The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

[Black Snow Slide]

I have been a trailer boat owner for 21 years give or take a few seasons when we were in the 30+ foot range. This years escapades at the boat ramps have been extraordinary to say the least. I am amazed and concerned for my safety and that of other boaters as I watch people loading and unloading there boats. I am no expert but every time I launch and retrieve my boat, I do it by myself and someone will always give me a compliment on execution or efficiency at the ramp. The Harbor Master this past Tuesday laughed and said, " You need to give classes". Its ok to practice at a slow time and get your system down. If you don't have a system you like, please use mine.

I. Load your boat at home. Coolers, duffel bags, fishing gear, every one with there suntan lotion on already. Everything you are going to need for the day except for the kids life jackets. The kids put them on as you are launching the boat.

2. At the ramp, Take your drain plug wrench off the clip you put on the safety chain to the eye hook. If you are taking the safety chain off and the wrench is still hanging there then you forgot your drain plug. Install your drain plug finger tight and then half a turn till snug. Remove stern trailer straps. Climb aboard, Open engine room hatch and give it a quick smell. Gas? find cause of smell. No gas smell close and turn on battery switches. Turn on blowers. Bow line and 4 fenders on whatever side of dock you will be docking against. Turn your key on. All the gauges reading what they are sapose to? Lower and raise the out drive for 2 seconds in each direction. Is it sounding strong so you don't find out the hard way that your battery is dead. Climb out and take your transom straps and wrench and store in the truck. To the coupler on the trailer. Disconnect your trailer lights. Take a line and tie it loop end around the winch post and bring it to the side cleat next to the helm. Pull it tight and secure. This prep time is about 5 minutes done AWAY from the ramp so you are not slowing anyone else. You are go for launch.

3. As you are watching the mayhem of other boaters as they launch pay attention to with is stronger wind or current. What lane of the ramp is better. Sometimes spaces in between the concrete slabs catch tires. Now its your turn.

4. When backing the trailer keep your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. What ever way you want your trailer to go is the way you move your hand. It works like a charm. Slowly back down the ramp until the transom is getting wet all the way across. Park, emergency break, get out and unhook your safety chain and your winch strap. ( the line from the post to the side cleat of the boat is still in place and secure.) Back into the truck, back the rest of the way till boat floats and hit the breaks hard so boat will slide about 1-2 feet and the side line will stop it. Now you know you are deep enough. Parking break, walk on the trailer tung, onto spare tire, step onto post, onto front of the boat deck and walk back to the helm.

5. Lower motor all the way down then put it just a little bit up. Start the motor.( If it doesn't start you can walk back to the bow and onto the trailer and rehook the winch and you only have 2 feet to winch.)
With motor running, untie the line from the side cleat throw and let it drop down to the side. Make sure the line you use isn't so long that it will get caught in prop. Put motor in reverse and turn wheel quickly from port to starboard and back to center. Your boat should easily float off trailer.

6. Tie boat off to dock and have your passengers climb aboard. Back to your truck, climb onto the trailer and pull in your line from the post. Drive out. Total time trailer in in the water is 4 minutes and that not going fast. My time is around 3 minutes 90% of the time.

7. After parking everyone should be on board untie and pull away.

One man loading will be my next post.

 

[superbenk]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Excellent post! I need to bring myself to try this sometime as it's hard to get the family to go boating when I want to go often. Seems like confidence is a launcher's worst enemy!

 

[Fed]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

I do all the normal stuff before I get to the ramp and then...
Trailer time in the water?

Loop rope on front bollard, unhook safety chain, unhook winch cable, let boat roll into water & pull it back to the shore.

Go and park the car.

I don't think there's a faster way to do it solo.

BTW, you should apply the emergency brake first then let the car come to rest on it before putting it into park.

