Easiest way to launch and trailer boat alone?

[A-Jay]

 

A-Jay

[roadwarrior]

Coast Guard  

[MickD]

You're my hero A-Jay.  My son can back it in like you, but I cannot.    If someone like I am who cannot rely on getting the boat that close to the dock is interested, I run a rope from my bow to the trailer boat guide at the rear of the trailer, back it in, let it float off, then gently nudge it in with the truck to where I can get the rope off the trailer boat guide and walk onto the dock to position the boat there, securing it like A-Jay does.  A-Jay, cobble a couple 3/4 treated plywood steps onto your trailer to give you a wider place to put your feet.  Helps a lot for old farts.  With a little luck, you will age.

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, MickD said:

You're my hero A-Jay.  My son can back it in like you, but I cannot.    If someone like I am who cannot rely on getting the boat that close to the dock is interested, I run a rope from my bow to the trailer boat guide at the rear of the trailer, back it in, let it float off, then gently nudge it in with the truck to where I can get the rope off the trailer boat guide and walk onto the dock to position the boat there, securing it like A-Jay does.  A-Jay, cobble a couple 3/4 treated plywood steps onto your trailer to give you a wider place to put your feet.  Helps a lot for old farts.

Thanks - I've had a little practice.

 Plus that little Old Town canoe of mine is a NIGHTMARE on the trailer.

Blow on the steering wheel and the trailer jack knifes. 

So I learned the hard way 

I've got those black non-slip 'stair treads' pads plastered all over the trailer / tongue - 

Really helps with the footing. 

A-Jay

 

 

[RHuff]

What I do is..... 

 

1. Prep the boat in the staging lane but leave safety chain and winch strap on 

2. Back boat into the water until I see it lift off of the trailer. 

3. Unhook the chain and winch (boat won't leave trailer) 

4. Start motor and back off trailer and tie up. 

5. Park truck...

 

 

It's actually pretty simple. 

[MaineBassFishin]

On 9/16/2019 at 1:49 PM, TnRiver46 said:

What kind of car do you have? Pickup truck with no camper top is the easiest option by far. My routine: pull up to the parking lot and GET OUT OF THE WAY of anyone else launching and loading. Then take off the transom straps, put the plug in, take off the motor support, and unstrap the front winch and chain. NOW YOU MAY ENTER the launching/loading lanes. Back down until the boat barely starts to float off and stop. Apply e brake. I then jump out of the truck and scotch my back wheel, not 100 percent necessary but I've seen some trucks roll into the river (more than twice). Jump into the back of your truck and walk to the back, climb across the trailer tongue into the boat. Start it up and back off the trailer. My motor isn't big enough to pull it off the trailer so I usually shove the bow before I jump into the boat. Next tie the boat to the dock or beach it and go park your car. Don't forget to remove your wheel scotch from the ramp (I do that a lot). When you are done fishing, pull up to the dock and tie off. Go back your trailer into the water to where the side bunks are barely sticking out of the water and park. E brake and wheel scotch. Get into the boat and drive it onto the trailer slowly with the trim up. When you are certain it's on straight, goose the throttle to get it up on the trailer further (unless you up north or out west where this is outlawed for no good reason). Climb out onto the tongue and hook up the winch and chain , make sure trim is up, then walk through the back of the truck and jump out onto dry land and pull up into the parking lot, once again out of everyone's way. Strap everything down, pull the plug out and head to the nearest watering hole . I'm sure I forgot a few steps but I shall review this post later . This method keeps your feet dry all year. If it's summer you could skip walking through the back of the truck and just walk in the water 

Basically my way.

[gim]

On 8/3/2020 at 7:07 PM, RHuff said:

It's actually pretty simple. 

One would think. The issue I see a lot of people do incorrectly is failure to move their boat out of the actual access area. The next person can’t use the access if there’s a boat tied up to the dock there. Move it out of the way and either beach it or to the other side of the dock while you go park. There is a very popular, busy access on a lake near me that has 3 ramps, 3 docks for loading/unloading ONLY, and 3 other docks for staging. People just can’t figure out that they can’t tie their boat up at the loading/unloading docks even though there are signs all over them that say “no parking load/unload only.”

