I'm trying to think of the best way to coordinate solo launch/recovery
at a busy dock. We have a very busy lake here. There are 4 ramps with
2 docks. The docks are only big enough for the active ramps (you
couldn't leave the boat at the dock without disrupting launches. My
wife can just barely drive the SUV so she certainly cannot drive the
car with the trailer and certainly cannot drive the boat. On a busy
day there is a waiting area where cars wait in line for the busy
ramps.

To launch I figure I could tie up to the dock, park the car and run
back to the dock. I could probably do this in the time it takes the
next guy to back his trailer down the long ramp (very, very long, the
water is low).

However, I'm not sure how to best recover. Usually people come to the
dock, drop off the car driver and then go back out to the water
waiting for their turn. The trailer driver them goes and gets into
line for a ramp. How can I do this w/o taking up dock space necessary
for operations? I was thinking of perhaps just anchoring off shore and
swimming to the dock and then swimming back out to the boat once I get
the trailer.

As you can tell I'm very sensitive to not disrupting people. I'm
trying not to be the annoying guy that everyone loves to hate.

-robert

My
wife can just barely drive the SUV so she certainly cannot drive the
car with the trailer

Look into a different wife. Mine drives the car & trailer better than I do.

On Apr 4, 1:49*pm, "Robert M. Gary" wrote:
I'm trying to think of the best way to coordinate solo launch/recovery
at a busy dock. We have a very busy lake here. There are 4 ramps with
2 docks. The docks are only big enough for the active ramps (you
couldn't leave the boat at the dock without disrupting launches. My
wife can just barely drive the SUV so she certainly cannot drive the
car with the trailer and certainly cannot drive the boat. On a busy
day there is a waiting area where cars wait in line for the busy
ramps.

To launch I figure I could tie up to the dock, park the car and run
back to the dock. I could probably do this in the time it takes the
next guy to back his trailer down the long ramp (very, very long, the
water is low).

However, I'm not sure how to best recover. Usually people come to the
dock, drop off the car driver and then go back out to the water
waiting for their turn. The trailer driver them goes and gets into
line for a ramp. How can I do this w/o taking up dock space necessary
for operations? I was thinking of perhaps just anchoring off shore and
swimming to the dock and then swimming back out to the boat once I get
the trailer.

As you can tell I'm very sensitive to not disrupting people. I'm
trying not to be the annoying guy that everyone loves to hate.

-robert

*Most* people understand when you are trying to do this yourself and
won't cause a ruckus. I say most, because you'll always run in to
impatient people who think they own the dock, the ramp and the lake.
Tie up to the dock, but have things as ready as you can, back your
trailer down, then get in the boat and run it up on the trailer.

On Apr 4, 2:58*pm, John H. wrote:
On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:49:59 -0700 (PDT), "Robert M. Gary"





wrote:
I'm trying to think of the best way to coordinate solo launch/recovery
at a busy dock. We have a very busy lake here. There are 4 ramps with
2 docks. The docks are only big enough for the active ramps (you
couldn't leave the boat at the dock without disrupting launches. My
wife can just barely drive the SUV so she certainly cannot drive the
car with the trailer and certainly cannot drive the boat. On a busy
day there is a waiting area where cars wait in line for the busy
ramps.

To launch I figure I could tie up to the dock, park the car and run
back to the dock. I could probably do this in the time it takes the
next guy to back his trailer down the long ramp (very, very long, the
water is low).

However, I'm not sure how to best recover. Usually people come to the
dock, drop off the car driver and then go back out to the water
waiting for their turn. The trailer driver them goes and gets into
line for a ramp. How can I do this w/o taking up dock space necessary
for operations? I was thinking of perhaps just anchoring off shore and
swimming to the dock and then swimming back out to the boat once I get
the trailer.

As you can tell I'm very sensitive to not disrupting people. I'm
trying not to be the annoying guy that everyone loves to hate.

-robert

Why not teach your wife to operate the boat? All she would have to do is
drop you off at the dock, back out a bit and wait, and then come back to
the dock, gently. I'd teach her how to do one or the other, drive the boat
or the car with trailer.

Aren't there any singles who go out of that ramp? What do they do?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Maybe his wife doesn't want to learn to drive the boat!

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to think of the best way to coordinate solo launch/recovery
at a busy dock. We have a very busy lake here. There are 4 ramps with
2 docks. The docks are only big enough for the active ramps (you
couldn't leave the boat at the dock without disrupting launches. My
wife can just barely drive the SUV so she certainly cannot drive the
car with the trailer and certainly cannot drive the boat. On a busy
day there is a waiting area where cars wait in line for the busy
ramps.

To launch I figure I could tie up to the dock, park the car and run
back to the dock. I could probably do this in the time it takes the
next guy to back his trailer down the long ramp (very, very long, the
water is low).

However, I'm not sure how to best recover. Usually people come to the
dock, drop off the car driver and then go back out to the water
waiting for their turn. The trailer driver them goes and gets into
line for a ramp. How can I do this w/o taking up dock space necessary
for operations? I was thinking of perhaps just anchoring off shore and
swimming to the dock and then swimming back out to the boat once I get
the trailer.

As you can tell I'm very sensitive to not disrupting people. I'm
trying not to be the annoying guy that everyone loves to hate.

-robert


My opinion (having done this for years)?

Obviously, it's best when you have an experienced helper to drive the tow
vehicle. But, if doing it alone, I'd just do as you said, tie the boat up
at the waiting dock. Go get your tow vehicle/trailer and wait for your
turn. When it's your turn, back down,
kill the engine, set the parking brake and, without delay but also without
undue hurry, go get the boat, line up and put it on the trailer. Climb off
over the bow and crank it up as quickly as you can, but without feeling
pressured by others waiting in line. Make sure it's up and the safety chain
is hooked in the bow ring or whatever you call it.

