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I have always found it interesting to watch people load their boats by themselves. Seen some pretty crazy stuff over the years.
Seems like I have always had a buddy with me to help out. With getting more interested in crappie fishing, I think I will be going solo a lot more. What are your proven methods for loading a boat by yourself? I have done it before, but would be interested in knowing a better method.
Bear, my boat is smaller than yours but I think the principle would be the same. For unloading, after unhooking the transom straps and the winch strap. I have a rope tied to the bow (20' long) and simply loop the other end over the whatever you call it that you use to crank down the little wheel when you unhook the boat at home. For loading, just back the trailer to a predetermined angle in the water & drive it on. Hopefully you can position the trailer close enough to the pier (if the ramp has one) so that you can step onto it rather that having to jump off the bow. Hope this helps.
if you can't load a boat by yourself then you need to stay at home http://www.crappie.com/crappie/images/icons/icon10.gif
Agree.Quote:
Originally Posted by camo john
I have always driven my boat up on the trailer. When my bow eye hits the roller I get up on deck and hook up while motor is running in gear holding me there. I just think that there must be a better way. I have seen the auto locking deals, but don't know much about them.
i had a boat dealer tell me that the auto locking deals were not that great. As far as loading and unloading it is pretty much like the Maj said. That is what I usually try and do.
Bear I always back the boat down just far enough for the back of the boat to float. Then I roll back another foot or so. It really all depends on the angle of the ramp. Otherwise, I see alot of people who will tie a long rope on the front boat hook and then tie the other end to the vehicle. Back the boat down till it launches itself. Then pull the vehicle up a little and get out and untie from the truck and pull boat to you. Hope this helps some.
Get a runnin go and when she hits home get out like nuthin ever happened and hook the winch and drive off.
Now fer the serious answer. I have an imaginary mark on my fenders of my trailer where I want the water to be everytime I load. This mark causes some wear on my bunks, but at least I aint the yahoo thats backin of the trailer 2 or three times. By backing to this mark, I normally have dry ground to climb out onto. If the ramp is too flat, I just climb onto the trailer and hook the winch and cranker up tite and then walk the trailer to the bumper of my truck and ease around to the side of the truck and try not to get my feets wet. But then again like Camo John said, if a feller cant load his boat he ought to stay at home or go to the ramp about 10:00am and practice instead of waiting til everybody else is comin in.just my 2 sense worth. (That was a DD term)
Every trailer has its own sweet spot, you jsut have to find it. For me its where the lights on the fender are right at the water line. I then drive it on, cut off motor and trim up. then hook winch strap, get out boat and pull truck and boat out.
Now for unloading its simple, hook rope to bow eye and othe end to trailer and back down ramp till boat floats off. Then get out and unhook rope from trailer, pull it over to peir or beach it out of everyone else's way go park truck return and head out.
What ever you do please please please PLEASE get your stuff ready before you pull down the ramp, ( un hooking boat straps rigging poles etc...) this allows a fast and friendly launch for everyone. Sorry to rant but it just urkes me to high heaven when people do this
My problem is, my boat will not stay at the roller if I shut the motor down. This isn't the safest way to do it so I need to change. I'm not backed in to far. Might have a problem with my trailer bunks. They may have become to slick or worn. I would love to pull up and shut down, hook and go. I guess I should start there.Quote:
Originally Posted by duckkiller
Having fished bass tournys for years, I certianly appriciate proper ramp protocal. Nothing worse than somebody holding up the ramp having no consideration of others.
do you have rollers or bunks on your trailer? Try pulling the trailer up a bit more, I just dont see where you should have to leave in gear but I may be wrong (it has happened once or twice before:D). Just saying I have 3 diff boats and never had that prob unless I was backed to far in the water to start with.
trailer has bunks. The roller is where the bow eye rest on trailer when hooked. I will try pulling up a bit more. I have always had that spot on my fender that I use for reference also. I will try up further before I do anything else. ThanksQuote:
Originally Posted by duckkiller
I have a polarcraft 18 ft and I have to leave it running in gear till I get it hooked to trailer.Dont know why but it wont stay on trailer otherwise.
I'm leaning to what killer said. By you having to leave motor in gear, that's for sure backed too far down. Now don't firewall that big motor and jump over your truck, but I believe pulling up & drive on easy will solve your problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBear
If I'm alone unloading i'll do the "rope from bow to the end of the trailer" thing.
Using this method it is very important to remember to TIE the rope to the end of the trailer unless you're an avid swimmer.
I put an electric winch on my trailer---makes loading easier for an old fart.
