Th marine z launch

[GoneFishingLTN]

Good morning! I’m debating on buying  the z launch. But don’t have a keel guard I have a tin boat but I love it and want to keep it as nice as possible besides the marks it gets from fishing alone. Is the z launch worth it without one of these? Also how long of cord would you reccomend?

[J Francho]

I just used a rope attached to my trailer and a cleat on the boat.  Back in slowly until the boat is free, pull forward a bit, grab the rope, and tie the boat to the dock.  20' is plenty.

[tander]

I also just use a rope. I got a snap on a 25ft. rope and I put the snap where the winch snap was.I then coil it up and up it on the front of the boat. I have a eyebolt I tie the other end to. Works every time.

[GoneFishingLTN]

Do you both have a keel gaurd or are you never pulling the boat back to the cement then tieing off?

[J Francho]

No keel guard, and I don't want the boat back on the ramp.  I just want it in the water, and then I can tie it to the dock.

[GoneFishingLTN]

Where/how do you tie it to your boat so it doesn’t spin from the back or the front?

Ive tried tieing it right but the back always spins. I guess thinking about it now it doesn’t matter lol just curious ig

[J Francho]

When is it spinning?  I mean, It's like ten seconds after the boat is floating that I have the rope in my hand, and tying the boat to the dock.

[A-Jay]

I launch & fish solo all the time.

When fishing before the docks are in and places that have no dock, I use the a rope connected to the trailer strap & the the trailer-able D-Ring on the bow. Once the vessel is slowly released from the trailer,  I use the Talons (with the remote) to stop & position the boat just off the trailer.

A pair of boots in cold water or whatever footwear (or not) when it's warm and I can do this just about anywhere and in any conditions.

This pic is the right before I put the boat back on the trailer - boat's sitting in 18 inches of water.

A-Jay

 

[GoneFishingLTN]

I’m sorry if I’m confused but when you said rope connect to the trailer strap do you mean which? your talking about the strap that pulls your boat onto the trailer correct? 

Right now I just have that plus one talon and rolled up thing of rope that only has one clip on the end. And have been backing up the boat until it floats getting out unlatching the winch then tieing it down with that rope with one clip and putting down the talon. Then driving off but the boat has always been in the way of the trailer so I have to sorta pull it away manually first.

Sorry for these basic questions lol 

[J Francho]

Sounds like your backing in a little too far, and maybe too fast.  As soon as the boat is floating, pull forward just enough so the bow clears the fenders.  Every one is gonna have a different system, but this is the basic procedure.

[3dees]

I usually launch alone. been doing it for over forty years. about 20' of rope is all you need. one end tied to the front cleat, the other to the crank handle. float the boat and pull up a couple of feet. I think the Z launch is a waste of money.

[fishnkamp]

I guess I am the lone person that actually uses the Z Launch. I also fish out of an aluminum boat so I do not want to scrape my boat hull either.  If you have seen some of my recent suggestions for launching alone then you would have seen the youtube videos I have listed before. Anyway, in the factory video you see the angler quickly launch the boat it slingshots out and he parks the trailer onto the ramp. The  boat settles on the ramp rather abruptly.  First, no one needs to do it that fast and aluminum rigs take less of a shove than a big heavy fiberglass boat does. So you can do it with more of a finesse approach.

Here is what I have come to do. I preprep my boat the same way I always do and that is done in the main parking lot. First I take the back Boat Buckles loose, install the plug, then remove my Motor Mate and stow it. Next I install my electronics and unstrap the trolling motor. I do not remove my front winch strap till my boat is near the water. I back my trailer in till the wheels first get wet. I get out, unhook the winch strap and hook up the Z Launch. I always feed out about 4 feet of winch strap, then LOCK the winch!  It takes seconds, but I also have slick bunks , not carpeted bunks,  and I am not interested in finding my boat on the parking lot as I back down the ramp.

