Loading A Boat On A Trailer Without Using Outboard Motor.

[Giggidy564]

There's a lake I fish from time to time where you aren't allowed to use an outboard motor only a trolling motor. I have seen people do it and I have done it.

I would love your opinion on what is the easiest/best way to do this.

[livetofish28]

trolling motor it up the best you can then use he winch on the trailer to pull it on the rest of the way most of the time your gonna get wet and there is always some muscle involved. its really just trail and error to figure out what works best for you 

 

    tight lines 

 

      Andrew

[Giggidy564]

trolling motor it up the best you can then use he winch on the trailer to pull it on the rest of the way most of the time your gonna get wet and there is always some muscle involved. its really just trail and error to figure out what works best for you 

 

    tight lines 

 

      Andrew

thanks

[tomustang]

Beach, put bow rope on, back trailer in, push off boat and pull back with bow rope

[Giggidy564]

Beach, put bow rope on, back trailer in, push off boat and pull back with bow rope

I like that Tom

[spartyon8]

I tie off to the dock, back trailer all the way to get the bunks wet, pull forward a bit, grab rope and guide boat on, climb onto front of trailer and pull, hook up winch, reel tight then finish cranking after I pull out for the next guy. I am too afraid of wrecking a prop or the boat by powerloading. My uncle does it but I am not at ease with it.

[Wayne P.]

There's a lake I fish from time to time where you aren't allowed to use an outboard motor only a trolling motor. I have seen people do it and I have done it.

I would love your opinion on what is the easiest/best way to do this.

 

I do that a lot.

When I fish electric-only waters. I also add a transom trolling motor. I back in enough so when I drive the boat on the trailer using the transom motor and standing at the transom, I get enough bow lift to make it to the winch stand with very little if any winching.

[Fishing Rhino]

Invest in a pair of hip boots. Follow the quoted instructions below, putting the hip boots on after you've backed the trailer in a little further than you would if you were power loading.

 

Problem solved.

 

Beach, put bow rope on, back trailer in, push off boat and pull back with bow rope

 

Take the hip boots off, put on your regular footwear, stow your hip boots, and drive away, nice and dry.

[Wayne P.]

Invest in a pair of hip boots. Follow the quoted instructions below, putting the hip boots on after you've backed the trailer in a little further than you would if you were power loading.

 

Problem solved.

 

 

Take the hip boots off, put on your regular footwear, stow your hip boots, and drive away, nice and dry.

I do the hip boot deal also if there isn't a dock beside the ramp. But I still drive on the trailer with the trolling motor.

[WIGuide]

If you have a cable drive tm it's pretty easy to get it on the trailer. Back the trailer in a little deeper than you would if you were going to drive it on with the outboard. Drive up to the trailer with the tm and begin to lift it some when you get by the back bunks but keep the prop in the water and keep it going until you get closer. Pick the tm out of the water and let it coast the rest of the way up. Depending on the landing, you might be able to make it right up to the winch stand, but regardless you should be very close. Clip it and winch it up the last few inches and you're good to go. 

[desmobob]

I have never power-loaded my 17' aluminum bass boat.  I tie it up to the dock, back the trailer in deep (the rear wheels of my Subaru Forester are just about at the water's edge), then lead it onto the trailer with a line, hop into the boat, step out onto the trailer tongue and connect the trailer winch strap to the bow eye, tighten it up, then hop back out onto the dock and into the Forester.

 

In the summer, I'm always wearing shorts and water sandals so it's way easier; I just wade in a bit to hook the winch line up.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[paleus]

All good suggestions. I would add that it's not necessary to winch the boat all the way up on the ramp. Hook your winch up so the boat won't slide off, drive off the ramp and winch the boat up tight in the parking lot. It's a lot easier to winch the boat up tight when not on the incline of the ramp. Obviously, try to get it on as far as you can, but if you're a couple feet shy of backing the trailer in far enough, I'd rather winch it up on flat ground rather than try to back the trailer in more or winch on the ramp.

[Giggidy564]

All good suggestions. I would add that it's not necessary to winch the boat all the way up on the ramp. Hook your winch up so the boat won't slide off, drive off the ramp and winch the boat up tight in the parking lot. It's a lot easier to winch the boat up tight when not on the incline of the ramp. Obviously, try to get it on as far as you can, but if you're a couple feet shy of backing the trailer in far enough, I'd rather winch it up on flat ground rather than try to back the trailer in more or winch on the ramp.

