So you stood there at the ramp waiting for the boat to float to the bank. Just like you planned it all along.

20' .... How longs your boat?

LC. Tie off a quick connect D ring off back of your trailer. That way you can just hook your loop to it. Plus tieing off on back gives you more control of the boat especially on concrete ramps when you pull it forward. More rope the better you can see it and less you will jerk it.

Just remember to change your rope and d ring ever year especially if you hunt salt.

LC give me shout when you want to try it out. I've got to see this.

Is he hell on wheels?

After the first go round, I would have to see the second attempt. Check the wind before launching, just in case.

Good call Bobo, will try that. Gdogg, if ya wanna bring a 6 pack of Shiner and enjoy the show lemme know!

Maybe bring a kayak, too, if ya got one... I'm too old and/or lazy to swim after a boat.

Case of shiner. I'll be there.

IN

Tieing off on the winch will stress the gear catch when you hit the end of the slack pulling up. No fun if you break that.

Seems like that would pull it right back to the trailer, assuming zero wind. With wind, boat could go left or right of trailer, and a big wind and rip rap on the side, or concrete ramp, not good boat hitting that, I guess you jump out of the truck and catch it before it hits rocks/ramp? Might have to watch you do that. I got rope tied to front as well, just long enough to shove off and guide it around the trailer, and finding a place to tie off while I go park my truck is sometimes a challenge.

You never worried about your boat floating off?

And I guess the safety chain is incase the wench strap breaks while on the road? I guess I need one of those.

I must not hunt or fish enough to think backing a boat off the trailer is a big deal.

I'm in the group that has a rope hooked/tied to the front of the boat, and have the end of the rope hooked to the front of trailer/back of truck but not too long where it will float out of control. Once it floats off, pull up just a bit and unhook rope from trailer and walk it to a place to secure it while I park.

If I have a guest, I'll have them hold the rope instead of hooking it to the trailer so they feel like they are contributing.

This thread reminds me of the commercial where the dude launches his boat and it floats away, just so he can use the fancy remote control trolling motor like a remote control toy boat.

The rope only being 20 feet long is kind of the point so it does not go very far, with the nose just at the end of the trailer, you pull the trailer out of the water and the boat runs right on the ramp regardless of type of ramp. That is why you have an aluminum boat, it does not hurt to run it up on the ramp or into riprap, IMO.
IF you have a problem with scratching the boat that's another issue and not one of my concerns.

I think I get now.

You are at a ramp, you are beaching on the ramp, wether it be dirt or concrete. If mohunter has 16-18' boat ties off at the crank he litteraly only has 2-4' of rope between trailer and boat. That's bad. You have a hard time judging how far you beach it, not to Mention less stretch in a rope when you pull forward. Also boat might not make it all the way of the trailer, especially if it hits end of the short rope and comes back forward. You can stripe the winch catch pretty quick also. Then you have no way other then safety chain to tie your boat off. Most safety chains have 5-8" of play.

I dump a 22' champion and 24' haynie cat at dirt ramps and alumin duck boat(dirt or concrete) this way every time I'm by myself. Even with fiberglass on concrete I'll launch it this way a lot depending on ramp width, then unhook, jump in and back out of the way.

It's basic in thought process but it's the little details that will ruin your boat and or trailer.

Doesn't everybody tie to the back of the trailer? When you are by yourself you back it down until hit floats off the trailer and hit the brakes. When the boat drifts back enough to take the slack, you pull forward until the boat lands on the ramp. Back up, take rope off and go park.

so it turns out that boat ramps are not only an entertaining place to watch folks they are also kinda fun to read about

Bird island is my favorite, the morning cluster fight for parking spots is highlight film material

lake travis and lake austin with all the $30k millionaires around here that cant back a trailer to save their life is pretty entertaining...$60k truck, $80k malibu and both loaded down with dumb

so it turns out that boat ramps are not only an entertaining place to watch folks they are also kinda fun to read about

It all depends which end of the entertainment you are on........................


How many times have you seen the wife or girlfriend put in charge of backing down the trailer?

Hells no! My wife has a lot of good qualities, but she can barely back up a car with a reverse camera... without a trailer. Currently don't have a girlfriend, which the wife appreciates.