Many years ago, when I was a relative boating rookie, I managed to be “that guy” at the boat ramp. You know who I mean: the entertainment. The knucklehead. The idiot. Yep, that was me.
I had upgraded from a 19-foot open bow runabout to a 25-foot cuddy cabin that I kept on a trailer at the marina. This marina had a boat launch on site and you could pay for a parking spot, so you only had to tow the boat across the parking lot to splash it. The newer boat, however, was a lot heavier than the previous runabout, so offloading and re-loading took some effort. I ended up installing an electric winch for hauling it onto the trailer, but there was still the problem of pushing it off the trailer.
After a few months of straining myself by trying to push this behemoth off the trailer, I thought I would try a different technique. I had seen this before on the internet. Hey, if it’s on the internet, it’s gotta work, right? So, the plan was to unhook the winch strap before backing down the ramp and, when I reached the proper water depth, I would tap the brakes, and the boat would just slide into the water. At this point I noticed that a couple of cars had arrived with boats in tow, so I tried to work quickly so as not to block the ramp.
I know what you’re thinking… that the boat would slide off too early and land on the concrete ramp. Well, that didn’t happen at all. I lined up the trailer on the ramp, unhooked, backed down, tapped the brakes, and just as I envisioned, the boat slowly slid itself off just as pretty as you please. A couple of boaters had gathered by the ramp, presumably to congratulate me on my feat!
Feeling very proud of myself, I took a moment to bask in my success when suddenly my wife woke me out of my reverie as she yelled that the boat was floating away out into the Bay.
Apparently, there was one more step that I had neglected—have someone put a line on the boat before backing up. I’d like to say that I sprung into immediate action to save the boat; instead, however, I guess you could say that I froze up. I was still on the ramp, in my vehicle, foot on the brake, still in reverse. I didn’t know what else to do but yell to my wife to jump in the water to rescue the boat, which she did!
This yelling and commotion had started to draw a bigger crowd to the ramp. I was frozen in the car, the boat was floating away, and my wife, not a strong swimmer, was floundering in her endeavors to retrieve said boat.
After a few moments, my brain finally kicked back into gear, and I realized I first had to park the car and trailer and then go help my wife. This I did manage to complete with some alacrity. As I ran back to the ramp from the parking lot, I noticed a couple rows of fans in lawn chairs watching the fun. As I reached the ramp, I noticed that my wife and my boat were not making any progress toward the ramp. In fact, you could say they were drifting out to sea.
Well, a quick decision was needed, so I jumped in to help, completely forgetting my six-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter who were watching in disbelief from the dock adjacent to the ramp. I made it out to the boat and my wife and I both managed to wrangle the beast back to the courtesy dock. As I climbed out of the drink, sopping wet, I think I saw someone in the crowd selling tickets to the show we were putting on and someone else was selling popcorn and cold drinks.
Anyway, I wanted to get the heck out of there as soon as possible, so I loaded the gang into the boat and reached into the pocket of my bathing suit for the key. Which wasn’t there! It was there a few minutes ago… on a float, hmm…
I am not making this next part up.
I looked back into the Bay, and I noticed something afloat about 50 yards away that resembled my keychain! Yep, the red and white mini buoy did its job by keeping the boat key from sinking; however, it was not supposed to float it out of my pocket without a good reason. Well, I had to go swimming again, much to the consternation of the lineup of boat trailers ready to launch. I am sure many people from the large crowd were all thinking the same thing: Why is this guy going for a swim when I want to launch my boat?
Well, in my mind I thought I looked like Michael Phelps or Mark Spitz as I raced out to retrieve the key, all the time praying to the gods of the sea and the air that the boat would start. Well, it did start on the first try, and I, along with my wife, my two kids, and my bruised ego, high-tailed it out of there, red-faced and pondering my decision to own a trailer boat. As I motored away, I swear I could hear a standing ovation back at the ramp.
And if you’re wondering what happened upon my return to the marina, thankfully none of the witnesses were still there, and I managed to get the boat back onto the trailer without embarrassing myself. I sold that boat soon after as I think my subconscious told me to get rid of the evidence. Come to think of it, I have never trailered a boat since then, which is probably a good thing.
