Boat ramp question.

Road King Cole · #1 11-20-2009, 01:47 PM

Is it common to “drive your boat” up the trailer? I can see driving it at a slow pace to get it mostly on the trailer or at least lined up properly and then winch it the last few feet, but give it hard throttle to “drive it up?”

Here’s my story;

Being single-handed most of the time with boat, I tie the boat at the dock, go get the truck and put the trailer in the water and then re-position the boat to be near thetrailer. I then pull out the winch cable, connect it to the boat, untie the boat from the dock, move the boat onto the trailer as much as I can, got to the winch and then winch it up. It’s been working great.

What happened yesterday was that a guy had his buddy drive his trailer to the water and then he drove his boat up the trailer. To do this he had to give the engine allot of throttle which then produced a good current which pulled by boat off its tracks just after I was getting back to the winch. I wasn’t able to just pull it back onto track as he kept high throttle for a long time even after his buddy secured the boat. Had my rubber boots on and I walked the beam of the trailer so I could reposition the boat. On the way back to the winch he had finally cut his engine and says to me; “Dude, did you just get that boat?” “Dude, you know you can just drive it up?”

I let him know that I was fine until he produced such a current. Perhaps I wouldn’t have been a little perturbed if:

My boots are “lets say” 18 inches high, when “walking the beam” back to the truck holding the cable, I stepped off where it was “lets say” 18.5 inches deep. The water didn’t look that deep.

I know there is a fine for power reversing off the trailer, I should think the same rule and reason should apply here.

Or, pardon the expression, Am I all wet?

reelapeelin · #2 11-20-2009, 02:50 PM

Cole, it all depends on where you are...varies from state to state...and what kind of trailer (roller or bunks) and then throw in some personal preference.
Down here, we run 'em all the way up on the trailer, hitch it and pull straight to a rigging area...on a weekend at any popular ramp, if you dally around like you are talking about, you become unpopular QUICK...No fine for power-on/off...and I've always powered up/down in FL as well...

That's down here...

Up there, after being a member of this forum, I've come to realize the laws are different and probably w/good reason...sounds like shallower ramps up there as many prefer rollers to bunks..your new friend (ha-ha) at the ramp probably didn't intend to mess you up, but sounds like a bit of an @$$ anyway (I generally wanna smack people who refer to others they don't know as Dude)...check on the local laws re ramp loading...it sure is easier/quicker to power load if you can.

Road King Cole · #3 11-20-2009, 03:43 PM

There is a sign that says $100 fine for powering off...

I know it sounds like allot of steps, but I don't dilly dally...even though there was no one else there...

I am not sure if getting back on and off the boat to power on would actually be any quicker. Perhaps I could give that a try next time.

So it would be:

Pull up and tie off at the dock.

Get the truck, put trailer in water.

get back in boat, start engine, untie and drive boat on trailer.

(leave engine in gear so boat doesn't slide back)

Climb to front, lean over and secure chain\winch cable to bow eye bolt.

Go back and turn off engine.

Climb down in front of boat onto trailer (I'm a little worried about this step).

Get in truck and pull out.

If there are any tricks to make it quicker, I'm all ears...

I'm with ya on the "Dude thing".

rkc

reelapeelin · #4 11-20-2009, 05:52 PM

Sorry...was using the dally thing in comparison to what goes on down here...all the striper tournaments I've loaded/unloaded for, those guys dunk 'em and chunk 'em cause there might be a hundred boats tryin' to get in before blast-off(one reason I quit tourneys)...I hear ya on the over-the-bow-thing...at 57 goin' over mine would be tricky if I hadn't intentionally set it up for that long ago...and doing it alone adds to the trick...my spare-tire is my step-down off the front of the bow...if my buddy's in the truck, I hitch it up, give him the OK and we're off...if no buddy, then it's another trip...you'll work it out...just remember...PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE...and of course fish each time you practice...

garagenc · #5 11-20-2009, 08:57 PM

I do exactly what you described in youre last post Cole, power on and off, I also have to climb over the bow if I didn't get the trailer close to the finger pier.

Alot of ramps around here in NC and VA at low tide if you have bunks you have to power it off and that also keeps the launch area dredged out.

I have bunks and I always drive on, Tip: I put a bolt on my winch and installed a small diameter garden hose on it so it is vertical and that lets me line my bow up perfectly each time I load.

phatdaddy · #6 11-20-2009, 10:58 PM

agree with all of the above, local customs prevail. one thing i do when alone is make sure i back trailer close enough to finger pier, i can step off foredeck to finger pier. i have a bunk trailer and power up. when launching, i dip it until it floats off....
also, common sense would tell me not to make a lot of "wake" next to someone trying to load or unload. but common sense at a boat ramp is a rare find...

nipper · #7 11-21-2009, 08:13 AM

I power up most of the way, but not with much throttle at all. Just enough power to get it centered on the bunks. I am always afraid to power it up hard and have the bow smash into the winch/winch stand. I then get up on the deck and step from the deck down to the spare tire and from there down to the tongue of the trailer. I hitch her up and crank it up the last foot or two. I always pull out 2-3 feet of the winch line before backing the trailer into the water so I can just clip on the winch cable and crank her up. I have to knock on wood here, but I have never had to go in the water (unless it is warm and I want to). I can step from the trailer tongue to the bumper of my suburban, then swing around to the rear driver side tire (while holding on to the luggage rack) and then down from the tire to the ramp.

Depending on the ramp, people powering up hard can really cause problems by creating big holes in the bottom beyond where the ramp ends. I have seen people back in too far and drop a trailer wheel in the hole causing difficulties with getting the trailer back out.

Hey, this is my 1000th post! Am I now among the "God" ranks?

nipper · #8 11-21-2009, 08:15 AM

Yep, just checked my last post and I am now listed as a "God". Nice to be among such good company. I have enhoyed every minute on this site over the past several years. Y'all are a very fine bunch of folks.

willy · #9 11-21-2009, 08:44 AM

congrats Lord Nipper

CaptJ · #10 11-21-2009, 03:58 PM

All depends on the ramp and the type of trailer you have. I could pull my V up on the rollers no problem. Now with the bunker trailer and the new ramp I am using at the town docks I have to power her up to the winch. I am not crazy about doing it but how else you going to get her up on a shallow ramp with a bunk trailer?
I always try to be aware of who is around me and be curtious at all times.