Lauching With a Truck Cap

[Jed Cutshall Fishing]

Hey everybody, I have a problem. I am a tournament angler and the trail I fish with travels a pretty good distance, so I bought myself an ARE cap to make life easier. When my partner is with me, launching is no big deal, I just unhook the boat and he jumps in and I back in the water. However, I do a lot of practicing by myself and I can't figure out how to launch my boat with out getting my feet wet or wearing rubber boots. I used to climb in the bed of the truck but now that's out of the question.. I know someone out there has to have some experience with this. Is there any easy way to launch with a truck cap?

[livemusic]

I do it all the time, but with high water due to high rainfall, the launches are above their normal grade. I still sometimes have to go into the water a few feet to get INTO my truck after loading the boat back on the trailer. (I have to jump down into the shallow water on the ramp... or I climb over the top of my truck and jump off the front, lol.) But launching is no problem. I made a launch rope, it's pretty long. Maybe 30 feet? Not sure, you will have to measure. I put a carabiner on the end. One end is tied to the boat bow and the carabiner, I attach it to the top of the hand crank on my trailer. I back in and off the boat goes. Then when it gets snug, I slowly easy up the ramp and the boat follows. I run back and catch my boat before it hits any concrete ramp so it doesn't scuff it.

EDIT:  BTW, I recently went of a pretty serious search for some inexpensive hip waders. I would rather have some boots that are about knee high. Regular rubber boots are not quite high enough. I thought I might could buy some inexpensive waders and cut them off about knee high. Or just leave them alone. But I want them easy to put on and take off.

[WIGuide]

I have an SUV so basically in the same situation you're in. Depending on the landing your at, they may have docks right next to the ramp. If they do, take advantage of it. Back down right next to the dock so the boat is within stepping distance of the dock. Hop in, fire it up, and unclip the front. 

If there's no dock, or it's too far away to use effectively, it gets a little trickier. You can use a length of rope attached to either the winch strap, or tied/hooked/ fastened to the winch stand. Back it in until the boat floats off, and then slowly pull forward. Depending on how long you make the rope, you can pull it up just enough to get onto the tongue of the trailer and walk down to the boat, or if you make it longer (suggested if you have a keep protector) you can slowly pull it all the way to the ramp. 

In the summer months, sometimes it's just easier to wear shorts and flip flops or slides and just get in the water. Sometimes if I'm feeling limber, I'll step on top of the rear wheel and put my go-go-gadget legs to work and step from the wheel onto the rear bumper and then onto the trailer tongue. For all you shorties out there this probably isn't the recommend method lol

[junyer357]

Is it a camper shell or tonnou cover?

I had a lil trouble on my last truck with the tonnou cover. What i learned to do was unlatch cover but not open til im nacked down.  Then climb on tire, open cover and hold the bedrail and put my foot on bumper n swing around.  Probably helped i was in my late 20s early 30s then too. 

[RangerDanger]

I'll do it a couple different ways depending on the ramp.  If there is a dock I'll back in close to the dock and hop in the boat.  I've used a 25 foot rope and a z-launch and pulled forward enough to get on the trailer, you can also use the winch.  Loading you have really no choice.

[Ohio Archer]

Normally, with the ramps around here, I don't have any problem my Sierra and truck cap.  Sometimes, though, I need to back down far enough that the rear wheels are almost in the water.  If that happens I'll open the cap door and use the side of the opening as a hand hold to swing up on to the bumper (watch the edge of the door!).  Reloading the boat I just reverse the sequence.  If a dock is available I will do the same as mentioned above...back close enough to hop on to the dock. 

Having a set of knee-high or higher boots work just a well but be careful climbing onto the trailer with wet boots.

[Scott F]

Do you have rollers on your trailer instead of bunks?

[Glenn]

On 3/9/2016 at 10:10 AM, livemusic said:

I made a launch rope, it's pretty long. Maybe 30 feet? Not sure, you will have to measure. I put a carabiner on the end. One end is tied to the boat bow and the carabiner, I attach it to the top of the hand crank on my trailer. I back in and off the boat goes. Then when it gets snug, I slowly easy up the ramp and the boat follows. I run back and catch my boat before it hits any concrete ramp so it doesn't scuff it.

