I would have to say that what you have been doing is unsafe, but you
have been lucky enough to get away with it until now.
Why would you think that putting thousands of pounds on an inclined
surface without restraint is ok to do? Just because it hasn't slid of
before? Someone could get seriously hurt. It would be the smart thing
to do to keep the safety chain on until you get the transom in the
water. This is why they call it boat ramp antics, because people don't
use common sense.
Sorry to be so hard on you, but you really need to think about doing
what makes sense rather than what has worked before or worked for
other people.



On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 04:55:34 GMT, bb wrote:

More often than not I take my trailerable fishing boats out by myself.
I have a routine where I get ready back down the ramp, unhook the
boat, tie the boat to the trailer with a 20' or so line, then back
down the ramp. Usually, once the boat is partially floating, I have
to stiffly brake a couple of times to get the boat off the trailer.
If the transom of the boat is not partially in the water, the boat
just doesn't budge off the trailer.

Well, today, I went through my normal routine at a ramp I've used many
times before. About half way down the ramp the boat just slid off the
trailer. The skeg of the ob took the brunt of the impact, but the
boat slip at least half way off the trailer. I stopped he truck and
cranked the boat back up the trailer, then proceeded to back the boat
into the water and launch successfully.

My trailer has bunks with indoor/outdoor carpet, not rollers. The
ramp was one I've used before and not unusually steep. I was backing
down the ramp slowly and did not even tap the brakes. When I put the
boat back on the trailer I have to give it a pretty good shot of power
to run it into place. On this particular day I was going with another
person who has launched trailerable power boats for years and says he
goes through the same routine as I do and has never seen anything like
what happened today.

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.

bb

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 04:55:34 GMT, bb wrote:

More often than not I take my trailerable fishing boats out by myself.
I have a routine where I get ready back down the ramp, unhook the
boat, tie the boat to the trailer with a 20' or so line, then back
down the ramp. Usually, once the boat is partially floating, I have
to stiffly brake a couple of times to get the boat off the trailer.
If the transom of the boat is not partially in the water, the boat
just doesn't budge off the trailer.

Well, today, I went through my normal routine at a ramp I've used many
times before. About half way down the ramp the boat just slid off the
trailer. The skeg of the ob took the brunt of the impact, but the
boat slip at least half way off the trailer. I stopped he truck and
cranked the boat back up the trailer, then proceeded to back the boat
into the water and launch successfully.

My trailer has bunks with indoor/outdoor carpet, not rollers. The
ramp was one I've used before and not unusually steep. I was backing
down the ramp slowly and did not even tap the brakes. When I put the
boat back on the trailer I have to give it a pretty good shot of power
to run it into place. On this particular day I was going with another
person who has launched trailerable power boats for years and says he
goes through the same routine as I do and has never seen anything like
what happened today.

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.

bb



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.



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On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 09:34:27 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

I've seen a couple of boats slide right off bunk trailers on steep ramps
when boats were not attached to the trailers.

Well, this certainly couldn't be considered a steep ramp, but my
launch methods are modified from here on out. My favorite ramp is
twice as steep. If it had started to slip off on that ramp, no doubt
the whole rig would have come crashing down.

Seems like I have to learn the same lessons over and over again, but
I'm pretty sure this is one I'll get right the first time.

bb

I don't like real steep ramps....I made the mistake of keeping the
chains on my boat trailer too tight, and did not know the ramp was
so steep (first time on it).....and the chains scratched my bumper
pretty deeply, making kind of a mess with it.

bb wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 09:34:27 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

I've seen a couple of boats slide right off bunk trailers on steep ramps
when boats were not attached to the trailers.

Well, this certainly couldn't be considered a steep ramp, but my
launch methods are modified from here on out. My favorite ramp is
twice as steep. If it had started to slip off on that ramp, no doubt
the whole rig would have come crashing down.

Seems like I have to learn the same lessons over and over again, but
I'm pretty sure this is one I'll get right the first time.

bb

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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.

Hmmm...... I, like you, have had a lot more trouble getting boats to get OFF
of the trailer, than having to worry about them slipping off. Usually, the
ramps that I use have a very gentle slope.

However, after reading this, I'll use the more conservative approach of not
disconnecting the winch strap/dog until the rear end is in the water. I
happen to have two "new to me" 16 foot boats. Both have larger and heavier
engines than my prior boat. I have very little ramp experience with them so
far...so I guess prudence is called for.

Thanks for the admission of imperfection.

Sheesh...some of these guys would have you believe they never launched
without forgetting the plug!!!!

regards, RichG

Harry, re "walking in the cold water".... I added a "walker " (a flat piece
of plywood with non-skid) on to my removable trailer tongue. It helps me
avoid either getting wet, or, worse yet, falling off of the skinny
galvanized trailer tongue.

See a very bad pix of it at
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffO...hoto&PhotoID=9

Around here, the water doesn't get as cold, but it is still smelly and
slippery on the ramps.
RichG

RG wrote:

Harry, re "walking in the cold water".... I added a "walker " (a flat piece
of plywood with non-skid) on to my removable trailer tongue. It helps me
avoid either getting wet, or, worse yet, falling off of the skinny
galvanized trailer tongue.

See a very bad pix of it at
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffO...hoto&PhotoID=9

Around here, the water doesn't get as cold, but it is still smelly and
slippery on the ramps.
RichG



Ah, yes, but my inherent laziness took over last spring, and I didn't
want to drill any holes into the alum trailer frame, and...well, see
reason #1.



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Setting aside the laziness factor ...there are NO holes drilled into the
galvanized trailer. The galvanized "L" brackets span the square tube. The
bolts draw it tight. The only holes are into wood, where the "L" brackets
attach to the wooden plywood. Not a bad one hour job if you have the tools.
RichG

http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffO...hoto&PhotoID=9

RG wrote:

Setting aside the laziness factor ...there are NO holes drilled into the
galvanized trailer. The galvanized "L" brackets span the square tube. The
bolts draw it tight. The only holes are into wood, where the "L" brackets
attach to the wooden plywood. Not a bad one hour job if you have the tools.
RichG

http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffO...hoto&PhotoID=9



Indeed. I have no good way to get off the damned boat once I slide it up
on its trailer on the ramp at our marina. There's no dock alongside the
boat ramp, and the drop from the gunnel to the trailer fender puts me in
pretty deep water. Crabbing my way from the fenders to the front of the
trailer on the frame rails...well...I'm sure to fall in. Frequently. The
problems with single-handed retrieval at our marina is one of the
reasons I'm looking for another marina.



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