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How do you successfully launch a boat between a husband and wife!

Benni Newbie

Benni Newbie

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Any suggestions on how to launch a boat between a husband and wife? Lol. We have a 22 tri-toon SSRFBXP with 20 hours on it. It is a large boat with a large trailer. It is very hard to see around the boat when backing down the boat ramp. I am VERY nervous to back down the trailer or drive the boat onto the trailer. Currently, my husband backs the boat down the ramp and I hold the boat at the dock while he goes and parks the truck. When we return from a fun filled day of boating, he parks the boat at the ramp and I hold it while he backs the truck down the ramp and puts the boat on the trailer. I drive the truck with the boat and trailer out of the water. That is all I am comfortable doing at this point but I feel like I am not doing enough to help. I am so nervous doing anything other than the above. Boat ramps in FL are super congested and people get very angry when they are waiting. How do you all launch your boat when the wifey is a nervous nelly!!!
 
You are doing fine! That's more ambitious than most who are nervous about launching a boat. Tie a 25 foot long rope to the front of the boat to ease holding it at the dock after unloading it ( you can hook the end of the rope on the truck bed or the boat trailer winch area to ensure the boat doesn't float too far away when it starts to float). When you come back in, you could hold the rope and boat at the dock as he gets the trailer. Then you could simply pull the rope and boat onto the trailer...easier than starting it up again and driving onto the trailer. That's how we did it for years with our deck boat. I think you are doing fine. If you want to get better, practice a few times when the ramp isn't crowded.
 
Yup, you are doing exactly what my wife did for years until we got a dock. Even though it may seem trivial, it's a huge help, especially on a windy day, I'd get it just right, winched tight and tell her to go. Keep doing what you're doing and over time you'll get more comfortable. Other than making sure no one was behind us, I never looked behind boat, just my tires at edge of ramp and when they entered the water. I knew just how deep they had to go in water to float off. Practice backing up in a big parking lot getting it into a parking space. As you get more comfortable, try it at the ramp.
 
Benni Newbie said:
Any suggestions on how to launch a boat between a husband and wife? Lol. We have a 22 tri-toon SSRFBXP with 20 hours on it. It is a large boat with a large trailer. It is very hard to see around the boat when backing down the boat ramp. I am VERY nervous to back down the trailer or drive the boat onto the trailer. Currently, my husband backs the boat down the ramp and I hold the boat at the dock while he goes and parks the truck. When we return from a fun filled day of boating, he parks the boat at the ramp and I hold it while he backs the truck down the ramp and puts the boat on the trailer. I drive the truck with the boat and trailer out of the water. That is all I am comfortable doing at this point but I feel like I am not doing enough to help. I am so nervous doing anything other than the above. Boat ramps in FL are super congested and people get very angry when they are waiting. How do you all launch your boat when the wifey is a nervous nelly!!!
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That's pretty much how my wife and I launch. I back down the ramp until the truck and trailer only need to go straight back and the back of the trailer is already in the water. Then she gets in the truck and I climb in the boat and I tell her to back the rest of the way down and when to stop. Once the boat is off the trailer, she parks the truck and trailer and comes down to the dock.

When we're putting the boat back on the trailer, she stays with the boat at the dock while I back the trailer down the ramp and into the water. I then get back in the boat and she gets in the truck. If needed, i'll ask her to back the trailer in a bit more, or pull it out a bit. Once I have the boat on the trailer, she pulls up the ramp, parks, and we finish securing the boat. We always talk about teaching her to back up the boat/trailer, but never get around to it. Some day we will, but it will not be at the boat ramp. We'll practice in a big empty parking lot so there is no stress. Heck, even after launching boats for well over 30 years now even I can get a bit stressed out at a busy or difficult ramp.

With that said, I've only launched the benny once and have yet to put it back on the trailer. However, I did pay close attention when the sales guy was putting it back after our demo ride and I don't think I'll have a problem.
 