^^ This is exactly what I do too! ^^  Except I have a keel protector on my boat, so I don't have to worry about scuffs.

[Airman4754]

Yep, the rope onto the winch post is the easy money if there is a dock or not. Matt Allen has a great video of launching to a dock on YouTube.

[Fishing Rhino]

Hip boots.  It's easy to launch without using boots, but loading is another matter.  

 

I use the rope for both when I'm alone.  If we could power load, I wouldn't have to back the trailer in as much as when having to winch the boat onto the trailer.

 

Will post some pics later.  Gotta run.

[crypt]

On 3/11/2016 at 2:56 PM, Glenn said:

^^ This is exactly what I do too! ^^  Except I have a keel protector on my boat, so I don't have to worry about scuffs.

this.........

[Fishing Rhino]

Hip boots.  It's easy to launch without using boots, but loading is another matter.  

 

I use the rope for both when I'm alone.  If we could power load, I wouldn't have to back the trailer in as much as when having to winch the boat onto the trailer.

 

Will post some pics later.  Gotta run.

 

Here are the pics.

 

The 3/8th nylon rope is about 35 feet long.  It has an eye splice on each end.  The clip is connected at one end of the line, and snapped onto the bow eye.  It is always hooked until the boat is launched, and is connected as soon as the boat is back on the trailer.  I don't want to risk launching the boat when the clip is not connected to the boat.

 

The eye on the other end is slipped over the step protruding from the winch stand.  The line is coiled and stored on that step support.  

 

 

Some looped bungees with the plastic ball work perfectly to keep the cord firmly against the stand and the trailer's tongue.

 

 

Remove the bungees, and slip all the coils except the eye splice from the step assembly.  Set the coils on the frame of the trailer so the line will be pulled from the top of the coils.

 

One trick when launching is to back in deep enough so the boat is barely in contact with the trailer.  Then, pull forward quickly enough to leave the boat in place on the water.  Back in fast and the boat will drift backward.  

 

Pull forward far enough so you can get to the winch without getting in the water. 

 

 

I always have my hip boots with me when fishing.  I don't need them when launching.  But in some places I need to use them.  The top edge of the boots can be pulled down and then folded back up, leaving the top of the boots just below the knee.

 

This is the best image I could find that shows the boot folded down, then up.  My boots do not have that retaining strap.  They will stay folded like this on their own.  I'd suggest getting one size larger than your shoe size.  Makes it much easier to slip them off.  A snug fit can make removal a pain.

 

[Further North]

I use a rope as well...but with a twist.

 

My "rope" is a hunk of 1/2 bungee cord about 20 feet long.

 

No sudden stops or jerks on the boat that way and I don't have to be as careful when I start moving the truck forward again.

[Fishing Rhino]

Interesting.  I find that nylon is too stretchy and springy for me.  I couldn't find polyester rope at the hardware store.  I have to be careful with the nylon so it doesn't act like a slingshot, when the rope gets "loaded".

 

 

[bagofdonuts]

30 ft rope should be plenty. Just need enough so the boat clears the trailer before you pull forward. One tip I've learned that can save you a swim. Don't throw the rope back in the boat when you leave it to park, just lay it on the ground/ramp. If your boat starts to drift off all you have to do is reel it back in. I had to learn the hard way. 

[fishnkamp]

Here is my answer to launching by myself. It is called z launch. I have an aluminum boat so I do not have a Hambys. That means instead or just launching and driving forward all the way out of the water I let the boat settle on the back edge of the trailer as it comes forward.  It works great for $40 at Tackle Warehouse.  Check out this video

 

This has no bearing on recovering your boat. I wear waterproof socks while fishing do to medical issues with my feet. During recovery of your boat it is easy to wear shoes or sandals that the water will not bother. 

[tander]

I also use the long rope trick, no problem launching. The problem is loading. If I can use my outboard to power load no problem. On my city lake, I can not use the OB so I made a walkway. I push the boat as far as I can away from shore and get on the walkway and pull it as far as I can on the trailer, I then can reach the eye of the boat and winch it the rest of the way on the trailer. My boat is aluminum which also helps.

