Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

[Jake007]

I have been boating my entire life and trailering my own boat for over 30 years. I never have thought much about my trailer launching or retrieving. I did what I was taught and learned over the years. However, recently reading some of these forums got me thinking about best practice for launching and retrieving your boat.

So how about everyone share some tips and tricks of launching and retrieving.

When you are retrieving your boat, how far do you back your trailer into the water? Bunks full under, three quarter, half? Do you go in so deep that the boat is still floating when attaching to the eye and pull out slowly to align? or go in half on the bunks and power it up? or do you winch it up with the bunks half in or full in. etc.... etc... I know there are lots of variables like the type of trailer, bunks/rollers, type of boat deep V/ shallow flat bottom, deep ramp/ shallow ramp, etc.

OK so I will start:
Tip 1: Stop yelling and blaming your partner. It still amazes me how many times I see this at the ramps.
Tip 2: Be patient and courteous. The guy in front of you may be new to boating and this could be one of his first times at a ramp.
Tip 3: Be prepared before you get in line to launch. No one wants to sit behind you waiting for 5 minutes while you tie your lines, attach bumpers, and load your equipment. Perform these tasks prior to getting into the ramp line.
Tip 4: Don't hog the ramp. Pull your boat up to the side dock area, then go get your vehicle, back your trailer in, and then pull your boat up onto the trailer. I have seen some folks come in and park the boat in the loading ramp, go to the bathroom, then go get their trailer. A couple other folks could have launched or retrieved during this time.
My Launch: I put my plug into the boat before leaving home (made that mistake once... never embarrass myself again), complete my loading and line preps prior to getting in line at the ramp. I back down the ramp to wet my bunks and then pull up to the point that I can reach the winch area without getting wet. I unhook my bow safety chain, slowly release my winch and winch hook, then slowly back in and she slides right off and my first mate ties her up.
My Retrieve: I pull in to wet my bunks, then pull out so it is about three quarter bunk wet, power load up to the eye, latch the eye and safety chain, winch her a little tighter, and turn off the engine and raise the outdrive (don't forget that step). I am still not satisfied with my retrieve, I would to hear how others do it.

 

[achris]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

I'm a member of a club, so a lot of the problems associated with a public facility are just not there... One problem I do have is that they have banned power launch and retrieval... Used to take me under 30 seconds each way before, now it's more like 6 minutes... The main issue I have (I have rollers, and they are properly maintained) is that when I let my winch off, the boat starts sliding down the trailer immediately, so I can't actually remove the winch line from the bow hook until it reached the bottom of the trailer, now under about a foot of water, and in the cooler months... NO WAY am I wading in to release that!!! What I used to do is flash up the engine and drop it in gear to hold the boat up the trailer while I released the hook, then back in the boat, pop it back to neutral, let is slide off and then just control it to the end of the jetty.... Now what I have to do is tie a line to the boat and secure it to the jetty just to release the winch hook... Untying that line as 4,000lbs of boat is sliding down the trailer is deadly dangerous... I know one day I'm going to lose a finger... But the club will not listen. :noidea: Hope their insurance is paid up...

 

[batman99]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

For my boat trailer combo, water line is level with the trailer's fender top. This is the "sweet spot" for my combo.

Like you, I also follow common sense within the 2 x prep areas. Knowing it takes time for my combo to get ready (in the pre-launch area), I might wave to the guy behind me to go around me (to go first). Thus, allowing me more time to unhook straps, disconnect Solar panel, unload the tube, etc. tasks. Thus, he doesn't have to wait for me - while the ramp is empty. Same holds true for loading and its prep area. Knowing it takes me longer to connect straps, Transom Saver, etc. etc. I'll simply go park in a normal parking spot (and connect items there) - instead of hogging the 2nd prep area. Since many smaller boats are in/down like it's a time race, I try to stay out of their way. Especially when I'm with my handicap son - who needs physical assistance (and time) during our unloading and loading tasks as well.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

For me Launching is pretty easy, boat prep is done while waiting for Invasive species inspection (including Plug) or if that line is to short then we get setup in the setup area. Get inspected, wife and passengers get in the boat and I dunk the boat until it floats, wife starts boat and I disconnect the safety chain and then the strap, I then go park the truck and trailer while wife loiters clear of the ramp area and then hopefully picks me up at the dock...

