For you veteran boaters

[Aaron Scott2]

Most of the time I fish with my son, and launching the boat is easy. I plan on fishing a lot more this year and on occasion will want to go by myself. How do you guys launch your boat when you go alone?I was watching a bass show Saturday morning and that blonde haired dude( you know the one that was on that bachelor show) showed how he does it. He would back the boat in real slow, with the dock always on the drivers side, and soon as the boat floats off would jump out of the towing vehicle, run back to the boat to reach over and grab the rope. Then he would tie it off and go park the towing vehicle.



There has to be a better way. Let me hear it boys.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Just whatever side you use is the side you already have your ropes tied on that side and back down close to the dock where you can step into the boat after you unhook the front...don't unhook it from the trailer until it's started and idling. Then use a courtesy dock if one is availible so you don't tie up the ramp.

 

[Tim Jeffers]

I fish alone 95% of the time, and that's how I do it. I suppose I could drive off the trailer and beach the boat if there was a sandy area nearby, but I usually don't have that option:angry:.



TJ

 

[cq]

100% what Tee said.

cq

 

[Andrew Zuber]

I watched Byron last saturday too...

Did you notice how much wind there was that day?

LOL...NONE...that process would not be very 'reliable' in Michigan!

I launch a lot by myself and I think I have it down to a science...

I have everthing disconnected and the boat is ready to go when I approach the ramp...

I have a special length of rope that I clamp onto the front of the boat and the winch area of the trailer...it's sized that I can then back down into the water and float the boat off the trailer and then pull slowly back up the ramp with the Grand Cherokee until the boat just gets to shore. Get back out, unhook the rope from the trailer, and either tie up to the dock or something on shore...park the Jeep and I'm ready to fish!

I love the looks you get from bystanders when you start backing down the ramp with no one holding a rope for your boat! LOL



az

 

[Herndonpro]

I fish tidal water alot, with flucuating water levels. I have a very long rope I tie to the bow of the boat, lay the excess in the bed of the truck and hold the other end in the cab as I back in. When the boat floats off I get out of the truck rope in hand and tie to the dock. No scrambling for the rope or having to pull the trailer out before I can tie off.



HP

 

[Jim B]

I launch by myself a lot. what i do is after gettign on the boat ready, transom saver stowed and rear straps unkooked, etc. I back down the ramp until the rear of the boat just begins to float. Then i get out of the truck, unhook the bow strap, give it a push off the trailer and hop on. From there i trolling motor it over to a dock if available (almost never where i fish) or beach it. Then park the truck, get in the boat and go fishing. All told it takes me less then 2 min to launch my boat solo.



I also carry a set of Knee high wader boots for when the water is cold if i need to step in it.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Aaron,



Before I even back the trailer up I get everything ready so not to tie up the ramp. Put your pedestals in if you use them, take off the transom tie downs, PUT IN DRAIN PLUG. I then take a 40' length of rope I have and tie one end to the bow eye and and just lay the rest on the front deck. I then back the boat down the ramp to where I can still get out without getting wet or the boat floating off. I then got out and take the free end of the rope and tie it to the winch and unhook your winch hook from the bow eye. Back your vehcile up until the boat is floating off the trailer. Pull your vehicle up until you can get out without getting wet. Take the rope you tied to the winch off and tie it wherever you can so you can go park your vehicle.

That's how I do it anyway. We have so many crappy ramps in our area you kind of have to figure out what you're going to do when you get there.



Bill

 

[Bruce Freeman]

What works best for some may not be for everybody. I leave the front strap hooked to the boat with about a foot of slack, back down tell the boat floats, go back unhook the strap push the boat off and jump on the bow and use the tm to get back to the dock out of the way of the ramp. Then just tie up and go park.

BF

P.S Works great at Broad Creek..

 

[Texas Transplant]

Much like others, his method he showed on BassCenter would work on a calm day; with no other boats leaving/coming in; and a ramp built exactly like the one he used. I launced by myself yesterday, and that simply would not have worked - unless you could reach about 8 feet with your arm from the dock!



I, like others, have a rope. Mines about 30' in length - to satisfy many different ramps. I clip it to the bow hook, then tie it off to the ramp (if no ramp, it's tied off to the trailer). Then, I put it in and then retrieve it from the water. Just takes a little longer to do than when someone is there to assist.



