Launching a bass boat alone

[Olebiker]

I have a question for those of you who fish out of a bass boat alone.  How do you go about launching the boat by yourself?  I assume you attach a line to the bow eye.  Where do you attach the other end?  To your truck?  To the trailer?  

I drove up to Louisville last week and pulled my late father's old Bass Tracker Tournament TX back to Tallahassee.  It's at the shop getting the carbs rebuilt, so it will be a week or more before I get it back.  In the meantime I have been going over in my mind how I will launch it by myself so I don't look too foolish out there the first time.

[kybassangler]

The line you are talking about is a safety line. I don't use it, I have got i a bad way and loaded up with the power off the trolling motor. The biggest thing you hafta worry about is your motor. Always remember to tilt your motor or it can be torn off and is hard on props. My best suggestion is to solicit help form a friendly angler. I just got my bass boat a couple of months ago and that is how I learned. Good luck, have fun and be safe.

My procedure is this I get the straps off back her in till I can see about 2 inches of the fenders above the water. then I climb in the boat and let the motor down at about a 45 degree angle. the pum the primer bulb and crank it up. then I go up to the front off the boat and let the winch off. At that point the boat is free and I can back it off. and tie it to the dock and park my trailer.

When I was using a v-bottom I would tie a rope to the boat and the truck and back in fast then pull up effectively beaching the boat. I don't do this with my more expensive boat.

[ww2farmer]

I launch by myself 99.9% of the time. Here is what works for me:

I take my transom saver, 2 rear straps off while waiting in line. I also put the winch in free spool, and unhook the bow strap. I then tie a rope to one of the bow cleats on the front deck ( which ever side I will be tying the boat to the dock is best), then the other end of the rope is tied to the "post" on the trailer the winch sit atop. Back in hit the brakes she floats right off, pull ahead alittle, get out, untie from trailer tie to dock, go park. Whole thing takes less than 3 mins. I do it orginized and neat and am out of the way quickly. I have seen idiots who have 10 people there to help them not do it as well as most guys who are alone with bass/fishing boats.  

[bassboy1]

Unhook transom straps, and motor toter in the parking lot. Move all gear from truck to boat here. Now, back down ramp, and then unhook bow from winch (trust me, you NEVER want to unhook it. If you have seen the fiberglass streak in front of a boat on the ramp, where it slid off, and slid down, you will understand) If you have a courtesy dock, all the better, unhook boat, and walk it down to the end of the dock. That way, someone else can get his boat or trailer in if need be. If there is not a ramp on the other side, put the boat on the backside of the dock. Now pull out, and park trailer. If it is like around here, and you don't have a courtesy dock, push the boat off, and beach it next to the ramp. Throw the anchor onto the beach, it will hold just fine. Then park truck. If it is not crowded, and you don't have courtesy docks, you can fire up the motor, and idle over to the big dock.

The one thing with courtesy docks is, you have to be careful with where you put your boat. People get ticked if your boat is in the way. If you put your boat in line to load it on the trailer, and head up to get the truck, someone could back down the ramp, and your boat is in the way. So, if you have to deal with courtesy docks, use the backside and end of the dock, and be quick. If you don't, you shouldn't have any hassle, unless their is riprap around the ramp, in which you have to spend the time to fire up the motor, and head to the dock. The more you do it, the faster it gets.

[Garnet]

I remove transom saver and rear straps.

Back in water.

Undo the winch push the boat back off the roller just a bit.

Step from the touge to the nose of the boat.

Fire the boat up and back the rest of the way off the trailer and park the boat.

Garnet

[hotspringsbass]

You will need to find out which way works best for you.  Just remember a few things that might make it easier.  If you are not experienced in backing a trailer the boat ramp is not the place to learn( go to a local mall or parking lot and practice backing the boat into parking spaces) this will save you from alot of angry mobs at the busy ramps.  Prep the boat in the prep area not on the ramp.  Be quick and courteous (use 1 space on the ramp if it is a double or larger) but dont rush and get hurt or maybe even watch your boat float downriver without you. Something I didnt see anyone else mention...

PUT THE PLUG INTO THE BOAT!!! before you back down the ramp.  Most of all have fun and enjoy the day on the lake.  Good Luck.  

[Taliesin]

My procedure after 2 to 3 months with a new boat and almost always launching alone:

Park in the prep area, get out, unhook the safety line between the boat and the trailer, unhook the electric between the truck and the trailer, loosen the winch, move to the back, unhook the back straps, release the transom saver, lower the motor (just make sure it's not going to hit ground while backing it in), put in the drain plug, close the valve on the livewell drain.

Get back in the truck, back the trailer in until the water is just over the trailer hubs. I DO NOT come to an abrupt stop. If I happen to stop too suddenly, it's not a big thing as I leave the winch so that it won't let the boat move back very far. I used to unhook the winch and leave the safety strap on, but if the strap ends up catching it, I have to hook the winch back up, pull it in a little, then unhook them both.

I then step out and step up on the back bumper and onto the trailer tongue, release the winch strap, step in (grabbing the life vest and putting it on), start up the motor and back it off.

I do have a courtesy dock with tie-down points on the outside, so I tie up there, get back to the truck and park it (depending on how far I have to go to park I might hook the trailer electric back up). Head back to the boat, untie it, start it up, and off I go.

I am still a bit slow, but the time I take up at the ramp is around 2 to 3 minutes (5 to 6 minutes for bringing the boat back in depending on the wind).

How far you back the trailer in (and how low you can trim your motor) will depend on your particular boat and trailer. My trailer is a bit higher than most of them I have seen, so I have to back in until the hubs are covered and can trim my motor all the way down (with 6" of clearance). The truck's back bumper is usually even with the water (it's a fairly steep ramp).