power loading your boat

[642mx]

Re: power loading your boat

It depends on the ramp angle with my boat/trailer. Last weekend I used a ramp that didn't have much angle. I backed in as close as I could without the trucks exhaust going under water. My wife had to really punch it to get it up on the trailer, I didn't see the tach, but I'm guessing 3000-3500 rpm.

At some ramps, she can idle on and with a few cranks of the winch, the boat is where it needs to be.

 

[Chuck1a]

Re: power loading your boat

IMHO - Like somebody already said. It all depends. Sometime I have to sometimes I don't. Steep ramps can really play havoc with my all bunk trailer. If I back in my normal amount the stern of my boat is floating. If I only back in a little bit there is no way I can crank the 5000+lbs boat on with the winch.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: power loading your boat

I've backed over the edge once like in that video also, ramp was washed out from powerloading. To say the least it made for a very bad evening getting the trailer back out. Last weekend a guy gave me grief for winching mine up, then he proceeded to show me how it was supposed to be done. Must have been 20ft of Sh@t and water flying up behind his motor. Gave him a thumbs up and told him how impressed I was. Hope it scratched the heck out of his prop.

I drop the back set of rollers a couple inches under water, pull it on if there's a dock or just idle on. Where it stops it stops. I figure cranking the winch is good exercise, and if I back in any further it's hard to get it on straight.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: power loading your boat

thanks everyone for all of the responses. through my own experience and your responses, i will take the definition of power loading as this:

excessively opening the throttle in order to force the boat so far up on the trailer that no winch cranking is necessary.

true?

True. And that's what the people who put the signs up at the ramps that say "no powerloading" are also thinking.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: power loading your boat

power winch. the alternative to power loading

 

[DaNinja]

Re: power loading your boat

We powerload with little more than idle. If it takes more than that, the trailer wasn't deep enough.

I'm pulling the Starcraft out tomorrow and last year I had backed in deep enough to float to the stops. It took four pulls to get the stern lined up right on the trailer. Tomorrow I won't back as deep and use the throttle lightly until she's properly nested and make up the balance with the goofy (half-turn) winch.

 

[642mx]

Re: power loading your boat

power winch. the alternative to power loading

Sure... send me $400 and I'll stop power loading.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: power loading your boat

Actually, I bought a 12v winch a few years ago, when I had my first boat, had a 2000lb dead pull capacity, 6000lb rolling capacity, and mounted it to my trailer, plugged into the truck and never had a problem hauling the boat up on the trailer, I think at that time, it cost me about $60, had a black plastic case and a plug in remote, had 3/16 cable, 50 feet long, worked out great..I sold it with the boat, so I don't know if it is still working, but based on how it worked then, I have no reason to suspect it is not working now..

Looked an awful lot like this one they have on sale at HF right now for $50

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-electric-winch-39997.html

 

[642mx]

Re: power loading your boat

Actually, I bought a 12v winch a few years ago, when I had my first boat, had a 2000lb dead pull capacity, and mounted it to my trailer, plugged into the truck and never had a problem hauling the boat up on the trailer, I think at that time, it cost me about $60, had a black plastic case and a plug in remote, had 3/16 cable, 50 feet long, worked out great..I sold it with the boat, so I don't know if it is still working, but based on how it worked then, I have no reason to suspect it is not working now..

Looked an awful lot like this one they have on sale at HF right now for $50

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-electric-winch-39997.html

No offence, but I wouldn't buy a $60 hand winch for my trailer. Here is a decent electric; http://www.easternmarine.com/POWERWINCH-912-12V-Electric-Boat-Trailer-Winch-P77912/

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: power loading your boat

No offence, but I wouldn't buy a $60 hand winch for my trailer. Here is a decent electric; http://www.easternmarine.com/POWERWINCH-912-12V-Electric-Boat-Trailer-Winch-P77912/

No offense taken at all, just stating what I did in the past, of course I have something very similar on my $12K ATV and I use it to pull trees down and clear brush all the time, I have even used it to pull my jeep out in the snow when it got high centered, but to each his own, for what I paid, I am very happy.

Of course, this is not a hand winch, it takes a bit of planning to mount to your trailer, but some got it and some don't, when it breaks, I will just buy another one, and it ain't broke yet, so...

Hmm, black case, white case...go figure, they look virtually identical...but as I said, to each his own..

 

[642mx]

Re: power loading your boat

No offense taken at all, just stating what I did in the past, of course I have something very similar on my $12K ATV and I use it to pull trees down and clear brush all the time, I have even used it to pull my jeep out in the snow when it got high centered, but to each his own, for what I paid, I am very happy.

$12K and it didn't come with a winch? Heck, I could have sold you a 2010 Arctic Cat Thundercat LE with a real winch (RT30) for less than $12K.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: power loading your boat

\
Of course, this is not a hand winch, it takes a bit of planning to mount to your trailer, but some got it and some don't, when it breaks, I will just buy another one, and it ain't broke yet, so...