It's a little tricker getting back on the trailer, for I have an SUV and I have to dance around to keep from getting my feet wet when coming back in. No truck bed to climb into. In rare occasions, I've been known to lift the back gate and crawl through the SUV once back on the trailer.



Tex

 

[Aaron Scott2]

Byron did make it look too easy. Since I fish mostly tidal waters I'm liking the long rope tied to the bow hook ideas.



Bruce F., how in the world do you launch your boat like that at Broad Creek? I had to back so far in that I would of needed my water wings to swim out to the boat. And I can't see you balancing on the trailer, since you fall down stairs, to get back to the boat to jump on it.:lol:

 

[Kevin Kern]

I launch my boat exactly the way Bruce F does and I have not had any problems yet.

 

[Steven Parker]

I tie my rope to the back of the boat, carefully back down to the water, get out of the truck and tie a 2 foot diameter loop on the other end. I then wait patiently and lasso the first @#$@% that comes screaming by on a jet ski !!!

This does a nice job of removing the boat from the trailer.

 

[Rusty Williams]

I just back my boat into the water until just before it floats...hop in and back it off the trailer...i try to remember where the water came up on my trailer fenders for reloading ...drive on and pull out...no problems.



RW

 

[mike chip]

i unhook everything but the bow strap, which is loosened about a foot but locked. i back the trailer down till boat floats, then un hook while standing on trailer tounge and step abord and tie off. park truck then go fishin.

mike

 

[Major Mark]

As I have a deep v, with an upswept bow, floating off & stepping onto the bow wouldn't work well for me & my particular boat. I use the long rope method, clip it to the bow ring & the trailer tongue, back in until it floats off, drive out slowly-pulling the boat back to "grounded bow zone" (thank god for my Keelshield!), get out & tie the boat off to the pier & park the truck... works like a charm!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I'll tell ya how Teddy does it when I am around......He unties everything and backs down the ramp at abot 10 mph....slams his brakes on and launches his boat out into the lake/river then hops in my boat and tells me to take him to his...which is usually half way across the lake!!:lol::lol::lol:



That's a true story!!



I just leave the bow hooked and back her down close to the dock. Get out of the truck, walk the dock jump into the boat, drop to a knee and unhook the bow and tie off to the dock. Easy.



TOXIC

 

[C C]

I launch mine all of the time on my own pretty much the same as the guys have described. Aaron, you can tell your wife that you that you will have no problem launching the Ranger all by your self so she must let you buy it! :lol:



Cass

 

[Dan Sullivan]

I launch just like Andy, and I have gotten those same looks. I situate the rope on the front deck so it gradually snakes off as the boat drifts off the trailer. I'm careful to make sure that it won't snag on anything like the tm pedal or the prop.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

jgarst.......Bite me dude!!



TOXIC

 

[Aaron Scott2]

Thanks for all the responses. I'll practice a few of these techniques and see what works for my deep v.



Cass, I hear you. So you did see my post. When you coming by Maryland to drop it off?



Next, I'll have to get tips from all of you on how to get the boat back on. Do you guys/gals power it on or manually pull it on then winch it? I imagine the more I do it myself the easier it will get.



Thanks again.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Aaron, I forgot to add that I back as close to the dock as possible and during low water times I will jump from the dock to the boat. Toxic the first time I saw that style was in Pittsburgh when I went with Greg, it's even better on a river where you have to chase it down...

BF

P.S Drive it on,

 

[chris jeroue]

when I launch alone I have a long rope with a boat hook on the end and I hook this onto the front of the boat and then tie it to a cleat on the dock. After you do this back the boat in so it floats off the trailer and then tie off the back of the boat to the dock so it doesn't blow over and tie up two launch sites you may want to tighten up your front line at this time also.



arthritic minnow.

 

[C C]

Aaron, I drive the boat on to the trailer all of the way up, it's a bit too much for me to winch up.



I am in NC right now on vacation going to play golf today, sure beats the sub zero frozen tundra I left in NH, but can make a trip anytime with the boat in tow to MD once you have decided you want to buy it and I have a deposit



Cass

 

[Mini]

I do it the same way....I dont let it float very long before getting out og the truck. If the wind is too bad I will get it right before it floats, then get on the back deck of the boat (raises the bow) and slide it off using the ropes on the pilings of the dock.



Mini