 

[Bayliner175xt]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Great post, that should be part of your boat licence, If everyone did this..... boat ramp follies wouldn't exist.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Sounds like you have it down pat...I always launch/retrieve at the bikini's optional ramp, so very few see my occasional gaffes with the boat/trailer, etc.

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Thank you for the kind words. ##### Part 2 #####

Time to bring the boat in to the dock and load. Again its mostly in the preparation and observation.

1. When you are finished with your day of sun and relaxation its time to go home. Put the Bimini top away, secure bags, deflate any water toys, trash in bags and all gear stowed for the drive home. The more clean up you do now, the less amount of time in the staging area witch gets busy in the late afternoon because fishermen are going out and everyone else is coming in as well.

2. 4 fenders out and secured. Something to keep in mind when it comes to pulling into the dock. What side is your helm on? Mine is on the starboard side. I always try to hang my fenders on the starboard side. You will have a better view of distance to the dock when getting close not having a blind spot the last 6 feet because your helm is on the opposite side of your fenders.

3. A few things to notice. As you are hanging your fenders, point the nose of your boat in the same direction as you will be going onto the trailer when loading. Again, what is stronger, wind or current? How does your boat want to drift? How is it going to affect you coming into the dock? Blowing you onto the dock? The current taking you off the dock? Do you see a flag? How is it blowing? Harder or easier then where you are? All things to look at as you hang fenders. I do all these considerations as I am about 1/4 mile away from the dock and ramp but I can see the ramp so I know what I am pulling into. Tie off two lines, One on the bow and one on the stern. ( Never use a line on the front cleat that is so long that if it should fall over board it will reach your prop. Bad things happen when line and prop get together.)

4. Heading into the dock. Ok, single prop guys this one is for you. Notice when you are going slow at headway speed that you boat kinda crab walks to the right? That is because of the rotation of your prop. When you pop it into nuteral it goes strait. Yes another thing to keep in mind when going in for close quarter maneuvering. Dual Prop guys she should track strait and true when in gear.
Speed coming into the dock? My thinking is never go any faster then the speed you want to hit the dock at. When pulling up come to it at a 45 degree angle.( With wind or current this will change. I will cover "special conditions" later). Its not about speed and power this is now about finesse. Slow and steady as you pull up to the dock. Lining your boat to it parallel. To bring the stern in, turn the wheel with your hand on the top of the wheel in the direction you want the stern to go. One or two quick pops in and out of reverse is all that is needed to bring you to a stop and stern coming in. Step off the stern of the boat onto the dock and tie off your back line. No need to crank it tight as it will swing the bow out. Just tie it off. Look at your bow. Is it swinging out already because of wind and current? If you cant get to the bow now, no problem. Climb aboard your boat at the stern and pop your motor in gear at idol speed forward. Your wheel will already be turned in the direction you want the bow to go because that is the same direction you used to bring the stern in. The idol power of the motor against the line and the cleat will spring the front of the boat to the dock. Don't put more power then idol speed to it. Its about finesse. Once the bow is in then you can neutral and go tie off the bow. Turn off you motor and have everyone passengers vacate the boat. Turn on your blower. You will be restarting the engine in 2 minutes.

5. When you get to the truck, remember the line that went to your side cleat? Take that line and use the loop end and Tie it around the coupler on the trailer. Take the line and coil it and rest it on top of the winch post. While you are there check to make sure the pin for your hitch ball is still there and no one undid safety chains, the coupler and such. Get in the truck and line it up to back it down. Back in a little bit deeper then when you launched. Parking break on and in Park. Get out and head to the boat. The kids should be standing at the beginning of the dock holding there life jackets for you as you get on the dock. Untie your bow then your stern and pull away from the dock and loop towards the ramp.