Exactly what kind make and model of a boat you got Bear? A long time ago, my first boat was an old cathedral or tri hull design. That joker was a Bear to load any which way you went at it.
The auto locking bow eye sounded like it'd be the end all be all when it hit the market, but quickly faded. Remember stories of them binding and not releasing and having to be cut off. Also of them not locking if the boat was slightly off mark. Think that's why you don't see very many of them at the ramp.
My boat, a 17 ft mod V aluminum is pretty forgiving as far as loading. Too deep and I tend to slam the bow stop, too shallow and my 60 doesn't have enough grunt to snug it up from a stand still. I tend to go a little shallower and snug it with the winch more often than not, but like was mentioned, the sweet spot of depth is the key for most jons, mod v's, and shallow v bass hulls. For me, the best spot is with the tops of the fenders just out of the water, but the tops of the tires just under.
Wannabe...
Never understood why an enterprising high schooler didn't hang out at the ramps on the weekends and pick up extra $ by helping folks load and unload. It'd be a slow start, but once folks got to know a particular kid could handle it, he'd pick up bidness pretty quick. All it'd take is a clean appearance, some energy and a sign that read "Boat Caddie, I work for tips".
Try watchin this-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v-6S5lzEps
DITTO"""""Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeepster04
I have an 18' polarkraft as well. You are too deep with your trailer.Quote:
Originally Posted by trashtrout
Best tip of the day....from the beloved Bill Dance....
YouTube - Bill Dance Fishing Bloopers - Dance launches with trailer
I had to retrieve a boat one time for a guy who did it like that and the rope snapped. I just happened to be pulling up to the ramp in my boat while he was launching.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeepster04
I had a 2 man boat with a trailer with rollers instead of bunks. If I had ever unhooked the winch strap before getting the boat backed into the water the boat woulda rolled off the rollers and hit the dry ramp. My boat would roll back down the trailer before I could get up front (when loading) to hook up the winch strap unless I left it in gear and running (which is something I really didnt like doing with a tiller controlled motor). I dont know if it would work with your boat, but I'd suggest changing those rollers out for bunks. I did and that fixed all my problems.;)
I fish most of the time by myself and also use the rope method to launch. Here are two things to consider before launching, How steep is the ramp and the weather conditions. Last year after fishing on a local lake in the PM I decided to trailer 45 miles to another lake the next AM, the weather temperature was in the mid twentys. When I arrived at the launch some were launching and others were getting ready to launch so I did like wise, undone the transom and wench straps, hooked up my launch rope now I am ready to launch. I began to back up to the launch and just as the trailer tires broke over the incline the boat began to slide and slid almost off the trailer and was still about 10 ft. from the water. With the help from other fishermen we were able to get the boat back on the trailer and I was able to complete the launch. The bunks had a thin coat of ice on them causing the problem. I now make sure the trailer wheels are in the water before undoing the wench strap. Embarrassing, you bet, expensive, could have been, nothing torn up just pride. Good luck and good crappie fishing and you can do it.
I occasionally fish bass tourneys with my uncle. I have seen solo guys stick them 20ft glass boats n the water fast enough to slide off the trailer and ease the boat clear for other boats to launch and then they park their truck and bum a ride out to their boat that is out there floating by itself, pretty cool stuff. I launch a lot by myself. I dont get n no hurry and if I see anybody launching solo I offer to help. The way I launch my 15 42 is back the trailer far enough n that the back is floating and my front winch strap is still attached. I get out un strap get n the boat and motor away from the ramp. When I load I do the same thing, run the boat up on the trailer, hook my strap and pull out.
I have a small fiberglass boat that is just under 14'. I also have keel rollers on my trailer, as well as bunks. The keel rollers will allow the boat to roll right off the trailer quite easily even on level ground. This means my launch/load procedure go something like this;
Prep the boat and back the trailer down into the water with winch strap still attached. I hook a long 30' line to the bow eye and unhook the winch and shove her off. She floats clear of the trailer and I pull her over to an out of the way spot and tie her off. Park and go fishing.
Loading is about the opposite, I shove the boat off the shore and towards the back of the submerged trailer. I use the line to pull her up on the rollers and up to the bow eye and hook the winch on.
Now, on steep ramps, this is a breeze. On shallow ramps, I have to drive her up. Once up I leave the motor in gear (a tiller steer) and set the steering drag level (Nissan motor, has a lever that allows me to control the steering friction, sorta like drag on a reel) to max and with it in gear, walk up and hook the winch up. I kill the motor and climb out, looking something like a beached walrus doing so.