 

You must have a have a heavy duty winch bro?

[paleus]

You must have a have a heavy duty winch bro?

It's just physics, it's going to be easier to winch something across a level surface than up an incline. If you've got a heavy boat on carpet bunks, then it might be more difficult.

[Giggidy564]

It's just physics, it's going to be easier to winch something across a level surface than up an incline. If you've got a heavy boat on carpet bunks, then it might be more difficult.

 

o ok bro. I haven't ever used a trailer with rollers. I bet it would be easier.

[Fishing Rhino]

It's just physics, it's going to be easier to winch something across a level surface than up an incline. If you've got a heavy boat on carpet bunks, then it might be more difficult.

 

You are correct it is just physics. 

 

But, even if you have to crank the boat up the last foot or two, do not forget that the even though the boat may be touching the bunks, the water still exerts a lifting force on the boat making it "lighter", by the weight of the water it displaces.  Get the boat on the level, and you don't get that "assist" from the water.

[paleus]

You are correct it is just physics.

But, even if you have to crank the boat up the last foot or two, do not forget that the even though the boat may be touching the bunks, the water still exerts a lifting force on the boat making it "lighter", by the weight of the water it displaces. Get the boat on the level, and you don't get that "assist" from the water.

Just speaking from experience. Your experience may be different.

[WIGuide]

All good suggestions. I would add that it's not necessary to winch the boat all the way up on the ramp. Hook your winch up so the boat won't slide off, drive off the ramp and winch the boat up tight in the parking lot. It's a lot easier to winch the boat up tight when not on the incline of the ramp. Obviously, try to get it on as far as you can, but if you're a couple feet shy of backing the trailer in far enough, I'd rather winch it up on flat ground rather than try to back the trailer in more or winch on the ramp.

What kind of boat are you doing this with?

[Siebert Outdoors]

I drive it up as far as I can and walk the boat up the trailer.  The boat ramp angle plays a huge role in doing this. 

[paleus]

What kind of boat are you doing this with?

16ft aluminum. I'm sure it would be pretty much impossible with a big fiberglass boat. The OP never said what kind of boat he has.

[J Francho]

I would be VERY careful backing your trailer in deep.  Many of the ramps by me end, and there's a blow out hole - probably not a problem in electric only lakes - but I've seen guys drive their trailer right off the end of the ramp, only to get stuck. 

 

My method is similar to many others mentioned here, but I dip the bunks in, about 1/2 way, get the boat on the bunks however you want to do it, with a bow line, or trolling motor, and connect the bow winch line.  Crank it up.  If it gets too hard to crank, back the up about a foot, and crank some more.  If there's two of you, it's pretty easy.

[K_Mac]

Some good suggestions. For most of us it takes a little trial and error. Once you get a system it is no big deal-at least in the summer. When water and air temperature is cold it adds a little more challenge to get it right.

J Franko's advice can save much time, money and grief. I have backed off the end of the ramp a couple of times with no harm done, other than getting soaked to the skin once. I have seen others that were not so lucky.

[papajoe222]

Beach, put bow rope on, back trailer in, push off boat and pull back with bow rope

X2.  In 30+years of boating, I can count on my hands how many times I've power loaded my boat. Most Coast Guard boating saftey courses recommend NOT power loading, but it is the most often used technique.  I suggest that every boater should not only know how to trailer his boat using a cast off line, but also how to launch with it. Im not saying one should never power load, just know how to do it manualy.

[Giggidy564]

X2.  In 30+years of boating, I can count on my hands how many times I've power loaded my boat. Most Coast Guard boating saftey courses recommend NOT power loading, but it is the most often used technique.  I suggest that every boater should not only know how to trailer his boat using a cast off line, but also how to launch with it. Im not saying one should never power load, just know how to do it manualy.

 

Define power loading for me my good sir. I thought powerloading meant excessively reving  your engine and driving your boat up the trailer faster than neccesary. Can I get fined for not manually loading my boat?

[J Francho]

I don't know if it's "power loading," but both my boats are "drive on" trailers, and that's what I do.  I will say that I'm careful on gravel ramps not to over-rev, but even if I do rev, the motor is all the way past trim and into the tilt.  It just lifts the bow gently, and moves the boat forward to the seat the bow tie.