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Launching & Retrieving Solo

bcpnick

bcpnick

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I'm thinking about doing a solo camping trip on my boat in the near future (maybe this weekend). I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on ways to make launching and retrieving a bit easier when there's no one else around. I feel pretty good about the launching part: just back in, go climb into the boat, drive it off and tie it up. The loading part  is what makes me a little nervous. Usually I have whoever drives the truck down hop out and guide me as I'm coming in so that I can just drive all the way on, but I wouldn't trust myself to do that alone. That could get messy if I was off by 6". I was thinking of maybe tying it up then backing the trailer in right alongside the dock on the side of the ramp. Then just guide the boat up onto the trailer and winch it the rest of the way. 

Any tips or advice is much appreciated. 
 
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I power-retrieve when I'm flying solo. I have a front gate, so I just open that and line up the center of the bow with the center post on the trailer. I go in very slow so it really can't get messy. Once I have the cones on the bunks, I power up to the bow-stop. Once I'm on the bow stop, I leave the motor in gear just enough to hold the boat, then walk up to the bow and connect the strap. Never an issue and I do this pretty often. Even when I have help, I pretty much do the same thing. My bride very rarely gets out of the truck when we trailer-up. 
 
Good stuff. I should be doing it solo-style like that all the time just so this isn't an issue when I want to go out alone. Your method sounds great. I'll definitely give it a shot. Much better than trying to line up the starboard toon with guidance like I've been doing. It usually goes fine the first try, but I definitely need someone watching me come in that way. 
 
I launch and load by my self almost every time. Launching sounds like you got that down.

Loading, I back the trailer in all the way to get the bunks wet, then pull out so about 3 ft of the bunk is showing.

Get on the boat drive up to it slow and center it as good as possible, once the front of the toons hit the bunks, the front of the toons will normally self center on the bunks, power it up slowly until it hits the stops. Shut down the motor walk up front, attach the strap, crank it tight, Pull it out.
 
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once your out, pull up just enough so you can walk behind to make sure you are centered. If not and you're already at the front bunks, you can typically back in and float it off then pull up and you should be Good to go. If you don't mind wading you can also float it on, but that's typically wet and gets your truck seat messy... Unless your at a nude dock...
 
Rockie69 said:
Unless your at a nude dock...
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Given the traffic out there this time of year, I might as well be! :)

This is where I'll be launching:

http://www.nps.gov/imr/customcf/webcam/dsp_webcam_image.cfm?&webCam=56868082F6D1C0684BC473899D0AF3784984E6619EACCFAF9ABC5F9DB5048806C5EC8CD4938B9C&thumbnail=56868082F6D1C0684BC473899D0AF3784984E6619EACCFAF9ABC5F9DB5048806C5EC8CD4938B9C&refreshRate=30&title=69939C85A99F9F3F71D23489CD35BC6A4891A136A9AFC1BE&width=736&height=480&altText=69939C85A99F9F3F71D23489CD35BC6A4891A136A9AFC1BE&description=7FD2829BA989CF794EDC30C79911B83F529DB93694A88CBA9FAA52BDB5028709F1FAD0839695DB31FEB25B45B19F9F8C825BA9137B1DD988904EEFAEB879ADD0C726859E86B68887F23E1EEFB094869E52CE8EA6989EE99B96FABBBD7A8ABBD6575EFA68FCCC9FD2C6FF59549DB083ED8BAFB4&parkID=/
 
One other thing, I know when the boat is in the right position when I am tightening the strap because the rub rail protectors are lined up to the stops as you can see on the picture. If the back of the boat is not in the right position these will be offset.

Hope this helps.

545_zps80909995.jpg
 
Practice, practice, practice.  And move fast on your feet.

I had to abort putting my boat on my trailer once this Summer, and the wind immediately turned my boat 90 degrees in shallow water.  It's best to use boat ramps in protected waters and visit a ramp that has the proper elevation.  Not too steep and not too shallow.  It also helps to use the same ramp every time you go out.

My biggest screwup this summer was not tying a good knot when I went after my truck.  With the wind strong that day, I had to swim 50 yards to retrieve my Bennie in street clothes.
 
One note on power loading. Not legal at most ramps. So don't be alarmed if you get a ticket.
 
lakeliving said:
One note on power loading. Not legal at most ramps. So don't be alarmed if you get a ticket.
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Thats interesting. Been boating along time and have never lived on a lake, so it has been launching and loading every time. I have never heard of that before from anyone here in MN.  My guess is over 50% of the people I have ever seen including my self power load there boats. 

I could see where that would make things a little more difficult somtimes if you couldn't do that. 
 
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There are a lot of ramps that I've seen posted "No Power Loading". But where we boat, there are no ordinances to support the postings. It's just a sign to keep people who don't know very much, from doing something that takes a fair amount of practice. And it's very effective. The point is well taken however. Know the laws where you boat. 
 
Just because you can doesn't mean you have to though! Our ramp is crappy enough, we don't need power loading!!!! I guess if you have a nice concrete ramp then go for it.
 
Our lake's ramp is posted "no power loading", but some do it anyway. It is a relatively shallow and short ramp there is a mound formed off it. I have dropped my old bowrider trailer over the end. It doesn't take much to wash those lake bottoms out.
 
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Most of those boat are smaller fishing boat too that could be easily winched up. There is not a lot of "big boat" traffic on our 400 acre lake.
 
Pontoon trailers are typically longer too thus falling off the ramp first. This happened to a member last year and it totaled his trailer if I recall.
 
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All concrete ramps around here and most everyone powerloads. One of the ramps at Powell ends at cliff if the lake weren't there. They paved right to the edge of it. Kind of neat to see when it's out of the water like earlier this year. I sure hope they close that one down well ahead of the required depth for an average trailer. 
 
I would agree power loading can do some damage to the ramp and the bottom of the lake. But when I said I power load it is with minimal force,  which I think has minimal if any impact. And every lake and ramp are different.

Another thing, once you learn your set up and done enough times you should be able to do it with fairly little effort.

But yes I have seen some people hammer down when loading and I do not agree with doing that. 
 
The issue with posted no-power-loading is not to keep people who are really good at launching and retrieving, from launching and retrieving. It's to keep the hammer-down idiots away from the throttle. The way I load, most people would never know that I'm power loading if they were to watch. I'll never not power load unless there's a cop and an ordinance. But (with a cocky voice), I'm not the problem. Over 250 hours a year on two boats and I don't live on a lake. And 25 years of experience. Carry the one. Divide by pi. Square root the remainder...

I'm a power loader. I'm really good at it. There are those of us out there that are old, stubborn, experienced and capable, yet respectful and understand that the world is full of boaters who don't have a clue what they are doing. With all that said...as long as I have my experience and capability I'll gently power load my boat regardless of signage. I do no harm to ramps because I do it correctly. 
 
[SIZE=10.5pt]I'm glad you've mastered the technique so not one grain of sand on the lake bed is disturbed from your loading technique. And if one is well then, you're part of the problem. I think you are a very knowledgeable guy but I guess I don’t see how power loading your ski boat doesn’t create wash out. My neighbors have direct drive ski boats and I can see the result of them powering into their lifts has to the lake bed. They’re not revving up their v8’s in doing so either.  I could be wrong. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Not trying to be an ass. Just me, the guy who is at the lake 365 days a year sharing their thoughts based on visual observations. [/SIZE]
 
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