6. Now its the big money round. Everything you have observed comes into play. Start to pull towards your trailer. Your winch post is the goal when you are done. Stand in the middle of the boat so you can get a better feel as to how you are lineing up. Take into account how the wind and current are pushing you. Dont fight them. Let them work for you. Start off with the bow to the left if the wind will be taking it to the right. Worry about the bow for right now. As the wind and everything lines up, you should be between the bunks or rollers. This is done at headway speed so you can still steer the boat and have control but in you need a abort and reline up a quick reverse is all the is required. When the bottom makes contact with the bunks / rollers now is time for the stern and to stop forward motion. Turn your wheel, hand on top in the direction you want the stern to swing. A little reverse is all that is needed. Let the boat settle. Stand in the middle. Does it feel level? Winch post lined up with the bow? Is the stern lined up as well? ( Easy way to tell with the stern is to look how you and lined with the wheel fenders.) everything lined up? Pop the motor into gear at idol speed will hold the boat onto the trailer. Bring the trim up a little bit and you should only need a little bit of power to move the boat up onto the trailer so it is with in a few feet of the winch post. Keep boat in gear at idol speed, grab your boat hook and walk to the bow. With the hook grab the line you put on your winch post and tie it tight to your front cleat. Walk back ,motor off and trim motor all the way up. The line is holding you onto your trailer. Climb off the front and onto the winch post and onto trailer tung connect winch strap and crank it in till you can get the safety chain on the eye as well. Walk up the trailer to bumper and your on dry ground. Slowly pull boat out of the water and away from the ramp to staging area.

7. Clean up fender and lines for road travel. All trash stowed? Kids life jackets away. Remove drain plug. Taste a drop of the water. Is it salt water? Or water from washing the boat? How much? More then usual? That drain plug tells you alot. Transom straps on. Lights plugged in. Did you hang the drain plug wrench on the safety chain for next time? Antenna down? Line on the coupler untied and stowed away? Look at the Bow eye and the roller on the winch post they should be touching. If there is a gap roll you truck forward about 1 MPH and stand on the brake. The boat should slide forward and retighten straps. Go to the truck and turn on head lights and 4 way flashers. Take a last walk around checking lights and flashers, lines, fenders, biminie,and anything else that can be forgotten. Your on the road. Drive safe.

NOTE: Some ramps and town do not allow power loading. The power that is applied to push the boat onto the trailer can wash sediment from the floor of the ramp and create a mount of dirt over time about 30-40 feet from the ramp.In those conditions the trailer needs to be a little deeper again. Bring it in till the boat settles onto the trailer but at that point leave it in gear idol to hold and tie off front line from the coupler. Turn off the motor and trim motor up. More hand winching is required but preservation and respect for there rules takes pressident.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

If you retrieve dry (axles not in the water), add: before you move your car, pull your winch cable to the rear end of the trailer. Have your helper on the dock hold a stern line and a boat hook to adjust the path of the boat. The helper should know: never toss the lines in the boat until the winch man has the safety chain on.

(My helpers often toss the lines in when the boat is half way up. Stuff happens and if they slide off, they are gone. When they do this, I don't yell; I just politely ask them to hand me the line.)

 

[pduquette]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

BSS - Can we make copys and leave them under all the windshield wipers a the boat ramp ??? peter

 

[H20Rat]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

6. Tie boat off to dock and have your passengers climb aboard. Back to your truck, climb onto the trailer and pull in your line from the post. Drive out. Total time trailer in in the water is 4 minutes and that not going fast. My time is around 3 minutes 90% of the time.

just a quick addendum to the list.. This one burns me! It depends entirely on your type of setup, but for me locally, there is only a small courtesy dock between the two loading lanes. If you tie your boat up to it, you are tying up the entire ramp. (there are signs on the dock prohibiting it, as well as there are no cleats for a reason!)

A much better practice is to either beach your boat on the 200 yards of perfectly good beach, or have one of your guests drive your vehicle to the parking area while you circle the boat.

Also, passengers/guests should stay as far away from the un/loading process as possible. The absolute fastest loading takes place with two people. Solo is a little slower, and more is MUCH slower and more dangerous. The time for passengers is after the boat is afloat and the engine has been tested/started.

