Dock Ramp Ediquitte

I'm with Jeremy. The farther I can keep my gel coat away from those ramp docks the better. If I ever do have to tie up, it's a big production with lines and fenders and worry.

When we load, my wife drives the boat and pretty much coasts onto the trailer bunks. We go just fast enough to maintain contol. I winch the last couple of feet. Is this power loading or not?
 
280 SeaRay said:
Are there really non-concrete/non-asphalt ramps?
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Most of the ramps by me are just dirt/sand. The only concrete/asphalt ones are at marinas. If fact the one in my neighborhood is actually wood, because the concrete has crumbles so, the lag bolted treated wood under there. NJ isn't exactly known for well maintained ramps. Most of the concrete and asphalt one are in terrible disrepair. And you will never see those big multi lane ramps around here.
 
chuck1 said:
First Born said:
Greg,

Never really see the point of doing it (power loading).

Wesley
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Wesley with the smaller/lighter boats you don't really have to worry about it. Never really had to do it with my 15 to 17 footers. With the weight of 240 do it any time I can now. :thumbsup:
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I'm going to have to agree to power loading and unloading on the 240. I have the 240 and a float on magictilt trailer and MM told us to power on and off. So far the ramps I've gone to have all been concreate and short and not very steep and then the water will be low. Even Backing the trailer all the way down the ramp till only the front set of wheels of the trailer are left on the ramp the boat normally won't push off so I have to climb up the front ladder get in the boat and power it off.

Getting it on the first time I tried not powering it on and let me tell you cranking a 240 a few feet onto a bunk trailer is not something I wish on any one. When I was done I had to sit down and rest my arms were jello and it took me almost an hour my arms were like jello I couldn't do anything for 30 minutes after I was done.

Now I power on but I still put the trailer in as far as I can to use as little power as possible but let me tell you only takes a couple of minutes now and no jello arms and I'm out of the way for the next person in line.

If people are conserned about the environment then they should tell the ramp owners to make better longer steeper ramps so I can FLOAT off and FLOAT on.
 
hmm....we were taught to "power load" by our salesman at MarineMax! He taught us to trim up about half way, motor up to the bunks, once we were resting on the bunks we were told to hook the chain up and give it a little gas to help push the boat up while you crank it up in the front. That way there is less strain on the hook on the front of the boat. We've been told that we were doing it the correct way at the ramp by others as well....

any comments????
 
I've never seen anyone float on here in this part of the country.

To me, power loading (only way we do it) is up to the bow roller. If by myself, or sometimes I just double check because "it's good" to some people is if the boat has part of a trailer under it, I power up, bump the roller and hold it there while getting the winch strap snug and the cable attached. Once secured, I power down, off and tilt up.
 
well i used to float it on.. but what happens is this.. you have to put your trailor deep in the water.. and then your boat is in place. then you slowley pull out and it SHOULD rest perfect on the trailor.. but sometimes you get those days when you pull out and take a look and its crooked on the trailor.. So now i power it up everytime and it fits right in place.. when i first started i was scared to do it, but now since i have some experience (not nearly as much as any of you) i now power it up and hook it up all my myself!
 
Well it looks like you've been 'edicated' in 'ediquitte' c-rock!! heh ( sorry.. I just couldn't resist)

As Jim described is how just about everyone does it here also.
 
Careful Bridog, some liberal will jump all over you for your sarcasm. You are not being nice.......
 
I believe the person that ties up the ramp washing their boat etc. is the same one that ties up the passing lane on the interstate for 5 miles while passing a car going .25 mph slower than he is going. Its their nature and you just have to hope you don't end up behind them at the ramp or on the highway. Education will not help.

Paved ramps are not an excuse to safely powerload IMO. In lakes around here the pavement doesn't extend any farther than it has to and powerloading still damages the bottom beyond the pavement.
 
nirvana2 said:
Careful Bridog, some liberal will jump all over you for your sarcasm. You are not being nice.......
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heh.. I guess Stihl just got lucky with his ediquitte etiquette..

No BobK... I don't think that would be considered powerloading... we 'coast' up on as much as we can also... I take it to mean having to apply addn'l power to run it further up on the bunks.
 
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Larry&Leisa said:
I take it to mean having to apply addn'l power to run it further up on the bunks.
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I do too. Motoring up at idle speed or slightly above is fine.

Its usually a 200HP bass boat that powers up to the bow stop at 1/2 throttle and then holds it there churning water and lake bottom while the helper casually hooks up the line around here.
 
Sorrento 25 said:
I do too. Motoring up at idle speed or slightly above is fine.

Its usually a 200HP bass boat that powers up to the bow stop at 1/2 throttle and then holds it there churning water and lake bottom while the helper casually hooks up the line around here.
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Correct, that is what I consider power loading.
 
With the new "EASY LOAD" trailers power loading is unnecessary and can even be dangerous. I can come into my trailer almost caddywhompus and it still cranks on perfect every time. I've seen a guy wipe out his tailgate powerloading.:smt089:wow:
 
Most of the time I have to Power load, I installed a set of bunks that catch the boat much earlier and align it up to load onto the trailer. Mainly because once I'm up o the trailer I cannot see it, the bow sits high, at night I leave all the trailer lights on and it acts as a land strip to giude me onto the trailer, but never have I had to rev the engines to get it on the trailer.....Oh except once, when there wasn't enough water depth to float it on..... that's when I dropped the trailer off the end of the concrete ramp, which was a 3 feet drop off. Once we had a wrecker lift it off the bottom of the frame rails, I had to load the boat onto the trailer, that took all 600 hp to get it up and on....it was a bad day...
But on normal ramps I idle in and bump it up if I have to, then I use the power wench....with remote control.....he he sorry/
 
Thank Gawd I don't trailer any more but there were a few things that need to be added to the rules.
1. Don't forget to take the rear tie downs off before you put your back against the bow and cave in the tailgate on your Expedition with your feet trying to push the boat off the trailer.

2. After you do something stupid, be sure and scream at the Admiral loud enough for the whole county to hear. And don't forget to yell "Stupid Bi--h" several times so you can make sure she never goes again and makes you sell the boat.

These were not my blunders, I was only witness to the joy.
 
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