"SteveB" wrote in message
news
I am a newcomer. Was reading the thread on ramp etiquette, but haven't
watched long enough to comment. Just know I've had all sorts of
experiences there and witnessed two fist fights over it.

I am a retired welder. I still have equipment. The first thing I have
done when I bought a boat in the past was to add high guide rails right
under the gunnel (gunwhale for you purists), good carpet wrapped support
boards, and move the lights high enough so they didn't get wet when
launching. When retrieving the boat, if made it infinitely easier. Of
course, I have never had a large boat, like a cruiser, but just runabouts
and flat fishing boats like Bass Tracker. That probably wouldn't work as
good on a large boat, tho I have seen V shaped guides with rollers that
were more on the vertical.

Had a cable with snap about two foot long mounted to the front post. I'd
pull it up, pit it in neutral, run up and snap the cable, pull the gas
line, and let it run out of gas. By then, I'd be in the cab, and pulling
out. The cable kept the boat from sliding, even on steep ramps. The
guides helped it settle in the right spot, as it could go nowhere else.
Then away from the ramp, I'd hook the winch eye on it, haul it fully on,
pull that taut, and put the tie downs on, and secure gear.

The boat I just bought has high guides, so I'll only have to check on
soundness of things, and it looks good to go.

Do many of you use high horizontal or vertical guides to help keep your
boat from floating?

Steve

Here's my mini-cruiser sailboat trailer...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...sboardaft2.jpg

and my current boat...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...sboardaft2.jpg