Personally, 90% of the time when I have passengers I tell them ALL to go stand on the beach and wait. They generally aren't boaters, so driving the boat is out of the question, and I drive a stickshift, so driving that is also out for most of the population. The best spot for them is to wait until the action is done I can load them up at my leisure.

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

just a quick addendum to the list.. This one burns me! It depends entirely on your type of setup, but for me locally, there is only a small courtesy dock between the two loading lanes. If you tie your boat up to it, you are tying up the entire ramp. (there are signs on the dock prohibiting it, as well as there are no cleats for a reason!)

A much better practice is to either beach your boat on the 200 yards of perfectly good beach, or have one of your guests drive your vehicle to the parking area while you circle the boat.

Also, passengers/guests should stay as far away from the un/loading process as possible. The absolute fastest loading takes place with two people. Solo is a little slower, and more is MUCH slower and more dangerous. The time for passengers is after the boat is afloat and the engine has been tested/started.

Personally, 90% of the time when I have passengers I tell them ALL to go stand on the beach and wait. They generally aren't boaters, so driving the boat is out of the question, and I drive a stickshift, so driving that is also out for most of the population. The best spot for them is to wait until the action is done I can load them up at my leisure.

Yea, That burns me to, waiting as I watch someone who has not used to driveing a truck with a 36 foot trailer triing to back it into a spot and has no clue how wide you really need to swing. The boat ramp follies, let the mayham begin.

Or as your friend brings your 80K dollar boat into the dock and realizes that it doesnt stear like a car and it has no breaks. The comforting grind of fiberglass on the ramp concreat. Since all there experience of not owning a boat and paying attention to wind, current, and I am sure they know all about torque steer from the prop the boat ends up sideways at the ramp blocking everything and now everyone in the water to push the boat off its grounding. The boat ramp follies at its finest

Ohh yes, he wants to beach your boat for you so everyone can get on. Ever try to push a 7K lb boat off a beach? Thats why we have tow boat. Ohh yes, the friend who is driving your boat knows that the black X on the chart plotter is for X makes the spot as to where you beach the boat. (FYI its a rock) I wonder if he will be willing to help you change out your raw water impeller once it has sucked up too much sand and the temp gauge is climbing into the red. The grace of watching someone that weighs 240lbs climbing up a 5 1/2 foot gunnel. Dont worry no chance of boat ramp follies there.

Ahh the courtesy dock with no cleats. I wonder if anyone has ever considered that someone may be alone and boating? Maybe they the boater gave considerations that gel coat repair and insurance claims for damaged vehicles due to poor driving may be worth tieing up for 2-3 minutes so someone that knows what they are doing can get the ramp clear and be back on board pulling away from the dock.

The loading and unloading time going solo is max 5 minutes from when you are clear to use the ramp till you are clear from the ramp and pull away from the dock. 90% of two people teams are still fumbling around because they never talked and worked out a plan as to how they can work as a team.

And we wonder why there are old people down at the ramp watching the entertainment?

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

##### PART 3 #####

Special conditions part 1 of what could be an endless number. I will address a few that seam to be most prevalent at the ramp. All of these parts are written for the solo guy/ girl or for people that have passengers and not crew. Yes, huge difference.

As you are putting out your fenders, getting your lines attached to cleats, blower on, keys to the truck in hand, your looking at the dock as to where your going to tie up. As the boat ramp follies continue you see a spot between a center console who is putting new line on his fishing reels and a sail boat that has there grill out and cooking away. ( Pay attention as to where the gas vent is for your boat and theres when open flame and smokers are around. 150 gallons of fuel and a nice concentration of fuel fumes makes a great big BOOM) As luck would have it the wind and the current are blowing you off the dock but you have room for your boat + 6 feet. We are going to pulling up to the dock on our Starboard side.

