on it as i mainly fish during the week and by myself.

You can use sheet metal to make your walkway,10in. wide,lay in front of boat hatch all the way to truck hatch,lay behind boat hatch all the way to cross member on trailer,use U-bolts to bolt it on.

Luckily, on Bull Shoals there is a dock adjcent to most launches. Even where there are none, the water is quite deep, and my boat floats easily. So I use a line to retrieve my boat, I just tie it to the hitch. When the boat floats free, I pull it up on the shore. Where there is a dock, I use a spring line attached to the cleats fore and aft, with a hauling line in the middle. I launch the boat to float free, then pull it to the dock with the spring line. Makes it fairly easy for this old dog too.

:D...I built one out of diamond plate aluminum and it works great!!!!

I thank you,,one all for your replies, your suggestions, and I will incorporate alot of those idea's to my application..I'll try to post a photo when its complete, but right now,,them dang crappie are hungry and its my job to try to offer them some little tibbit to gnaw on!!!