[MN Fisher]

57 minutes ago, gimruis said:

One would think. The issue I see a lot of people do incorrectly is failure to move their boat out of the actual access area.

Seen this done last time I took the canoe out. Moron tied his boat up at the foot of the ramp - while there's lots of tie-up length running perpendicular to it - see the annotated pic

[gim]

10 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Seen this done last time I took the canoe out. Moron tied his boat up at the foot of the ramp - while there's lots of tie-up length running perpendicular to it - see the annotated pic

Yes, this is exactly what I'm referring to.  Only that in addition to having a nice sandy beach, there are several other docks to the right or left of the access points that are specifically there to tie your boat up while parking.  When people put the boat there, no one can use the ramp until they go park and leave.  And sometimes parking can take longer than you think too.

 

The specific access point I was referring to is the Gray's Bay Public Access on Lake Minnetonka.  Its a really nice setup there with room for a lot of boats/trailers/people, but I swear that half the individuals using it have never launched a boat before.

[MN Fisher]

13 minutes ago, gimruis said:

The specific access point I was referring to is the Gray's Bay Public Access on Lake Minnetonka.  Its a really nice setup there with room for a lot of boats/trailers/people, but I swear that half the individuals using it have never launched a boat before.

I haven't launched at Grays - this was North Arm...day in question, that barge wasn't there (pic was from Google Earth, and I added the circles and text via Paint Shop Pro)

[BigAngus752]

On 9/18/2019 at 12:59 AM, GreenPig said:

Last year I got in a hurry and learned my that my boat will float my trailer if I don't unbuckle the transom straps. It floated it over in the other ramp. I had to fire the boat engine up just to get it aligned to pull it out. It was a five minute fiasco that I could've avoided by slowing down.

 

On 9/18/2019 at 5:43 AM, MickD said:

Mine too.

 

I am being completely serious when I say I am nearly tempted to find out if my boat will float my trailer. I’m just too competitive!

[GreenPig]

Just now, BigAngus752 said:

 

I am being completely serious when I say I am nearly tempted to find out if my boat will float my trailer. I’m just too competitive!

Do it! Just don't do it in a river.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Not yo hi jack your thread, any tips for remote ramps without docks?

[MN Fisher]

25 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Not yo hi jack your thread, any tips for remote ramps without docks?

One of the ramps I use on Minnetonka is this way - no dock, but there is dirt with grass either side...so I just beach the canoe. I've even seen guys beach their 20' Lunds when launching there.

 

If it's a rocky shore...umm...bring a friend?

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Not yo hi jack your thread, any tips for remote ramps without docks?

Early season most docks are not in here until well after ice out.

I am not waiting.

I go for the wet foot sling shot launch.  Considerably easier with the new bunks.  Still need the hip boots but I can simply push the boat off the trailer now.  Hand line it to the bank and drop the talons.  I use a push pole to get me into good water. 

Pretty easy.

A-Jay 

 

[RoLo]

 

When I launch my rig by myself (almost never), the only change I make to my trailering system,

is to attach my dock lines to the boat cleats, so I can hitch the boat while parking the trailer. 

 

Roger

[MickD]

On 8/5/2020 at 1:51 PM, BigAngus752 said:

 

I am being completely serious when I say I am nearly tempted to find out if my boat will float my trailer. I’m just too competitive!

I'll bet big money it will.  But to find out takes a big risk of having a big mess that is hard to get out of.

[TnRiver46]

On 8/5/2020 at 4:16 PM, MN Fisher said:

One of the ramps I use on Minnetonka is this way - no dock, but there is dirt with grass either side...so I just beach the canoe. I've even seen guys beach their 20' Lunds when launching there.

 

If it's a rocky shore...umm...bring a friend?

I just drag my 18 ft center console up onto the rocks and tie the rope around a big rock and then set yet another rock on the rope haha. I’ve seen some things....... there’s one ramp near home that I can tie off to a tree and just let it float. 

[NYWayfarer]

When I am launching my Kayak at the boat launch and see someone launching their boat solo I always ask if they need a hand.

 

Only one guy, so far, took me up on the offer. I was able to move his boat off to the side out of the way of anyone else trying to get in. I held it there until he returned from parking his truck.