Launch process at the ramp?

A

arw01

New Member
Apr 5, 2014
44
PNW
Boat Info
2004 180 Sport
Engines
3.0 Mercruiser
Before you guys back down with the sport boats, are you totally unhooked from the trailer and it floats free as soon as you hit deep enough water?

Have the standard shorelander trailer with the carpet skids, no rollers to worry about feeding it right off the trailer on its own with a slope?

And if you boat alone or with younger kids, how do you keep it straight to the trailer when you pull out?

Alan
 
arw01 said:
Before you guys back down with the sport boats, are you totally unhooked from the trailer and it floats free as soon as you hit deep enough water?

Obviously this depends on the ramp and the trailer. Typically, I would have it strapped or chained until I'm at the waters edge... take no chances.

Have the standard shorelander trailer with the carpet skids, no rollers to worry about feeding it right off the trailer on its own with a slope?

And if you boat alone or with younger kids, how do you keep it straight to the trailer when you pull out?

With a boat your size, I would leave about 1/4th of the bunks out of the water, drive the boat on just enough to hold it in place, shut the engine off and trailer the outdrive, climb over the bow and hook up the strap, back down in slightly and then winch it up, repeat as necessary. Slowly winching the boat onto the trailer insures that it stays in the bunks.

Alan
Click to expand...

:smt001
 
With smaller boats (and ramps that allow power loading), it's often easy enough to drive the boat all the way to the bow stop, leave the engine in gear, then just reach over and attach the strap and turn the handle.

And, yes, leave safety chain and strap still attached until you're in the water... just in case.

If you're finding that the stern of the boat is still moving around a lot (when fully on the trailer), then the trailer is too far in the water
 
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When you launch, develop a mental checklist and count off each step that you do. That way you'll make sure you do every step every time. It's when you get distracted and miss a step that disasters happen.

My checklist for launching went something like this.....
1. Turn on the blower
2. Port stern tie down removed
3. Stbd stern tie down removed
4. Unplug the trailer electrical from the tow vehicle
5. Fasten two dock lines on the boat
6. Put two fenders out

Once the boat had the stern in the water I'd lower the outdrive, start the boat to let it idle for a minute or two, undo the bow strap and safety chain, then back the boat off the trailer.

The countdown for putting the boat back on the trailer was the same as the one above with the addition of using towels to wipe down the hull.

And remember.....PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!!
 
At the prep area, *before* heading down the ramp:

INSIDE:

*Battery switch on
*Bilge blower on
*Check fluids
*Engine cut-off switch on
*Load and organize, bimini up, etc.
*Bilge blower off

OUTSIDE:

*Garboard/bilge plug in
*Port & Starboard trailer straps off

WHEN LAUNCHING:

*I don't unlock the bow wench until I'm submersed enough so that the boat is floating - but not completely off the trailer and while my SUV is in park/e-braked.
*Easy push off, I hop in, and have another person pull the trailer up to the lot.
 
Got some good advice there. Here's all the stuff I forgot to do once. Then once you forgot to do it, it gets permanently set in your head so you probably won't forget again

- started engine without lowering the drive from the trailer position (lots of bubbles and gurgling)
- backed into the water with the transom straps still on (wondered why no matter how hard I pushed the boat didn't budge)
- pulled out of the water without raising the drive (grind, scrape, admiral waving arms frantically)
 
Here is my process;

1. Back up onto the ramp to the waters edge.
2. Get out of the truck-be sure the radio is loud enough so you can hear your favorite tune
3. Climb aboard the boat.
4. Retrieve plug and wrench from one of the cup holders
5. Climb out of the boat.
6. Install plug
7. Climb back into the boat
8. Turn Batt switch on
9. Turn on blower
10. Yell at the wife and tell her to bring the towels
11. Have her bring the food and place that into the boat
12. Yell at the wife and tell her to bring the cooler
13. The coolers to heavy for her
14. Get out of the boat
15. Get the cooler and put on swim platform
16. Climb in boat
17. Grab the cooler and place in boat
18. Set up Bimini top
19. Flip off the people lined up giving me the stink eye waiting to launch (I was there 1st!!)
20. Climb out of the boat
21. Take off the back straps
22. Climb in truck
23. Back boat into water
24. Hand wife the bow line and release boat from trailer
25. Yell at the wife so she understands the boat needs to be tied to the dock
26. Go onto dock and tie boat off close to the launch ramp because she can't tie a knot
27. Move and park truck
28. Stop at the Porta-Pottie on the way back to the boat
29. Go to boat
30. Tell wife she better go to the bathroom before we go
31. Give her the keys to the truck because she forgot her makeup bag
32. Try to start the boat (1st time this season!!! Weehoo)
33. Won't start #%#%&@!
34. Wife comes back
35. Yell at her because the boat won't start
36. Realize the emergency shutoff was flipped from the lanyard
37. Start the boat
38. On my merry way
 
At no point do you jack-knife the truck and trailer, or scrape the trailer license plate against the dock? What about kids? Shouldn't your wife be screaming at some kids walking around other boats or chasing an untrained dog who just pooped on the sidewalk?

