Drive on or Crank on

[a70eliminator]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

The guys that you see doing that power on routine, and I do mean power like you can hear the engine roaring and water churning from 50 yards away are usually the ones that still have their whole family aboard the boat oblivious as to whats taking place, wakeboard kids horseing around, mama's sitting pretty talking about their next trip to the spa. Dad jumps through the hoops while his friend is looking out the rearview mirror of the airconditioned escalade waiting for the signal, Ok go for it! Kids hold on! all the way to the tie down area, outdrive dragging the asphalt the whole way. rant rant rant.....

 

[magillacuddy]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

I think it depends on the situation. I have an 18' bowrider that I usually launch and retrieve myself by hand, but certain ramps, and depending on how busy it is and who is with me, I'll have someone back the trailer and drive it up.

I heard that it is actually illegal to do that in some states. Not sure though.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

Y'all who oppose giving it a little goose to get it up there correctly have never visited a bass tourney weigh in now have ya. It is quick, flawless, and efficient. And, unless the lake is low, and you are at the very end of the ramp, it doesn't damage the concrete of the ramp. And, if it gets to where a trailer can reach the end of the concrete, the ramp is closed. So there are no issues, just efficiency.

I waited my turn, now wait yours!

In that case, may I have 30 seconds to load before you, so I can be strapped down and down the road while you are loading?

 

[DJ]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

i idle on, not power on. then crank the last little bit. several of my trailers in only have to tighten the winch. it really all depend on how you set your trailer up. i have close guide-ons, self centering rollers, so may boat can only go one place, where it is suppose to be, centered on the trailer. also how deep you are in the water makes a big difference in launching and retrieving.

Ditto with the exception that I prefer bunks.

It's all in the trailer set up..

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

Y'all who oppose giving it a little goose to get it up there correctly have never visited a bass tourney weigh in now have ya. It is quick, flawless, and efficient. And, unless the lake is low, and you are at the very end of the ramp, it doesn't damage the concrete of the ramp. And, if it gets to where a trailer can reach the end of the concrete, the ramp is closed. So there are no issues, just efficiency.

The thrust of a goosed throttle goes a long way. Unless your in a mountainous lake some where with some 40-50ft of ramp, your digging a hole at the END of the concrete. With a big enough hole at the END of the concrete, the slab will crack and fall. No matter how short the burst is, over time the bottom erodes from the thrust. The thrust has no where to go but hit the end of the ramp, digging a hole, and creating a sand reef beyond it (as stated above).


Ramp
....\
.....\
......\______ <----sand

Over exagerated in the diagram above but the the angle of ramps ensures your thrust hits the end of the ramp.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

extremely true. no more than just slipped into gear. pure idle.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

If I'm the one towing my boat (every time but twice so far), I crank on (roller trailer). I get whoever I'm with to hold the boat while I get the trailer. Back in, get my 'helper' to pull the boat up as far as they can on to the trailer, I get wet... hook up with winch line and crank away. Has never taken more then a minute from the time the trailer is wet to get the boat on. I prefer this because I'm the only one that can screw up the launch or retrieval. It's quick too, keeps everyone happy.

The two times I wasn't pulling the boat, getting wet wasn't an option (TOO COLD!), but because I could just drop off the driver and wait, we weren't holding up the ramp and I could idle on. Buddy is also very good at backing up trailers and loading/launching boats which was a huge plus. Lesson learned from that experience though is that I'm going to have to add guide ons to my trailer and I'm going to make a visual mark on them once I figure out the proper depth. Wasn't terrible and thankfully it was VERY late in the season so we had the time, but it did take a lot longer then it should have. Practice makes perfect I guess.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

On the few bunk trailers I have, I usually just back in far enough to be able to float on all but a few feet up the bunks, I then usually bump the throttle a bit to 'stick' the boat on the bunks, hop out and crank it the last few inches. Since I'm usually alone, it works best for me. Every ramp is different, mostly due to angle but the amount of current and wave action makes a difference as well. I won't back in as far in heavy waves so that once the boat is stuck on the bunks, the waves won't refloat it before I get to the winch.
On my roller trailers, I crank it up the whole way.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

My old neighbor works for the state fixing ramps- only cause according to him -power loading.