How To Launch a Boat Safely
If you don’t want to end up as the entertainment at the local boat ramp (as I did), you should learn some basic procedures for the launch process. If you utilize the following tips during your next boat splash, you’ll hopefully get the process done swiftly and safely, and you’ll increase the odds that you will have an enjoyable day on the water.
The first steps should be accomplished away from the ramp, hopefully in the parking area or loading area at the ramp. Start by loading all the gear in the boat, such as lifejackets, coolers, food and beverage, and any other gear needed. You don’t want to be blocking the ramp for other boaters that are ready to go.
Next, it’s time to make sure the plug is in the drain hole. Some people attach it to the boat key or some other place that would be hard to overlook. While you are by the stern, you should also remove the tie-downs. The boat won’t slide off the trailer if you don’t, and you’ll have to endure the embarrassment of pulling back up the ramp to complete this process only to back down once again. Some boaters don’t have the patience to wait for you when you mess up so, to avoid the dirty looks, or worse, pay attention to this tip.
Okay, your “pride and joy” is loaded with gear and ready to launch; it’s time to line up on the ramp in preparation for the backing process. You did practice in the Walmart parking lot, right?
At most boat ramps there is a hierarchy which determines whose turn it is to use the ramp. In general, if a boat is in position in the water and ready to pull out, it’s usually that owner’s turn to use the ramp. You will appreciate this courtesy when you want to retrieve yours. This means that you can queue up to be next after that boater, but you should not block their access to the ramp as they need to back the empty trailer down to get their boat out of your way. I have seen screaming, swearing, and near fist fights when this protocol is ignored. We’re all trying to enjoy a day on the water; don’t ruin it for you and somebody else by being discourteous.
Okay, the ramp is clear and you’re ready to go. Line up so the vehicle and boat are in a straight line and back ‘er down. If you start straight, you will not need to adjust the steering wheel very much. I see a lot of nervous backers messing with the wheel too much and zig-zagging down the ramp and even jack-knifing the rig. Go slow and make small adjustments. One tip for steering is to hold the wheel at the bottom (six o’clock) and move your hand in the direction you want the trailer to go.
A word on whether to unhitch the winch now or wait until the boat is floating. Some people like to unhook first and, when the boat starts to float, they hit the brakes to make the boat slide off. This “may” work. However, if the ramp is steep, you run the risk of the boat sliding off prematurely onto the concrete ramp. I don’t have to tell you that’s not good for the boat or your ego. To be safe, I recommend leaving it hooked up until you are almost floating.
You should back down far enough to let the boat float, but not so far that the trailer wheel hubs are underwater as that will tend to allow water into the wheel bearings. You’ll then put the car in park with the emergency brake on, hop out, and release the ratchet and let the boat slide off until it is floating, and then unhook the winch. Tie off to the courtesy dock or hand the line to a helper and go find yourself a parking spot for the rig. Hustle back to the ramp and head out for that fishing hole or the water-skiing spot and enjoy the day. If you are good, you shouldn’t take up the ramp for more than five or 10 minutes. Note the emphasis on PARK and E-BRAKE. Don’t be like this guy who saw his jet ski floating away (forgot the line) and jumped out of the vehicle to grab the ski, thus totaling his car.
At the end of the day, back at the ramp there may be several boats queued up to be retrieved. Make a mental note of your place in line and be patient. If there’s currently a boat being launched on the ramp, they should be given the priority. When it is your turn, reverse the process. When you are winching the boat onto the trailer, keep everyone else out of the line of recoil should the winch line or strap let loose unexpectedly. Once again, it should be five minutes or less if you do it right. Pull up to the parking area to unload, tie-down, drain, and put the cover on. You did it! Repeat next weekend and enjoy.
About the Author: Gary Armstrong has had his US Coast Guard Captain’s License for 15 years, as well as a United States Power Squadron Senior Navigator and Inland Navigator Certificate. He cruises on a Mainship trawler and is based on the Sassafras River.
Another Boat Trailer Tip
By Staff
Check out FishTalk’s recent video where the Angler in Chief tests out the Behr Claw retrieval tool. This telescopic pole features a magnetic head that connects to your winch hook, allowing you to connect your boat without having to walk the trailer tongue tightrope. See it in action bekow, Behr Claw is a local Maryland business and a PropTalk and FishTalk supporter (thanks, Behr Claw!).