A mid cleat spring line with someone on the dock that has a clue as to how spring lines work would be best but are you willing to bet your boat and your money that the stranger on the dock is competent? Answer is: No.

Fenders on the Starboard side. 1 line on your front starboard cleat and another on your rear starboard cleat. pull up close to the dock and look for a cleat furthest back in the spot where you are going to put your boat. We need to work with the wind and current, (Its about fenness.) Slowly start backing your boat into the dock. Put the stern where you are going to want it and ther will be enough room for the bow when you swing it into the dock. Yes engine first as the bow swings down stream and down wind. Pay attention to pilings and other things that could be sticking out and hit the engine or out drive. Once you are about 1-2 feet cut the wheel a little to port and then neutral.

Now is when you need to be quick. Take your line and onto the dock tie off your stern cleat giving you a small amount of slack. Maybe 1 foot. Back on board (fenness again) turn your motor hard to starboard and into idol speed forward pulling against the line. The motor will swing your nose into the dock. If the nose starts to move too fast start to turn the wheel to port. Once the boat is against the dock, neutral and go tie off your bow. If the wind and current are to strong for you to get to the bow and tie it off before it is blown off again, with boat in idol forward and pulling against your line on the cleat, look at you knot is it tight and secure. Is the cleat attached to the dock well and is secure? If it is, exit the boat onto the dock and tie off the front. Immediately return to boat and motor neural and off. Note: Keep in mind leaving the boat while motor holding against the dock is risky. If the line or one of the two cleats fail, bad things will happen. Special attention is a must.

I have done this exact manuver easily over 100 times and with my strongest wind to date was approximately 45 Mph, In a 30 foot express cruiser with 1 engine dead. It works well but again with everything boating practise this a few times before needing to do it squeezing between two boats.

 

[steve6]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

cool post man, some people are terrible at launching, even worse at loading.

One thing I would like to add is, if it costs money to use the launch, HAVE YOUR MONEY READY, send your guest over to pay, and get it over with, usually they know nothing about boats, and cant help much with prep, so have them do it instead of wasting your time when you could be prepping the boat/getting it warmed up. Annoys me when people are digging for money in their wallet for 10 minutes when its busy.

steve

 

[jeeperman]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Good stuff.
But a lot of what you say to do "At the ramp" should be done in the parking area of the ramp.
Not at or on the ramp itself

But maybe that it is what you meant anyways.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Some of us need to allow others to help, like the wife or older kids. If you play this right, no need to tie up at a dock at all.
Get boat ready to launch while waiting in line. By the time it's your turn, all guests in the boat, including one person behind the wheel of the boat.
Back in, drop the motor, and start it. Once it's running, guy on shore cuts you loose and you back carefully away.
Guy on shore gets in tow vehicle and parks. Guy driving boat sees trailer driver and meets at the end of the dock. Dock guy jumps in, and away you go. Shouldn't tie up the ramp or dock for any more than a couple minutes.
Time to go home- carefully approach dock and drop off trailer guy. Boat driver backs away from dock and hovers out in the water watching for trailer.
Let trailer get backed into position, and drive on up. Cut motor and raise it on up. Trailer guy gets boat winched up and saftey line attached, then hops into vehicle and pulls away from launch to the area where you can pull aside and finish securing and unloading boat.
Too often I see 5 people standing around watching one guy do all the work- ties up the ramp and dock for quite a long time.
Put those guests to work!!!

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

I tried to make it as clear as possable. All prep is done at the stageing area at the ramp. Most things can be done at home before leaveing for the ramp. I will try to make it clear between staging area at the ramp vs parking area at the ramp vs the ramp itself. Clear concise communication so everything has no room for misinterpretation has always been a struggle for me. New part coming soon.

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Peter...LOL I am triing to make it something that is manditory reading for any trailer boat owner. Keeping it simple enough so a person with no experiance in boating would understand. Start the printing presses.