The sand and dirt get removed from under the ramp then after use it breaks.

Again it's fine if you only use a little power but there is no reason to be on the gas hard.

What's that about bunks you power load????

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

The ramp I use most often here is made up of many large concrete sections, it extends out far beyond any point you could reach with you trailer at all but dead low tide.
I watched when they put the latest section of ramp in, the ramp sections were huge 2' x 2' by 10' or longer sections of precast concrete set in place, not poured. They extend out about 50' or so. At dead low tide in mid summer sometimes you can see the end of the ramp but not often. The problem is that the ramp is not very steep, boats that sit higher on the trailer are hard to launch since you simply can't get far enough back into the water. I watched a guy last fall trying to launch a 19' Bayliner CC on a bunk trailer, he was in to the point where his truck's front wheel were in water up to the rim, and the back doors of his van were taking on water, yet the boat was barely in the water. The boat was on the trailer it came new with.
He got it off the trailer by slamming the brakes and sliding the boat off, but there was no way he'd be able to get in deep enough to winch that boat back on, and that was a pretty low trailer. The ramp is fine with smaller aluminum boats. Part of the problem seems to be that the water level has changed since most of the ramps were installed years ago, many ramps here are just too shallow or begin their decent too far from the water. The best ramp I've used has a fairly steep angle and the ramp's top edge is almost always under water. The tow vehicle often doesn't even have to decend the ramp to launch the boat.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

The ramp I use most often here is made up of many large concrete sections, it extends out far beyond any point you could reach with you trailer at all but dead low tide.
I watched when they put the latest section of ramp in, the ramp sections were huge 2' x 2' by 10' or longer sections of precast concrete set in place, not poured. They extend out about 50' or so. At dead low tide in mid summer sometimes you can see the end of the ramp but not often. The problem is that the ramp is not very steep, boats that sit higher on the trailer are hard to launch since you simply can't get far enough back into the water. I watched a guy last fall trying to launch a 19' Bayliner CC on a bunk trailer, he was in to the point where his truck's front wheel were in water up to the rim, and the back doors of his van were taking on water, yet the boat was barely in the water. The boat was on the trailer it came new with.
He got it off the trailer by slamming the brakes and sliding the boat off, but there was no way he'd be able to get in deep enough to winch that boat back on, and that was a pretty low trailer. The ramp is fine with smaller aluminum boats. Part of the problem seems to be that the water level has changed since most of the ramps were installed years ago, many ramps here are just too shallow or begin their decent too far from the water. The best ramp I've used has a fairly steep angle and the ramp's top edge is almost always under water. The tow vehicle often doesn't even have to decend the ramp to launch the boat.

reel;first off i agree with you 100%
i tryed to make this point in post #11. and failed. my best guess is there must be a lot of boaters using cappy short ramps and they dont under stand and arent willing to consent any loading condition could be so different as to require different loading technics


the thing i take away form this, im glad that the 9 different ramps i use are both long wide and well made. last, that after reading,, in this and other threads on ramps,, people i incounter are much more helpfull and understanding. must be a western thing

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

We've got a few ramps around here that unless your launching a boat on a trailer with 8" wheels, your getting the truck wet. Its not uncommon to see guys backing in so far that the cab takes on water. My one bunk trailer sits a bit high, I plan to flip the axle and lower it as soon as the weather breaks.
A tilt trailer can make a shallow ramp a bit easier to launch and load from.

One buddy of mine has a Bayliner Capri, on one of those original Escort trailers, the one's that sit so low you can't lower the motor when the boat is on the trailer without it hitting the ground. The axle is out past the boat and frame and the hull is only about 16" off the ground. On that one ramp, the truck still has to be in past the point of taking on water, and it being a bunk trailer, it's a real chore to get back on the trailer. Since he tows it with a Subaru, he won't try a steeper ramp.
I installed a set of bunk slick strips which made loading only half as hard. At least the boat will slide now once on the bunks.

The problem is that the water is only a few feet deep even 40' out at low tide.