The TV networks have been missing this opportunity forever. They need a reality show called "Launch Ramp."
 
I'm laughing so hard and can barely breathe. My wife and I have done the 38 step launch many times, it sounds so bad when you list it!!! A "launch Ramp" reality show would be so awesome.:thumbsup:
 
OllieC said:
Here is my process;

1. Back up onto the ramp to the waters edge.
2. Get out of the truck-be sure the radio is loud enough so you can hear your favorite tune
3. Climb aboard the boat.
4. Retrieve plug and wrench from one of the cup holders
5. Climb out of the boat.
6. Install plug
7. Climb back into the boat
8. Turn Batt switch on
9. Turn on blower
10. Yell at the wife and tell her to bring the towels
11. Have her bring the food and place that into the boat
12. Yell at the wife and tell her to bring the cooler
13. The coolers to heavy for her
14. Get out of the boat
15. Get the cooler and put on swim platform
16. Climb in boat
17. Grab the cooler and place in boat
18. Set up Bimini top
19. Flip off the people lined up giving me the stink eye waiting to launch (I was there 1st!!)
20. Climb out of the boat
21. Take off the back straps
22. Climb in truck
23. Back boat into water
24. Hand wife the bow line and release boat from trailer
25. Yell at the wife so she understands the boat needs to be tied to the dock
26. Go onto dock and tie boat off close to the launch ramp because she can't tie a knot
27. Move and park truck
28. Stop at the Porta-Pottie on the way back to the boat
29. Go to boat
30. Tell wife she better go to the bathroom before we go
31. Give her the keys to the truck because she forgot her makeup bag
32. Try to start the boat (1st time this season!!! Weehoo)
33. Won't start #%#%&@!
34. Wife comes back
35. Yell at her because the boat won't start
36. Realize the emergency shutoff was flipped from the lanyard
37. Start the boat
38. On my merry way
Click to expand...

I didn't realize that you were a regular at my favorite marina, i'll say hi next time. :)
 
The wife and I have a system now that works very well for us.

At the prep area, I remove the transom straps, put the battery in the on position. Verify the plug is in.
I leave the boat winched and chained to the trailer.
I back the trailer into the water, to where the top of my fenders are just under the surface of the water.
Engage the park brake on the truck, get out and remove the chain.
I loosen the winch cable and give it some slack, and push the boat back about 2-3 ft.
I climb into the boat, while it is still winched but pushed back some.
Turn the blow on, lower the trim for the drive to where I feel is about right. ( just a little below full up power trim).
I crank the motor and let it idle a couple minutes, to make sure I know it is running properly and no warnings - then I signal my wife who is at the front of the trailer, she unhooks the winch cable, gives me a little push, I put the boat in reverse and idle out. She winches the cable back up, gets in truck and goes and parks it , then I idle to the dock to pick her up.
The important thing in this process in my mind, is leaving the boat at least attached to the winch cable, in case something is not right can easily winch it back up on trailer. Only after it is running normally, do I disconnect and put in reverse.
I have certainly seen guys, on more than one occasion, shove off the trailer without the boat even started, then they can't get the boat to start, and they are just drifting there right in front of the ramp cursing trying to get it to start... not a pretty sight.

Upon returning, I idle to the dock - shut it off and go retrieve the truck while the wife waits with the boat. I back into the water like I had it before, fender wells just below surface, then I go get back in boat and the wife waits at rear of truck.
I idle onto the trailer, can get the boat pretty much up to the bow stops, wife hooks boat up, I kill engine and put full up trailer trim on the drive.
I get out, confirm boat is firmly attached , pull out and up to an area where I can finish tying it down, etc.
 
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Similar to most, but with a few differences. On launch I prep the boat away from the ramp (transom straps, plug, battery, blower, gear, etc.) and attach fore and aft dock lines. Then I back down the ramp until the rear 1/3rd is in the water. I park for a minute, remove the safety chain and winch strap while my wife (if available) holds dock lines and follows along as I back down another 5+ feet until it starts to float. Hit the brakes and the boat floats off, wife uses dock lines to guide the boat out of the way of the next person. She may start it (depending on her mood) while I park the truck, otherwise I'll help move it out of the way and start it before I park.

