Looking for opinions

[xring]

I'm thinking seriously of building a step to aid in my getting into the boat when I launch alone...I normally walk the plank (trailer frame) some distance back before my boat well float free,,then try to climb in the boat off the terailer frame,,ya'll following me?

I have a piece of stadium seat, extruded aluminum, 1 1/2" thick by 9 1/2" wide, my idea is to keep it close to the trailer frame,,but make it 6" higher than the trailer frame...a needed step for a old man with bad knees,,back,,,come to think of it,,everything is bad...EVERYTHING...lol

Looking at the boat on trailer, I don't think it would be possible for the keel of the boat to get to the step or the side either, the loading rails would prevent it,,I think............can I get some opinions????

Oh,,I don't bolt nuthin on,,it will be welded to frame of trailer...a freshly painted trailer with pin stripes and triton decals....so please don't say,,bolt it on and try it...lol

[NIMROD]

Hard to give much help without looking. But you need a set of steps getting into that boat. IMOThumbs Up

[slabstudent]

there's an accessory you can that allows you to launch and keep your boat on a " tether". the boat floats off but is still attached to the trailer. as you pull foward.....

[creekslick]

I use a long rope attached to eye of the boat and to the back of my truck. Back down into the water and launch the boat then pull up far enough that I don't get my feet wet unhook the rope from truck then beach boat on ramp or tie to dock if there is one.

[xring]

I have used that method,,with some suscess, but have also pulled a little to fast,,the rope stretchs some, and catapults the boat to shore,,or concrete ramp...Also manged to get a coil around my depth finder.....lol....

[woopigsooie]

long rope is the best method to keep you from tip toeing on the trailer. i see alot of guys around here that uneffectively do what creekslick mentioned and it makes me cringe hearing their boat scrape onto the concrete. you've got such a nice rig I would pull it in by hand to the shore/dock

[luvin.fishin]

I welded a steel frame (topped with a screwed on 8X10 piece of 1/4" aluminum checker plate) to the starboard side of my trailer tounge about the same elevation as my winch base. It's about halfway between the 6X12 piece of 1/4" alum plate I bolted to the tounge and the deck of the boat. This is to give me a "stair step" to safely get out of my boat when I motor it up on to the trailer when loading it. Also did this for several friend's trailers. Good design and it works well.
BUT, when unloading, no one here "walks the plank" to push the boat off the trailer. We all use a launch rope or a strap attached to the trailer frame. We back in and the boat floats free off the trailer and the rope pulls it back to the ramp when we drive forward. Quick and easy, but better than that, safe. I keep my rope tied to the center rear frame cross member and attached to the front at the winch suport when not in use. Unhook the winch hook from the boat eye and hook the launch rope and float the boat.
We all use a protective rubber strip on the bottom of the boat. Been doing it this way for years.

[hoxiedog]

I read this somewhere on c.c...I started using a retractable dog leash (biggest I could find)...works for me...but I also have a rope with d ring (longer than the leash) for back-up...it will pull the boat back to shore, but if you stop the trailer in the right spot, the boat will come back slower than with just rope...also I have an light alum boat (probably makes a difference)...since I getting older than dirt, I am considering switching to a small pontoon boat kept in floating dock...can access even with a walker or wheel chair...

[xring]

God,,I love this site,,friendly people, willing to share imformation on anything "fishing" luvin fishing,,have you got a photo of that,,sounds interesting..and I need all the help I can get getting into/out of a boat...stuff just don't work like it ought to anymore...lol

[steve48]

X, I would almost have to look at boat, but if boat is going to hit your step, you could always weld plate under step and to the frame and bolt 8 to 10" straps on each corner, where when not in use fold it down. When you want to use it raise it up and let it cam over past 90 degree and weld stop behind it, like the old ford tractor seats used to have. I would probably forget and leave it up and load boat on top of it.