I go in slowly till I see the hull raise a bit and I will just stop quick then pull out. I pull up out of the water till just the back center keel roller and bunk ends are still in the water. The boat will go out and sling shot back in until it gently settles between the bunks and is supported by the rear roller.  It takes some fiddling to get it figured out, but you will find the sweet spot that works best.  My boat has less momentum than the one in this video, so I just settle onto the end of my trailer bunks, his comes half way back on the trailer. Either way the front of the trailer is on dry land and you can let out some more winch strap till it is no longer under tension. Unhook the Z Launch and tie the boat on a dock or set it carefully on the ramp or grass whatever is available.

I hope this help to see how you can use this method. There is nothing wrong with using a rope, I just found this tool to be handy and well made.  I use very busy launches here on the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River. The quicker I get on and of the ramp the better.  I can do my pre-prep, line up and float my boat and walk it out to the end of the courtesy dock and tie it up quicker than many of the pleasure craft operators can get down the ramp let alone get their boats off their trailers. I still prefer to have a driver in the car and me in the boat, but if alone it is not that big a deal.

 

 

[Cory Doras]

The Z launch has some pretty poor reviews. I was thinking about buying one till I saw that. 

[fishnkamp]

I just read the reviews on Tackle Warehouse and saw some good reviews and some where it snapped on people. It could have been the way the used it.  In other word I let some extra winch strap out and so maybe that accounts for the difference. Mine has been used in fresh and saltwater( tidal actually) and is 3 years old. Two of the complaints were a father and son both had purchased them recently and both broke.  Perhaps a batch issue.  Most of the reviews I have seen have been positive. There were 3 on Tackle Warehouse site complaining of them breaking.  The only review I can give is that I really like mine. It was worth every bit of the $40.00

[RenegadeBassin]

I back my boat in without unhooking the strap, climb down the trailer onto the boat, unhook the strap and then push off. I troll back up to the beach or dock then go park my truck. Maybe that's a stupid way of doing it but I'm pretty quick at it and it works for me! 

 

I also use my trolling motor to put the boat on the trailer a lot of times if its calm out. One time, however, when I went to pull it out at the last second as I was speeding onto the trailer my stupid stock minn kota pull string snapped and I couldn't get it out of the water. Didn't do any damage those fortrexs are tough but I am going to be buying a cable before the ice is out and I can start fishing again. 

[Way north bass guy]

1 hour ago, RenegadeBassin said:

I back my boat in without unhooking the strap, climb down the trailer onto the boat, unhook the strap and then push off. I troll back up to the beach or dock then go park my truck. Maybe that's a stupid way of doing it but I'm pretty quick at it and it works for me! 

 

 

I do it like this as well when there’s no dock. Super easy, and takes almost no time to pull it up to shore and drop the talon so it doesn’t move anywhere when I’m parking. And usually at a launch where there’s no dock, there’s no one else launching anyway so I’ve got lots of time to unload and park. 

[RenegadeBassin]

4 minutes ago, Way north bass guy said:

I do it like this as well when there’s no dock. Super easy, and takes almost no time to pull it up to shore and drop the talon so it doesn’t move anywhere when I’m parking. And usually at a launch where there’s no dock, there’s no one else launching anyway so I’ve got lots of time to unload and park. 

Yeah most places I fish unless its a tournament the launch is very quiet. Some days you could sit on the ramp in your boat and eat breakfast if you wanted to 

[J Francho]

If I saw someone launching in front of me alone with that rubber band thing, I'd just get out and hold bow and stern lines for them.

[nosdog2]

Just a rope here, I have a clip on each end which makes it easy on/off.

[Further North]

I was wondering what a Z-Launch Cord was...looked it up...it's a long bungee cord with a clip on both ends.

 

...been using that for years except I don't have the fancy plastic over the knots.

 

I bought 50' from Amazon for what the Z-Launch cost (free shipping from Amazon), cut it half to make my launch rope, used the other half to make custom bungee ropes to tie the boat to the dock and hold my bumpers...I still have about 10' left.