We boat in Inland Lakes and Reservoirs so Current is never an issue..

Retrieval...

Wife drops me off at the Dock and I get the truck and trailer, here is where situations determine specific items

No wind- I dunk the trailer completely, wet the entire length of the bunks and then pull out until the fenders are just breaking the waters surface, put truck in park and set parking brake, by this time the wife is probably waiting for me to hook the strap up, seriously she is that good, about the time I set the brake she will have the boat about 18"s from the winch no power loading.

Windy conditions- I dunk the trailer completely again wet the entire length of the bunks and then pull out until the fenders are 6"s out of the water (this varies due to just how windy it is), put the truck in park and set the parking brake, and watch the wife work her magic, now the reason why I leave the trailer out of the water so much is because the wife will come in faster then normal and leaving the trailer out more allows her to do so without over shooting the winch(not a good thing) and lets the trailer catch the boat, I advise as needed(never very much) and hook the boat and winch the final 18"s or so hook the Safety chain wife raises the outdrive and were off to get sealed for INS and prep fro the road.

as for your tips one by one

Tip 1- my wife is Spanish and carries CCW Yell at her at your own risk

Tip 2- for god sakes don't people boat to relax any more? I mean seriously, I work in the County Jail and it seems like I break up more fights at the Public boat ramp then I do in my day job...

Tip 3- Completely agree, preparation is the key to all successful and quick Launches and Retrievals, but Patience in my opinion is rule number one.

Tip 4- Agree again, but lets face it this is not a NASCAR race and some are not as proficient backing a trailer, once again Patience, and at times a good laugh.

Tip 5-100,000-PATIENCE!!! We are all trying to have a good time, relax, be polite and be patient, I do not want to see you while at work, Yes it has happened.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

I'm a member of a club, so a lot of the problems associated with a public facility are just not there... One problem I do have is that they have banned power launch and retrieval... Used to take me under 30 seconds each way before, now it's more like 6 minutes... The main issue I have (I have rollers, and they are properly maintained) is that when I let my winch off, the boat starts sliding down the trailer immediately, so I can't actually remove the winch line from the bow hook until it reached the bottom of the trailer, now under about a foot of water, and in the cooler months... NO WAY am I wading in to release that!!! What I used to do is flash up the engine and drop it in gear to hold the boat up the trailer while I released the hook, then back in the boat, pop it back to neutral, let is slide off and then just control it to the end of the jetty.... Now what I have to do is tie a line to the boat and secure it to the jetty just to release the winch hook... Untying that line as 4,000lbs of boat is sliding down the trailer is deadly dangerous... I know one day I'm going to lose a finger... But the club will not listen. :noidea: Hope their insurance is paid up...

Not sure if this will help or not, but I also have a roller trailer. This really depends on how tall your winch post is also. I tie a line to the front cleat on the boat and leave it coiled right at the front where I can reach it from the ground. When backed in and ready to launch, I grab the line and wrap it around the winch post one full loop, keeping it pretty tight because it will stretch a little from the weight of the boat when cable is released. I then release the safety chain and the winch cable with one hand while holding the rope in the other hand. The rope will keep the boat there until you are ready to let the rope out slowly and splash her in. The good thing about this for me is I load and unload 99 percent of the time by myself, I already have a rope in hand to walk the boat over and tie her up so I can go move the truck and trailer.

