Harry Krause wrote in message ...
On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 04:55:34 GMT, bb wrote:

[snip]

Like I said, my normal routine for years has been to stop out of the
way in the ramp area, check the boat, unhook the crank and safety
chain, attach a 20' rope then move to the ramp area. I'll then back
down the ramp and get the boat free from the trailer by stiffly
braking a couple of times when the boat is partially floating.

After this incident, from now on, I'll back down until the boat is
right at the waters edge before disconnecting the safety hook. I
can't say I see others doing what I'm describing, but I'll be damned
if I'll have the boat slide off on the ramp again.

What are other folks experiences in launching their boats? Do you
stop just as the boat reaches the water and then disconnect the safety
chain? I can't say I've notice anyone else doing this, but maybe I'm
missing someing.

I've been using bunk trailers for nearly 15 years, and I never detatch
the safety strap and hook from the bow eye until the boat is in the
water, about as far down the ramp as I usually need to go. Up here,
early and late in the season, that requires that I plop both feet into
pretty cold water so I have good footing (standing on the trailer frame
is not what I call good footing), but hey, pneumonia is part of pleasure
boating, right?

I've seen a couple of boats slide right off bunk trailers on steep ramps
when boats were not attached to the trailers. Happens a lot more often
with roller trailers, of course. I don't much like roller trailers.

Harry's procedure is similar to mine. I too usually get my feet wet
unhooking the winch strap and the safety chain from the bow. I
usually launch single handed so I want to make sure I have dock lines
in hand etc, before untethering the boat from the trailer.

When I first started launching, I tried the "use the brakes to toss
the boat" technique but was never comfortable with it. For one thing,
if you have to make an emergency stop while backing down the ramp, you
could dump the boat.

I prefer to leave the boat tethered to the trailer *at least* until
the bunk rails touch the water.