[A-Jay]

A shallow water anchoring system (I have Minn Kota Talons) is a HUGE help when launching & recovering a boat solo.

 

As mentioned previously here a snap rope is a really great way to go as well. 

 

 

A-Jay

 

 

 

[WRB]

I fish alone often because it's my preference during pre spawn.

Yes a stern tie down rope or strap like Matt Allen suggested works, I use 2 front and back with bumpers, unfortunately it's often windy on the lakes I fish.

Recovering the boat requires the same stern and bow lines plus bumpers so I can go get the tow vehicle and back it down, untie the boat and drive onto the trailer. Docks make all this possible, but sometimes no dock or dock space is available.

I modified my trailer by adding walk planks to the tongue and a folding step to get into and out of my boat when no close dock space is availble. No dock I don't launch by myself.

Tom

 

[12poundbass]

Just cough up a couple grand get the Minkota with auto deploy and launch your boat like the guy on the commercial. Problem solved! ?

[Fishing Rhino]

There is one ramp I use that requires a different technique.  It is a sandy gravel ramp, with a very gentle slope.  To get the trailer deep enough for the boat to float off results with the exhaust outlet on my truck being submerged.  

 

The shoreline is rocky, so I cannot pull the boat onto the beach.  Once the boat is off the trailer, I remove the eye splice from the trailer and drag the boat toward the beach.  When I am close to the rocky shore, I lower the motor until the skeg digs into the bottom.  Then, I tie the bow to a tree along the shore.  

 

Park the truck and trailer.  Untie the line from the tree.  Coil the line as I approach the boat.  Then I place the coil on the bow, tilt the motor to free it from the bottom give the boat a shove, hop onto the bow, deploy the trolling motor and move the boat to deeper water.

 

It really gets interesting if a northerly wind picks up during the day.  Then, I have to use the anchor to load.  As I approach the ramp, I toss the anchor over the side.  I have a long anchor rope.  I'll drop the anchor sixty feet or so from where I want the boat to stop.  Then let out enough line so the bow is close to the shore, then tie it off.  get the launching line, hook it to the bow eye, and tie it to a tree.

 

Back the trailer into the water.  Untie the line from the tree.  Get in the boat, pull it back to the anchor and retrieve it.  Start the main engine, tilt the motor a bit, then back the boat off to the side until it's lined up with the trailer. Take the motor out of gear.  Let the wind push the boat toward the trailer and use reverse as needed steering to get the boat lined up.

 

Here's where the hip boots pay off.  When the bow nudges onto the trailer, I climb down from the bow, onto the trailer while holding the bow line.  Then I step down onto the bottom and pull the boat along as far I can without hurting myself.  

 

Then I hook the winch strap to the bow eye, and crank the boat the rest of the way onto the trailer.  

 

This can really get interesting when it is windy enough to create whitecaps.  The pond is a mile and a half long, north to south, so it can get pretty hairy when a good wind breezes up.  

 

 

[lo n slo]

On February 6, 2017 at 9:37 PM, Further North said:

I use a rope as well.

 

No sudden stops or jerks on the boat that way and I don't have to be as careful when I start moving the truck forward again.

raise your hand if you've ever had to strip on the ramp and go for a morning swim before fishing

[mllrtm79]

17 minutes ago, lo n slo said:

raise your hand if you've ever had to strip on the ramp and go for a morning swim before fishing

one of the ramps we used to get to where we were fishing for stripers in November is very short, and trying to put out at lowish tide we had to both get in the water and push the boat off of the trailer... brrr 

[Pete-K]

Go to a place that sells hitches. Buy you a 18" Stinger, this move's your boat back 18" Ultra-Tow Hitch Extenders — 2in. x 18in. 

But now I have a topper on my old truck. I use the same rope setup that I have been using for the last 30 years. Window weight turned into an anchor. Hang it down on front of trailer. Loop rope over the trolling motor. When I back up the rope feeds out. I get out and toss the anchor to the bank. Or move it to the dock.

Soon I will be using the Auto deploy Trolling motor. Turn it on back in and deploy with remote. Then hit spot lock. LOL

 

[fishnkamp]

That spot lock is cheating!