 

[superbenk]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Solo launching/retrieval videos is something I'd very much like to see. I'd also like someone to address how to solo launch/retrieve when the courtesy docks are either too far away from the ramp or non-existent. My boat is difficult to impossible to enter from the trailer tongue (sits high up front plus has a tall bow rail & is closed bow) and still be able to unhook the bow eye from inside the boat, whats the best way to deal with that when you need to drive the boat off the trailer?

I've only seen 1 solo boat launch video on youtube (maybe I'm looking wrong) and it was on an extremely calm & deserted lake with a nice courtesy dock right next to the ramp. If I had all those conditions, it'd be a piece of cake So I'd be happy just seeing the technique (no need for audio commentary even) in real life so I could learn.

PS Closest water to me is almost an hour away & the ramps I'm most interested in are over 1.5 hrs away, so just going and watching for an hour here and there isn't a very convenient solution.

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

##### Special conditions part 2 #####

Your tied onto the dock and the wind and current are pushing you onto the dock. You have 3 feet in front and three feet in back for space. How to get off the dock without wasting time and swapping insurance info.

Your lines usually have a loop in one end and the other does not. For this maneuver make sure your loop end is the first one on the bow cleat. The Non looped end will be tied over the looped end on the same cleat. Reason: When you are backing out and letting the non looped end if the line pull through the cleat on the dock, you don't want the loop to snag up on something.

1. You left your blower on so you don't need to sit there for 3-5 minutes as the engine room is evacuated of fumes. Your front line, untie it from the dock. Make a single loop around the cleat on the dock and tie it off on the front cleat. Just place the loop over the dock cleat. Don't wrap it around the cleat. (Hard to explain but after reading the entire post you should get the idea.)

2. Untie the stern climb aboard and start the motor. Reverse at idol speed turning motor so it is pulling against the line wrapped around the dock cleat. Turn wheel hard to Port. (If dock is on your starboard side.) The motor will slowly swing the stern out from the dock and stern will travel up wind/current.

3. Once you are about 75 degrees to the dock, Neutral, go and untie one end if the line and let it drop into the water. Back to the helm reverse as the line pulls through the cleat on the dock and drops into the water as you continue in reverse away from the dock.

4. Into neutral, Go to the bow and pull in your line. And proceed to load.

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Superbenk..

Video is on the way. I am putting it together but is still a ways away. When it is done I will send you a link showing everything I am doing.

The boat I launch and retrieve by my self Is a 27' Monterey Express Cruiser. Single engine with dual counter rotating props. With the boat on the trailer, ground to the top of the bow is 6' 8". Then you can ad another 30 " for the bow rail. From the trailer arm to the top of the bow is 5'2" then add on the rail height.

As for when and how to reach the center eye which is about a 4 foot reach reread part 1. I did my best to find the words to explain it. When I finish the video it will be very clear and you will be smacking yourself saying, Hello... that's too easy.

 

[superbenk]

Re: The Boat Ramp Follies, for new boat rampers

Superbenk..

Video is on the way. I am putting it together but is still a ways away. When it is done I will send you a link showing everything I am doing.

The boat I launch and retrieve by my self Is a 27' Monterey Express Cruiser. Single engine with dual counter rotating props. With the boat on the trailer, ground to the top of the bow is 6' 8". Then you can ad another 30 " for the bow rail. From the trailer arm to the top of the bow is 5'2" then add on the rail height.

As for when and how to reach the center eye which is about a 4 foot reach reread part 1. I did my best to find the words to explain it. When I finish the video it will be very clear and you will be smacking yourself saying, Hello... that's too easy.

Awesome! Can't wait. If you pop the link in here, anyone subscribed to this thread will see it. This is great info. My wife & I are going to take a Sat. or 2 this fall without the kids and practice the ramps. We do ok now, but we're not there enough to have gotten really fluid at it (we're probably in the 10 minute group, not the <5 minute group ).