Never had that happen before. Back boat down ramp, floated my trailer, it was like I had the back straps on. I had to let it sit, with my trailer floating, till the lake water thawed it out. Glad no one pulled up behind me. All I could do is just sit there and wonder how long it was going to take, finally it broker free I'm like "yes!!!"

lol How long did it take you to figure out what was happening?

At first I thought I left the straps on, so I pull it back out, and straps are not on, at that point I'm thinking it is frozen, so back in the water it goes. Then I'm sitting there for 5 minutes, fingers crossed no one pulls up behind me. The whole time, I'm thinking could it really be frozen? What if it is something else? Maybe the boat is caught on trailer some how?? What I'm I gonna say if someone pulls up behind me???

Then finally, CRACK, BOOM!! YES! Lol.

Was it wet from the day before?

Yep, I was on the water till sundown, I'm sure that is a major reason why it froze like that.

I assume you have carpeted bunks, couple of options for your:
Replace the carpet with the plastic bunk material.
easiest-Install bunk sliders on top of your carpeted bunk boards.
Regardless of which you chose, remove your tie down straps before you head to the ramp so the boat breaks free before you launch.

Or just stand on the wheel well once you launch and your weight will cause it to break free faster.

Been there done that!

Had a guy have his slide off from frozen bunks after a hunt. That was fun.

Yeah that was my last thought about the time it broke on its own. My thought befor that, was to get in the boat and jump up and down, I'm not a physics major but I figured that would not help lol. But standing on the wheel well would help a little, but probably not that much, that trailer is heavy, you can tell because how low the boat sits in the water floating the trailer.

You needed a fat arse on both sides, sorry I couldn't make it

Had the same thing happen a few years ago. Just hopped in the boat and rocked it from side to side. Didn't take long!

Why would you want a aluminum boat bouncing all over the trailer? Bet that's great for the transom

sometimes it just happens, luckily in Texas it isnt often.

That's a good idea right there.

If your trailer and bunk boards freeze overnight. Do not unhook the bow strap when backing down the ramp. Trust me, I know.

Oooooops!

I was out by myself a couple of years ago when I had a dumass moment. I've seen old fisherman that give 10-15 feet of slack, back the trailer in, boat comes off drifting back, then they just pull up to dock the boat on the ramp. Thought that was a good idea so I decided to try it. Was going great until the hook immediately came off when the boat floated.

Luckily the wind blew the boat back towards the ramp and not away from it.

I went swimming in Lewisville one January retrieving my grandads boat since he didn't give me enough slack. 20 degree air temps. I didn't want him to have a heart attack. He said don't tell your mom and I didn't until many years later. Hit the local laundry mat and were fishing 2 hours later. I sat naked in the truck with a blanket he had luckily.

So Gdogg, you didn't have the front wench strap hooked to boat, and your boat slid off the trailer onto the ramp/concrete? Or you had too much slack and it slide off?

Larry, how did the hook come off, there is a latch that would prevent that? I assume you are talking about the hook on the front wench strap.

I always take all my straps off, except the front one, it just needs a few inches of slack on my boat, so no big deal if it slides...

This should be pretty simple stuff but since we are talking about it...

I have a 20 feet rope tied to front of my boat, when alone, I unhook everything, tie the rope to the winch handle and launch the boat, pull up a little and the rope will pull the boat to the ramp, pretty simple stuff.

This keeps you from having to get out once you back the boat in, unhook the wench strap, then try to push the boat off and around the trailer.

It works great, Do it all the time.

Right before I started backing down, I unhooked the safety chain and wench strap like I had done for years. However I guess the weight of the boat and ice was not a good combination. Only the motor skeg hit the ramp. My hunting buddy grabbed the boat so the impact was minimal and only damaged the paint. Thank goodness he was there and that I stopped. Otherwise the boat would have come completely off the trailer and onto the ramp. I deserved the barney of the day award. I'm sharing this so that others don't make the same mistake.

I had a boat slide off the trailer once, ever since then I dont take the winch strap off until I am floating in the water

Just don't forget to take the transom saver off......

haha, good tip but your telling the wrong guy haha

he was so mad and was positive that me and big daddy messed up the boat and thats why it wasnt running right

Guy, this is basically what I was trying to do. Instead tying the rope I have a loop towards the end of it, which comes in handy for tying off to stumps, so I clipped my wench hook onto it. The clip on the hook got hosed up (bent back outside the hook) so the rope fell off and adios boat.