After reading this I have to count myself blessed. When launching, my wife gets out of the truck and guides me as I back down the ramp making sure I am not going off the side of the ramp. Once we are in the water, but not yet floating she hops into the boat and I back down to the point where the boat is floating and then she backs off the trailer. She stays in that area while I park the truck and trailer and then she pulls up to the dock to pick me up. When we are ready to load the boat back on the trailer, we essentially do everything in reverse. Once I have the trailer far enough into the water, she drives the boat up onto the trailer with a little guidance from me. Interestingly my wife can hardly park her SUV in the garage but yet puts the boat on the trailer perfectly the first time every time. Once on windy day, some fishermen on the dock watched her put the boat on the trailer in one try and began yelling out to me, "She's a keeper." That she is!
 
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This is funny because we used to live beside a public landing. I would sit on my porch in the evenings and hear great fights between husbands and wives trying to load and unload boats. We just got our new R series Benny and unloaded it this evening. Wife drove new trailer to the house and I met her at our dock. Stressed to her over and over about taking wide turns with trailer. When wife got to dock she was crying and said “I killed the trailer.” Got up to the house and she side swiped the trailer and took out the front left ramp. I’m at a loss for words! Good luck! I’m sure it’s the first of many adventurous trailering stories.
 
dmdword said:
This is funny because we used to live beside a public landing. I would sit on my porch in the evenings and hear great fights between husbands and wives trying to load and unload boats. We just got our new R series Benny and unloaded it this evening. Wife drove new trailer to the house and I met her at our dock. Stressed to her over and over about taking wide turns with trailer. When wife got to dock she was crying and said “I killed the trailer.” Got up to the house and she side swiped the trailer and took out the front left ramp. I’m at a loss for words! Good luck! I’m sure it’s the first of many adventurous trailering stories.
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Our last boat was a Maxum all around boat. A few years back I drove it into a dock and broke the lights. I feel your wife’s pain. Good luck. I will continue to let my hubby do the majority of launching and driving for now!
 
We used to do the ole’ switcheroo in the beginning. I backed the truck down the ramp and then got back on the boat to load while she pulled me out. One evening, on a non-windy day, my wife said she wanted to try to load the boat. She’s been doing it ever since. Our ramp is only busy if you’re trying to launch or load at the end of the local fishing tournament. Then, we just float for the 15-20 minutes those guys are rushing to meet deadline.
 
Ms Benni Newbie -- Welcome to the Bennington Club. I strongly suggest you get comfortable driving the boat. My wife and I got our first boat (an old beater pontoon) 30 years ago. Neither of us had ever driven a boat and I made sure we learned everything together. She is absolutely capable of backing the boat off the trailer and puttering around while I park the truck as well as driving onto the trailer at the end of the day. As a matter of fact, she's probably better at it than me.

Quick story -- My wife was out of town and I headed over to the most crowded marina on our lake at 5 PM on a summer Saturday. The place was hopping and there were no open slip spaces in sight. As I idled around waiting for something to open up, a 19' bowrider parked next to my friend's $300,000 custom painted 38' Cigarette boat pulled out. I called out to him, "You think I can fit in that space." He yelled back, "I know Crystal (my wife) could. Don't know about you." :-)
 
We just put our boat back in the water after doing the yearly service and at the ramp a gentleman and his grand kid were watching. He made a comment along the lines of, you guys aren't even yelling at each other! As stated above I get the trailer and truck lined up so she only has to back straight down. I then get the boat held to the dock and she pulls the truck out. She comes and holds the boat and I park the truck/trailer. Repeat process when loading.

And take your time at the ramp. Don't rush or damage something/get injured because someone is impatient. use the staging lane and get everything ready and come up with your game plan before even getting lined up at the ramp. Look at which side has more room, what side do you board the boat on, which way is the wind blowing etc. Personally I launch on the side where the wind will blow the boat toward the dock. And if you don't have them, a set of towing mirrors help when backing up too.
 
