when do you put your winch strap on

[tkite16]

Was wondering how those with bass boats do there winch straps. Do you winch it down in the water or run the boat up to the stop and do it in the parking lot.

[Shane Procell]

Safer while trailer is in water. I have done it both ways regularly but have had a few time where boat slid back as driver was pulling me up the ramp and I had not secured winch.

[bowfish12]

Always while in the water.  I've heard of people just riding it on the trailer and pulling out, but I don't want to be that person waiting on a tow truck because my boat is sitting on the ramp.

[bigbassctchr101]

I usually do it in the water too,  or as my buddy is pulling me up the ramp....  If the ramp is not steep though, I'll just ride it up. 

[kbkindle]

in the water   out of the water i cant  winch the boat dry , boat is to heavy

[Fishing Rhino]

In the water, before I move the truck.  Some places you can power load, some places you can't.  Either way, the boat is snubbed down tight before the rig is moved.

[Hot Rod]

in the water out of the water i cant winch the boat dry , boat is to heavy

X2

[Long Mike]

It depends on the steepness of the ramp. Usually, I unhook before backing down and on return, bump the boat at the stop and pull it to level ground before re-hooking. I seldom extend more than one foot of strap.  If it's a steep ramp I'll stay hooked up all the way to the water, and will hook up again before starting up the ramp.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Hook is on until my rear end is in/close to the water backing in. Hook is on before the trailer is pulled out. Seen a boat dropped on the ramp. NEVER going to happen to me.

[tkite16]

k thanks guys i have always done it in the water but I was watching Brauer bass battles and they just run it up on trailer and the other one pulled em out. Just got me curious how you all do it.

[Fishing Rhino]

Murphy's law.  If something can go wrong, it will go wrong.  Or something to that effect.

If the boat is hooked up, it eliminates one thing that can go wrong.

[Mudwalker]

Hook is on until my rear end is in/close to the water backing in. Hook is on before the trailer is pulled out. Seen a boat dropped on the ramp. NEVER going to happen to me.

X2

[Goldstar225]

Hook is on until my rear end is in/close to the water backing in. Hook is on before the trailer is pulled out. Seen a boat dropped on the ramp. NEVER going to happen to me.

X2

X3, if something can happen, it'll happen to me.

[Jig Man]

Always in the parking lot unless I have a driver who doesn't know how to pull a boat out of the water.

[promax200]

I once had a winch strap break and, luckily enough, my trailer was still far enough in the water to where the boat slid back into the water and was not deposited onto the concrete. 

Moral: No matter which way you do it, sh...stuff still happens so always pay attention to what you're doing.

Once you know your rig well enough, you'll know just how much of your trailer needs to be in the water and just how much speed you need to ride perfectly right up to the stopper.  Then, just hook up and tighten down.  Winning!! 

[Fishes in trees]

I saw a boat slide off a trailer onto the ramp once.  Of course, it happened at the worse time - about 8:45 pm  on a Friday night in June.  There were maybe 20 guys hanging around the launch - half of them wanting to take out and go home - the other half wanting to put in and start fishing before it got totally dark.  I remember thinking, "I'm glad I'm not that guy."  Many guys were standing around and all of them had lots of helpful suggestions.  Alcohol got involved.  It was pretty funny actually.  It took several guys to slide the boat the 10 feet or so back down the ramp into the water.  Scraped up the bottom of his boat - but what else were you going to do?

Anyway, from that moment forward, the last thing I do before  entering the boat to back off the trailer is unhook it.  When I'm taking out, the first thing I do once it is on the trailer is hook up.  That's my system.

Another point is that sooner or later all of us are going to be that guy, who does something  stupid with their boat with lots of people watching.  I just hope I'll be able to keep my sense of humor about it and that the watchers will help.  At that point, I'll probably buy the beer.

[done]

for me, always in the water. Had one slip on me once, got lucky and did not drop it off the trailer. Since then that puppy has that strap secured before I pull up and finish up the rest of the strappin' down.

[manveru]

never unhook till the boat is floating, and i always winch it up before i pull out. I've been in a boat thats been bounced into the lake, not fun and put a small hole in it.

[Hawghead]

Can't think of a good reason not to leave it attached until you got a running outboard when launching.  I also cant think of a good reason not to attach it prior to pulling up the ramp.

Avoid power loading at all costs. 

[Al Wolbach]

Can't think of a good reason not to leave it attached until you got a running outboard when launching. I also cant think of a good reason not to attach it prior to pulling up the ramp.

Avoid power loading at all costs.

The reason to disconnect the strap before launching is speed. To decrease the wait time for the other 50 boats waiting to launch. Start your outboard while floating away from the ramp. Often men fishing alone will let their boats float off the trailer and catch a ride to their boat with another tournament competitor as they launch. However it is normal to have several small tournaments at the same ramp or 150 to 200 boat tournaments at one ramp. If you are slow someone will normally assist you!! Weekend mornings and evenings at the launches  are busy.

And in East Tennessee power loading is an accepted practice and actually encouraged, but our ramps are long and run into deep water so holes at the end of the concrete are not a problem.

[GLADES]

It depends on the steepness of the ramp. Usually, I unhook before backing down and on return, bump the boat at the stop and pull it to level ground before re-hooking. I seldom extend more than one foot of strap. If it's a steep ramp I'll stay hooked up all the way to the water, and will hook up again before starting up the ramp.

X2

[scbassin]

I always hook & unhook in the water. I have seen a lot of people pull out with the person in the boat having the engine in gear holding the boat to the stop until the boat comes of the water. I would not think that is very good for the water pump.

[smalliekiller]

I am the new guy here but my deal is to unhook in the lot.  I guess if your boat is heavy enough and on bunks it should not go anywhere.  I will start off with one of my bone head moves and tell you that we pulled a skeeter ZX190 from Lacrosse WI to Tomah about 50 miles with no straps.  That is the problem with two guys doing the hook up each assumes the other did this or that.  Pulled it there and back without the trailer latched as well.  That was my best day of fishing, I don't remember if I caught many fish but realizing that the boat didn't come off made it a good day.

[South FLA]

When launching I usually unhook my boat and safety chain prior to backing down ramp. Most if not all the ramps I use have decent approach angles so my boat's weight provides enough friction that it has not slipped. If it were a steeper ramp, or I had new bunks installed, had wet bunks, had a roller trailer, or a lighter aluminum boat, and/or applied silicon spray to make bunks slick I would leave the safety chain on while backing down and unhook when the boat floated.

When pulling out of the ramp no matter what I pull up to the front bumper and secure the strap and safety chain. I too have heard of a strap failing while pulling the boat up the ramp. Prior to the safety chain pictured I had a 2nd strap secured to the safety chain anchor point. I have since replaced it with a 7/16" SS quick link and S hook with enough links to give me some slack, as pictured. I will most likely replace the S hook with a more secure clamping hook or get a rubber S hook stop. This way you have a fail safe if the strap or winch mechanism fails.

[=Matt 5.0=]

I winch mine up tight on the ramp, then put the

safety chain on the bow... Then pull it up into the lot. Takes two minutes.