Now lets see how long this thread lasts before someone says its a sin to power load,lol

 

[carey965]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

I'm pretty much the same as the op. Do all my prep before getting in line. Attach the lines fenders. Put the plug in. Put the top on if needed. This is where I remove the safety chain and unplug the trailer lights. I like to leave the plug out till I get to the ramp, just in case there is any rain water in the bilge.

Then like others I will back it in all the way to wet the bunks pull it out a bit release the winch and give her a good push she's in tie her off and park the truck. If I'm alone or with the wife I will tie it up start it so she warms up while I park the truck.

Loading kinda the same way pull up leave it running cause I am generally as far away from the launch as possible to stay out of the way. Go get the truck back it in wet the bunks pull it out so there is about a foot of bunk out of the water hop in the boat and drive her on up. The bunks being out of the water that much help center it so she hits the bow roller dead on run up to the bow and hook it on or have the wife do it. Tighten up the winch and pull it out and out of the way to pack her up.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

Trailer depth is going to be different for every boater on the forum. Different boats, different trailer designs, different bunk heights, ramp angles, etc. My 20' runabout will float off the trailer without a push if the fender wells were even with the water. I have a set of roller guides on the back of my trailer that normally serve as a pretty good guide at trailer depth for my trailer. I have them adjusted so that when the bottom of the roller is right at water level, the boat can be pushed off/backed off the trailer with little more than a light push. I normally use the same depth for retrieval which allows the boat to float up within a foot or so from the bow stop at idle throttle. I normally winch it on from there.

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

+1 on the trailer depth. You just have to find what works on your specific boat/trailer combination. I have two boats- a Sea Ray cuddy and a Four Winns deckboat- with trailers of different manufacture. How far the fenders are submerged for success when launching and retrieving is not the same.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

the question is so circumstantial that there can't be one answer. But if there were, it's three P's: Preparation, practice and patience. All else is derived from them.

As a saltie, with my smaller boats, the axle never gets wet. I have to get the big one in the water to the top of the tires and I hate it; luckily I have a hose on the ramp so I can get it while its wet.

but any way you do it, you should stay dry, at most go in ankle deep w/ short boots. Swimming at the ramp=doing it wrong. Some people have to do some wading if there is no dock, but around here, except for dirt-road slide-ins, we always have a dock. But we also boat in cold weather.

One reason not to let the boat pull out your cable is that the whirring crank handle is very dangerous. Tie the bow line off as suggested. On my roller trailer and 21' boat, the axles are barely in the water, I tie the end of the bow line to the winch post, unhook cable and safety chain, give it a push, then hold back on the line as it rolls back to slow it down--but there's no stopping it! At the end of the trailer, I'm at the end of the line. Once I tied it too short and had a real problem untying.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

I came up with a great solution to the forgetting the plug problem that has never let me down. My starboard transom tie-down hook goes through my plug wrench, then onto the transom U-bolt. When I remove the tie down, the wrench is impossible to ignore and I put the plug in at the same time I'm removing the tie downs.

Also, I made the box-end plug wrench out of 1/4" thick aluminum plate so that when I toss it into a the storage well under my boarding ladder on my swim platform, it does not stain the well with rust. You can cut aluminum easily with wood working tools, so it's a simple thing to make.

Tips for retrieval:

Don't put the trailer in too deep to start with. Get the boat lined up and start winching with the trailer fairly shallow. If/when the winching becomes difficult, back the trailer in further to ease the load on the winch. I see so many people back the trailer in so deep that the stern is floating 2 feet above the bunks/rollers and they struggle to keep the boat aligned as they winch it home.

Get good at driving the boat onto the trailer. No one wants to wait while you try to control/tow a boat by hand with a line or two, especially if there's wind or current. If power loading is not allowed, drive on at idle speed and winch the last few feet.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

Courtesy tip: For busy pre-dawn launching on multiple lane ramps, as you back down the ramp (and continuing during the launching process), please turn off your headlights. They serve no useful purpose for you and only blind others who follow after you. Thank you.