We drive to the ramp together. I back the boat/trailer down the ramp and unhook the stern straps and winch strap. My wife is now holding the dock lines. I back the rest of the way down the ramp and abruptly stop. The boat comes off the trailer and she temporarily ties up. She boards the boat and turns on the blower and after a few minutes of ventilating the engine compartment starts the engine. I untie the boat and she leaves and meets me at our slip across from our house. I drive the trailer to the same place. Done until the fall.......
 
I will quickly admit that my wife is a much better boat driver than me. I can back a trailer about anywhere you want it so she gets in the boat and I back the trailer in she will drive off and give me the all clear signal then I park the truck and go to the dock. When it is time to go home, she will load up usually in one try. Makes for a peaceful enjoyable experience. This summer, she is learning how to back the trailer and will teach me how to load the boat.
 
off the side of the ramp. Once we are in the water, but not yet floating she hops into the boat and I back down to the point where the boat is floating and then she backs off the trShe stays in that area while I park the truck and trailer and then she pulls up t[/QUOTE]
dmdword said:
This is funny because we used to live beside a public landing. I would sit on my porch in the evenings and hear great fights between husbands and wives trying to load and unload boats.
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Not a boat trailer story, but at one point I thought my parents might divorce because they argued so much when my Dad was backing up their RV trailer. There were occasions when I was visiting I had to calm both of them down. They solved the problem by selling the trailer and buying a motor home!
 
Ignore the haters at the ramp. Be deliberate, use the staging lanes, stay safe. Over time you will get comfortable with what you can do. Learn at your own pace.
 
You're doing great! Its a process that takes time to learn. If you're nervous or intimated by the size of the Trailer, maybe be in the boat and put around the marina until he's done parking?

My wife backs the boat down the launch ramp while I dock the boat. She then parks the truck and trailer and walks down to the dock or beach. All depends on where I want to wait for her.

We've been at this for a long time. In the beginning I did all of it until she felt comfortable enough...
 
My dealer backs the trailer into the water whereupon I hand him a $20, board my boat and then call out “See you in September”. :)
 
Benni Newbie, as many others have suggested, here are some suggestions/tips:
1. Use the staging areas/lanes to get everything prepped. Don't be loading stuff in and out of the pontoon when in the launch lanes. These are the things that make people frustrated. Don't get into the launch lane until you are ready. This also applies after you load the pontoon onto the trailer. Pull out of the way and complete tasks (unload coolers, strap down the boat, etc..) in the staging areas.
2. When you are launching and loading, go at a comfortable pace so you don't damage your boat, trailer, or vehicle as well as not injuring yourself or anyone around you. Nothing will ruin your experience faster than damaging your boat or injuring someone. You will get better and faster as you do it more. Learn as you go. Don't let people get to you and make you nervous, rush, or do anything unsafe.
3. When on the water, take time to practice docking at a dock that is not busy. This includes days that are windy as those are the days that makes docking the most difficult.
4. If the launch area is not busy, you can always practice launching and loading a couple of times back to back. You will learn how to work as a team and understand what needs to be done and in what sequence.
5. Practice backing up the pontoon on the trailer in a large empty parking lot. Set up some cones, garbage cans, or whatever you can find and pretend they are the dock and you will back the trailer down the ramp next to them.
6. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. As you get better, you'll adjust how you do things. Make sure that as you adjust your process as you get better/faster, but most importantly, you are doing it the same way. When both of you do it the same way each and every time, you will get faster, be more comfortable, and most importantly, safer.
7. Watch others. Sit at the launch area and watch others, especially those with pontoons. You'll see people doing it efficiently and you'll see people struggle. Watch what each of them do and try to mimic what the efficient people do and what to avoid. Plus you'll get some good laughs with helps relieve stress.
8. Have fun!!! Laugh at yourself if you need.

As others have stated, you will get better and faster. It takes practice.
 
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