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

Here in the state of Kansas you have no choice. Power on is illegal because of the errosion effect. If you get caught doing the power on thing, your boat can be impounded. Way not worth the hassle.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

jpm; i would like to see that in wrighting as i would be interested in seeing how they word it. the only thing i could find in kansas boat regs that was close is below. but i'm sure you have better sorces than i 115-8-7 ? Boating and general restrictions.
All department lands and waters,
including all federal reservoirs, shall be
open to boating subject to provisions,
restrictions, and closures as established by
posted notice. The following general restrictions
shall apply:
(a) motorized vessels on state fishing lakes
shall be operated for fishing or hunting
purposes only unless otherwise
authorized by the department;
(b) motorized vessels on state lakes shall
be operated at no wake speeds if
required by posted notice;
(c) vessels shall not be operated within 200
feet of any area posted specifically for
swimming and delineated by buoys or
other markers;
(d) vessels shall be operated at no wake
speeds within 200 feet of a boat ramp,
boat dock, boat storage or concessionaire?s
facilities;
(e) vessels may be moored or stored in
excess of 24 hours only at sites designated
for moorage or storage of vessels;
and
(f) vessels left unattended at other than a
designated moorage or storage site or
vessels not in conformity with posted
notice provisions or restrictions for

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

I ordered a Safe Boaters Course publication from the Kansas Dept of wildlife fish & game folks. Therein is the topic of power loading which is strictly forbidden due to the errosion cause by the prop at the end of the ramp resulting in a deep pit and enventual weakening of the concrete ramp.

Of course I cannot find the pub now that I'm looking for it. Can't believe I tossed it..... :redface: I'll look further and if found, I'll get back with you. And, of course, I can't quote exactly how it was phrased. But I ain't gonna do it and as much I will need to do it as I'll be boating alone, I still ain't gonna do it. Too much work in my rig to have John Law drag it off and then have to bail it out of hock....

I'll look for the pub. Honest, I really will....

 

[xxturbowesxx]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

I drive on first and usually get it right around 90% but if the current is bad i will use the crank. I trim my motor to the point that its not pushing thrust anywhere but to the surface and I never have to give it much throttle if any.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

Found this online:

http://www.alachuacounty.us/assets/...ways Master Plan Recommendation 4c Report.pdf

http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mrbis/

 

[crackedglass]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

I used to own a 22' Starcraft SSV that was on a roller trailer, on all but the deepest ramps, I had no choice but to power load that boat. There was no way you could crank the weight of the boat, even with the power winch, it would rip the bow eye off the boat, (been there, done that one).
I'd back in at the ramp, to the point where my trailer's rear wheels were off the drop off at the end of the ramp, the truck would be backed in to the point where the front bumper was at the waters edge, and the boat still would not climb the first rollers unless I gunned the throttle inorder to raise the bow high enough to get up on the trailer. By doing this, the boat would end up half way up the trailer, and at that point someone had to clip the winch line on to prevent it from rolling back off when I shut down. I then would tilt the motor, and climb out over the bow, down onto the winch stand and onto the trailer tongue where I could then winch the boat the rest of the way on. The trailer was normal height for a roller trailer. I tried it with a bunk trailer, it wasn't much better other than it would stick to the bunks once I shut down not requiring a second person to quickly attach the cable.
I went to the roller trailer since there were a few times when I couldn't get the boat to float off the trailer, nor get it to slide off since the bunks weren't submerged.
There are no restrictions here on power loading, and its pretty common practice, if not a requirement on many ramps. We seem to have two kinds of ramps, those on which your trailer gets stuck off the edge of the ramp, and those that are totally too shallow to launch anything but a jon boat on an 8 inch wheeled trailer.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

I have a tilt trailer, I can launch my 16' fibergalss MFG from the the bank, I've only had to do it once though.
I'm fortunate to have a half dozen lakes to frequent and every one of them has either cement ramps with docks and or gravel ramps for the fishing boats, I've never encounterd a ramp too harry to easily float my 20' I/O.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Drive on or Crank on

what to do when the water level is to low and endangering the end of the ramp. you close it and load on the gravel next to it.