 

[limitout]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

it has to be different for everyone based on the way their bot and trailer is.

if you have bunks then I think the most common is to have the top of fenders just out of the water so the back third of the bunk is wet and the top is dry. this lets you drive on but not slide back off after you stop.

I find drive on trailers with rollers the hardest thing because of the roll back off factor so you need some sort of self locking mechanism to lock the boat on so it doesn't come right back off.

wether or not you have help is a huge factor in your launch/pickup habits as well so since I am often by myself I have a long bow rope (25') and snap hook to hook onto the rear light bar so I back up slow to gently launch the boat and pull up right away until the trailer is just out of the water about a foot or so just as I run out of rope, then I hop out and grab the rope to go tie it up

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

Haven't forgotten the plug yet - but have seen it at the ramp a couple of times (best one: guy just released the lines at the pier, "Oh s**t!", throttle full forward and grind sparkling new glass hull over rough concrete launch ramp). So, I hook the plug to my ignition keys. I always put the keys in the ignition before launch - have to notice the plug and am prompted to install.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

the panic of the forgotten plug does way more damage than the forgotten plug. For one, your bilge pump will handle it well enough (if not get a bigger pump) and comes on automatically (if not get a float switch).

Consider whether you can reach the plug hole from inside and if so carry a rubber plug that fits. You may even have threads there.

You can place a plastic bag (raincoat, cover, whatever) across the outside of the hole and the water pressure will seal it instantly. During a calm moment after you have launched with the plug, see what it takes to reach the hole. Yes I know it's not an option on all boats.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

My launch is pretty uneventful. No drama. Plug and keys stay in boat 24/7.

1. Arrive at launch at 5 am. Long before weekend warriors are out of bed
2. Remove straps, tie off bow line to winch post, remove safety chain and winch cable. Plug in winch power cable.
3. Back boat into water. Unwrap bow line from winch post and let boat slowly roll off trailer. Tie off to pier.
4. Go park truck.

Takes 2-3 minutes from start to finish.

1. Back trailer in water
2. Drive boat 1/2 - 3/4 way on trailer
3. connect winch cable, flip switch, stand back and watch
4. connect safety chain and pull over to staging area.
5. Turn off battery switch, put covers on the electronics, store winch power harness
6. Install tie-downs and do a quick walk around.

Takes 5-10 minutes from start to finish.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

New boat, new trailer, new technic.

I use a primative gravel ramp at the end of our road and there is no pier. With the old Lund it wasn't to difficult by myself and couls get the boat in and out in about 5 minutes. The ramp being flat and shallow I was using a tilt bed roller trailer which worked well. Now with the new boat it's become much more difficult. Boat is on a Shoreland'r roller trailer and the launch is about the same but from there it's all different.

Going out from the ramp I now push off the shore and motor out with the trolling motor until I'm deep enough to drop the engine. Coming back in I have to shut down the engine and raise it 50' further out than before then troll back to shore. Then there is almost no way to get the boat back out to the trailer w/o getting wet.

I think I want a remote power winch for Christmas! Or I should have kept the smaller boat.

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

Tips for retrieval:

Don't put the trailer in too deep to start with. Get the boat lined up and start winching with the trailer fairly shallow. If/when the winching becomes difficult, back the trailer in further to ease the load on the winch. I see so many people back the trailer in so deep that the stern is floating 2 feet above the bunks/rollers and they struggle to keep the boat aligned as they winch it home.

I want to highlight the above paragraph. EXCELLENT advice and a technique I learned after some frustrating trial and error.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

I want to highlight the above paragraph. EXCELLENT advice and a technique I learned after some frustrating trial and error.

Thanks!

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

I have my plug attached to my removable winch handle. I can't release the boat from the trailer without noticing if the plug is still there.

Of course, I arranged this after I forgot the plug once.

 

[Jake007]

Re: Trailer Launch and Retreive Technique

Good tips!!! any others...