Hmm, black case, white case...go figure, they look virtually identical...but as I said, to each his own..

price isn't everything, and just because its cheap doesn't mean its garbage!

i agree with mtboatguy. I've got the HF winch, and I get tons of use out of it. I keep it portable and use it whenever I would have previously used a come-a-long. In the winter it stays with the vehicle for occassionally getting someone unstuck, or loading a dead snowmobile.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: power loading your boat

$12K and it didn't come with a winch? Heck, I could have sold you a 2010 Arctic Cat Thundercat LE with a real winch (RT30) for less than $12K.

I didn't say it didn't come with a winch, it has a warn(5000lb) mounted on the front of it, I use the cheap one on the trailer ball in the back, and my ATV, is a custom built ATV, I bought it as a present to myself when I retired from the army and had a friend of mine build it for me, from the ground up, I can guarantee you, your 2010 Arctic Kitty, can't touch this one! I said $12K, you would not be able to buy it for that...

 

[642mx]

Re: power loading your boat

I didn't say it didn't come with a winch, it has a warn(5000lb) mounted on the front of it, I use the cheap one on the trailer ball in the back, and my ATV, is a custom built ATV, I bought it as a present to myself when I retired from the army and had a friend of mine build it for me, from the ground up, I can guarantee you, your 2010 Arctic Kitty, can't touch this one! I said $12K, you would not be able to buy it for that...

Lets get back to the topic...

 

[coolguy147]

Re: power loading your boat

the first time i said that power loading degrades the boat ramps the guy just laughed his way into his truck and drove off. by the way he was a big bass boat kind of guy

the second time i got yelled out for being a smart ***** kid and all i said that he almost hit his friend in the head trying to power load his large boat onto his trailer(friend was getting ready to hook boat up in the front).

i think he a bit drunk too^

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: power loading your boat

Lets get back to the topic...

Ok,

Great with me, just don't be so quick to jump on someone because they offer options...

And really, all I was doing was offering an alternative to tearing the boat ramps up, I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers..

 

[642mx]

Re: power loading your boat

Ok,

Great with me, just don't be so quick to jump on someone because they offer options...

And really, all I was doing was offering an alternative to tearing the boat ramps up, I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers..

I don' think I jumped on anyone... but whatever.

Here are some facts about a local boat ramp I use. Its called Dogtown boat ramp, its funded by the city, & they charge money to launch. The ramp is broken just about 30 feet from the waterline. The city budgeted money to fix it. The new ramp (should last forever, or so we are told) and its costs $180K installed. And here is the most interesting fact.... nobody knows when the last time the boat ramp was refinished... its that old! and we all power load on it.

Maybe this varies around the world, but it doesn't seem like a bunch of damage really occurs quickly on this ramp and on this river.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: power loading your boat

I don' think I jumped on anyone... but whatever.

Here are some facts about a local boat ramp I use. Its called Dogtown boat ramp, its funded by the city, & they charge money to launch. The ramp is broken just about 30 feet from the waterline. The city budgeted money to fix it. The new ramp (should last forever, or so we are told) and its costs $180K installed. And here is the most interesting fact.... nobody knows when the last time the boat ramp was refinished... its that old! and we all power load on it.

Maybe this varies around the world, but it doesn't seem like a bunch of damage really occurs quickly on this ramp and on this river.

The key is, that is the ramp you use, and I have a ramp I use, but neither one of those ramps matter to the guy asking the question, because it is not the ramp he uses, where I live, if you get caught power loading, it is going to cost you $150, not my rules, it is enforced by our local Game and Fish dept..

And again, the ramps you and I use, have nothing to do with what the original poster uses..I have no problem at all with you power loading and really never mentioned you power loading, I simply posted an idea that has worked for me, that others might find useful, that is all, if it is not for them, then so be it...

Simply stated, do what works for you and keeps ya out of trouble...pretty easy..

 

[H8tank]

Re: power loading your boat

I always power load, ramps on the lakes here wouldn't let me get the boat on straight otherwise.

If you are so deep your trailer falls off the ramp? Buy a real tow vehicle.

 

[642mx]

Re: power loading your boat

The key is, that is the ramp you use, and I have a ramp I use, but neither one of those ramps matter to the guy asking the question, because it is not the ramp he uses, where I live, if you get caught power loading, it is going to cost you $150, not my rules, it is enforced by our local Game and Fish dept..

And again, the ramps you and I use, have nothing to do with what the original poster uses..I have no problem at all with you power loading and really never mentioned you power loading, I simply posted an idea that has worked for me, that others might find useful, that is all, if it is not for them, then so be it...

Simply stated, do what works for you and keeps ya out of trouble...pretty easy..

Yeah.... I hear ya. What I posted wasn't directed just at you, it was just facts about my ramp for everyone to read. Don't get all hasty.

It seems like a lot of folks on here think power loading is the worse thing you can do... and with my experience and what I've seen, its pretty much unproven.

Which reminds me, I'm off work tomorrow and I'm going boating!