Retrieval is the opposite. I almost never power onto the trailer (I think I've done that once, and it was more a glide on than power on) - most ramps around here seriously discourage that. Usually I put the trailer a little deeper in the water and just use the dock lines to guide the boat onto the trailer. Raise drive, winch, chain, pull away, prep the boat for travel/storage.

BTW, anyone hitting the blower then starting without waiting several minutes is technically doing it wrong. Granted, I've started my 175 without using the blowers plenty myself, but it takes several minutes to ensure that all fumes are clear. Says so in the manual. Turn the blowers on while you prep away from the ramp (says the biggest offender).
 
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When times were tough or when times were not so tough and, wait for it, I didn't feel like boating that Saturday, I often times would pack a cooler and go to the local ramp for cheap entertainment!
 
Every time the wife and I end up in SARASOTA we reserve an evening for "launch watching" We grab a bottle of wine and sit on the sea wall and laugh and laugh and.......
 
I am laughing out loud over the checklist! Over the last 14 years me and the hubby developed quite the system: get the boat ready in an adjacent parking lot by the ramp then when we were ready, he would pull the boat over with me and the kids inside the boat. I can't back a boat trailer, so long ago I decided to power launch and load the boat, so I did that successfully. No more of at now though as we upgraded from our 23 to a 280. Can't say I am going to miss any of the boat ramp drama outlined in the checklist, but it is definitely fun to watch.
 
arw01 said:
Before you guys back down with the sport boats, are you totally unhooked from the trailer and it floats free as soon as you hit deep enough water?

Have the standard shorelander trailer with the carpet skids, no rollers to worry about feeding it right off the trailer on its own with a slope?

And if you boat alone or with younger kids, how do you keep it straight to the trailer when you pull out?

Alan
Click to expand...

Hi, Alan:
We have a 3.5 and a 6 year old, so I completely understand.

Prep work (away from the launch ramps):
- Mom and kids get loaded either during prep or at the ramp (or, kids at a minimum).
- Take off transom straps (and outdrive clips if you use them), check plug
- Attach ropes and fenders

Launch work:
- Disconnect lights, then back up most of the way into the water
- Make sure someone has the ropes or is ready to start the boat, then once that's good, back up just a bit and nuke the brakes; the boat will slide right off at a reasonable speed.
- Take the vehicle and trailer to park
- Return, warm up, cast off, and enjoy!

Installation is reverse of removal :)

For removal, I used to submerge to the top of the fenders on the 180 trailer. This should get you close enough to be able to winch the boat the rest of the way and get it mostly centered. Pull forward slowly and look in mirrors, if the boat lists to either side, just back up a little bit until you see the boat re-level then pull back out.

Hope this helps!
 
Has been an entertaining thread to say the least..:smt038

Slightly complicated 38 step proceedure because the wife is in the cast still, so she literally can hold a dock line is about it.

We had a scary drama loading yesterday, either the emergency brake popped loose, or I didn't set it hard enough, but the truck started rolling backwards after we were working on the winch line. I had not quite backed far enough (will watch for the tops of the fenders here after though), and the bow was below the roller.

Probably take a wheel chock next trip and drop that infront of the front wheel to see what's up with the brake thing here, that could have ended very badly.

Kids and mom got the boat centered first try while I sat in the truck with my foot on the brake.

Launching we have down pretty well, I put the plug in at home and check the transom a couple of times. I pull the plug at home too. Almost have it worked out to fasten the big cooler on the swim platform between the rear most cleat and the tow rope anchor. I think i can hook each side of the handles with a short bungie maybe and keep the cooler where it is out of the way for the day!

Thanks fellows.
 
arw01 said:
We had a scary drama loading yesterday, either the emergency brake popped loose, or I didn't set it hard enough, but the truck started rolling backwards after we were working on the winch line.
Click to expand...

Whoa, that had to be very scary - I probably would have freaked and watched the truck insert itself into the lake = whew, good job saving that!!
I never thought about taking wheel chocks, might not be a bad idea. Truck manual or automatic?
 
One thing threads on launching rarely address is the HUGE variance in launch ramps and how that affects the process one might follow. I have launched in beautiful 8 lane facilities with a courtesy dock for each lane and on an awful unimproved strip of pavement that ran down below the waterline that required one to wade mud to get to the boat.

So when we all offer advise on how to launch, keep in mind, the questioner may have a totally different set of issues to deal with.

MM
 
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