# Launching your Boat Alone



## gillhunter (May 10, 2011)

I have watched guys launching and retrieving their boat alone and getting pretty wet while doing it. A friend of mine taught me a method that works well 90% of the time. In all the years that I have launched and retrieved I have never seen anyone else use this method. 

Get a piece of rope about 25' long. Put a snap hook for your bow ring on one end and a 6" loop on the other.

Launch: Coil your rope and lay it on your front deck in a place where it can uncoil easily.
After backing down the ramp unhook your boat from the trailer and snap one end of your rope on the bow ring and put the loop over the winch upright on your trailer. 

Back the trailer in the water and let the boat float off the trailer until the slack from the rope is gone. Slowly pull the trailer out of the water, the boat will follow you to the ramp.

Retrieving: You have to have side guides on your trailer for this to work. Back your trailer in the water where you can get to your winch without getting wet. Unless the angle of the ramp is really shallow you can usually get your boat started on the trailer. Push your boat out parallel to your trailer and guide it back on with the rope. If you can't reach the bow ring on the boat because it is not on far enough, pull your winch strap out a foot, put a couple wraps of your rope around the hook and you can walk the boat right unto the trailer repeating this a couple of times. 

I have used this method when I am alone on both my Polar Kraft 168SC that goes 2000 lb loaded and my Alumacraft 1648 which may go 500 lbs.

The only time it does not work is in strong current or strong wind.


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## ohiobass (May 10, 2011)

Been launching boats by myself for 30+ yrs. Anything from 20+ ft bassboats to 14 ft aluminum boats.
When putting in water, I release the winch and let out about 1ft, still connected to boat, and then "lock" it.
Then back into water, enough to have boat just barely float. Get up on trailer, release winch from boat, get on boat, and dock.
When trailering, I back down trailer to correct depth. Load boat, winch up tight, get in Suburban, and drive off. 8) 

Only time I get wet is when water is waaaay high, like now! #-o 
Then, I just take my shoes off, roll up the jeans, and walk in the water.

Too easy! 8)


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## gillhunter (May 10, 2011)

ohiobass,

Sounds like a slick method! I normally fish with my wife, we have been empty-nesters for years, and we each have our tasks, and she normally handles the truck and trailer while I drive the boat on and off. It's amazing the things you see at the ramp if you fish a lot.


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## moelkhuntr (May 10, 2011)

That is how I have always unloaded my boat by myself. Works slick. People look at me like I have just lost my boat when it slides off and floats out from the trailer.


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## RivRunR (May 10, 2011)

I use the exact same method for launching, except my rope has snap clips on both ends instead of a loop. I attach one clip to the bow, and the other clip to a ring I installed on my winch upright so there's no chance of it coming off during launch...altho' as many times as I've done it, it still feels scary to see the boat floating away in the rearview mirror!

I've seen the same technique used by clipping the rope-snap into the winch's strap clip too.

To load I just drive it on and winch it up the remaining foot or so.


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## gillhunter (May 10, 2011)

I normally drive the boat back on the trailer when I am by myself also, but I have been to some ramps over the years that were float on, float off only. Don't know if anyone else has run into that or not.


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## Badbagger (May 10, 2011)

Done the very same thing and it works like a charm.


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## Honky Tonkin (May 10, 2011)

Maybe because I dont have a very heavy boat, but I just unhook it, get the boat in the water enough to be boyant enought to slide off the bunks(but not floating). I then just slide it off and around the trailer to a shoreline or dock. I usually get my feet wet, but I am at the lake!


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## Bugpac (May 10, 2011)

I launch mine solo everyday, when you dont drive them off you have to be creative. I attach a 25' rope to mine, back it in and hold the rope with my drivers door open. the momentum lets the boat get off the trailer, i put it in park, pull the boat up to the bank around the trailer and its in. I dont attach to the trailer as it seems it always hangs up. or when you pull ahead the boat comes with it crashing into the ramp. I can unload and load in less than 3 minutes almost every time. depends on wind.


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## Zum (May 10, 2011)

I do it this way also,all the time,except tie it to a ring on my truck.


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## bulldog (May 10, 2011)

When I am by myself I'll back the boat down until the back is floating then push it off and start it and pull it to the bank or dock. Then i'll tie it up and park my truck. It works every time and I rarely get wet. Sometimes when the water is high and the ramp is not too steep i'll have to climb out the drivers window and crawl or walk on the roof and climb down the back of the vehicle to the boat. People look at you funny when you do that.

When trailering the boat by myself I'll back the traler in to the water just far enough that the bunks are in then I'll slowly run the boat on to the trailer and motor up to the front stop. Winch it down and I'm off. Works in swift current or no current.


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## bcbouy (May 10, 2011)

i also use a 12' rope with a snap on each end. i also bring my chest waders just in case


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## huntinfool (May 10, 2011)

I launch alone all the time. I use a rope with a snap ring at the bow eye. But I run mine up into the cab with me. I guess I could put it on the trailer and pull out a bit. But I like having my boat way out away from the trailer. That way I can pull the rope towards the dock and dock it, or pull it towards the beach. When loading I lower thr trailer in the water until the water is just covering the fenders. Then I just drive the boat on the trailer. I can usually run it all the way up to the bow stop and then just walk up and attach the bow line.


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## rusty.hook (May 11, 2011)

When by myself, I back up and unhook the strap from my boat. I have a 30' rope on my front deck with a hook and latch on it and hook it into the boats eye, take the rope out and lay it below the winch stand on the ground and tie the loose end off to my trailer below the winch stand so it does not slide off accidently, back up real slow and let the boat slide off and then drive out real slow until trailer is all the way out of the water so the boat does not hit it. I get out and stop the boat before is hits the ramp and tie off and move my trailer.
When loading I take the rope and hook off the boats eye, fold it up and put it back on the boats front deck under the troll motor. Then power load, hook trailer winch strap and get out of the boat onto a small catwalk I have added to my trailer, never a wet foot anytime. We fish year round here on the Gulf Coast so I dont need any wet footies! LOL
Good fishin, jus' sayin"


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## TNtroller (May 11, 2011)

I use a combo of all of these ideas/versions, rope at the bow eye, and a snap ring/carbiner on the other end of a 25' rope attached to the front of the trailer, back down the ramp and launch the boat just like someone is in the boat (stop suddenly to float the boat off the trailer), pull up a bit and then guide the boat to the dock and tie off, go park the truck. Loading i back the trailer down and then just drive the boat on the trailer, attach the winch strap and tighten it up, climb down onto the trailer tongue, get into the truck and off to the top of the ramp. So far i have only gotten a shoe wet once or twice. Works good for me.


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## fender66 (May 11, 2011)

I use the same method, except, I tie to my truck. Inside the bed, I have a tie down that the rope hooks around. guess the only difference is that my rope needs to be a few feet longer. Still a slick method.

Thanks for sharing.


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## rusty.hook (May 11, 2011)

I added this catwalk to my trailer, two 90 degree 1/4" thick X 3" wide metal flat bar, short end bolted to trailer frame, and 40" X 6" treated deck board with carpet works great, a whole lot better than trying to walk on a slippery trailer, and I can use it to get in also. Metal pieces are sprayed with galvanizing spray for protection. See pics below.


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