Pull out, and drive to a remote spot in the parking area and complete your
tie-downs, remove the "plug", gear, etc. and prepare otherwise prepare for
towing.

Point is .... ignore any feelings of pressure to unnecessarily hurry, but
don't dilly-dally. People that retrieve their boat, pull up only until
it's just out of the water, then do all the final tie-downs and removal of
gear while blocking the ramp from use by others is the major no-no.

Also, if you aren't experienced .... practice backing up the trailer in a
mall parking lot for a while until you master it.
You'll feel much more confident when performing in front of all the launch
ramp judges.

Eisboch

On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:49:59 -0700 (PDT), "Robert M. Gary"
wrote:

I'm trying to think of the best way to coordinate solo launch/recovery
at a busy dock. We have a very busy lake here. There are 4 ramps with
2 docks. The docks are only big enough for the active ramps (you
couldn't leave the boat at the dock without disrupting launches. My
wife can just barely drive the SUV so she certainly cannot drive the
car with the trailer and certainly cannot drive the boat. On a busy
day there is a waiting area where cars wait in line for the busy
ramps.

To launch I figure I could tie up to the dock, park the car and run
back to the dock. I could probably do this in the time it takes the
next guy to back his trailer down the long ramp (very, very long, the
water is low).

However, I'm not sure how to best recover. Usually people come to the
dock, drop off the car driver and then go back out to the water
waiting for their turn. The trailer driver them goes and gets into
line for a ramp. How can I do this w/o taking up dock space necessary
for operations? I was thinking of perhaps just anchoring off shore and
swimming to the dock and then swimming back out to the boat once I get
the trailer.

As you can tell I'm very sensitive to not disrupting people. I'm
trying not to be the annoying guy that everyone loves to hate.

-robert

Why not teach your wife to operate the boat? All she would have to do is
drop you off at the dock, back out a bit and wait, and then come back to
the dock, gently. I'd teach her how to do one or the other, drive the boat
or the car with trailer.

Aren't there any singles who go out of that ramp? What do they do?

On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 11:02:58 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Apr 4, 2:58*pm, John H. wrote:
On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:49:59 -0700 (PDT), "Robert M. Gary"





wrote:
I'm trying to think of the best way to coordinate solo launch/recovery
at a busy dock. We have a very busy lake here. There are 4 ramps with
2 docks. The docks are only big enough for the active ramps (you
couldn't leave the boat at the dock without disrupting launches. My
wife can just barely drive the SUV so she certainly cannot drive the
car with the trailer and certainly cannot drive the boat. On a busy
day there is a waiting area where cars wait in line for the busy
ramps.

To launch I figure I could tie up to the dock, park the car and run
back to the dock. I could probably do this in the time it takes the
next guy to back his trailer down the long ramp (very, very long, the
water is low).

However, I'm not sure how to best recover. Usually people come to the
dock, drop off the car driver and then go back out to the water
waiting for their turn. The trailer driver them goes and gets into
line for a ramp. How can I do this w/o taking up dock space necessary
for operations? I was thinking of perhaps just anchoring off shore and
swimming to the dock and then swimming back out to the boat once I get
the trailer.

As you can tell I'm very sensitive to not disrupting people. I'm
trying not to be the annoying guy that everyone loves to hate.

-robert

Why not teach your wife to operate the boat? All she would have to do is
drop you off at the dock, back out a bit and wait, and then come back to
the dock, gently. I'd teach her how to do one or the other, drive the boat
or the car with trailer.

Aren't there any singles who go out of that ramp? What do they do?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Maybe his wife doesn't want to learn to drive the boat!

Well, if the wife can't or won't drive anything, then he needs to see what
the single operators do at the ramp. I'll bet they don't anchor the boat
and swim back and forth!

I went solo for years. The key is to get everything ready in the parking lot
(plug in, lines secure, fenders out), so when you back down the ramp,
there's no delay. Tie up the boat and rush back to get the tow vehicle to
the parking lot. Reverse the procedure on recovery: once the boat is secure
on the trailer and the outdrive tilted up, clear the launch ramp and finish
cleaning up in the parking lot.
If my wife or son was with me, they would often drive the tow vehicle enough
to clear the launch ramp; I'd soon be there to park it.
As long as others see you trying to be quick about it, they won't complain
and will probably help.
There's nothing you can do about the assholes except to ignore them. Most of
them are bozos, anyway.
If there's a launch ramp near home, take a thermos of coffee some day and
watch the show. You'll see what I mean about the bozos. Just pay attention:
you'll probably see at least one person who makes it look easy - take notes!

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to think of the best way to coordinate solo launch/recovery
at a busy dock. We have a very busy lake here. There are 4 ramps with
2 docks. The docks are only big enough for the active ramps (you
couldn't leave the boat at the dock without disrupting launches. My
wife can just barely drive the SUV so she certainly cannot drive the
car with the trailer and certainly cannot drive the boat. On a busy
day there is a waiting area where cars wait in line for the busy
ramps.

To launch I figure I could tie up to the dock, park the car and run
back to the dock. I could probably do this in the time it takes the
next guy to back his trailer down the long ramp (very, very long, the
water is low).

However, I'm not sure how to best recover. Usually people come to the
dock, drop off the car driver and then go back out to the water
waiting for their turn. The trailer driver them goes and gets into
line for a ramp. How can I do this w/o taking up dock space necessary
for operations? I was thinking of perhaps just anchoring off shore and
swimming to the dock and then swimming back out to the boat once I get
the trailer.

As you can tell I'm very sensitive to not disrupting people. I'm
trying not to be the annoying guy that everyone loves to hate.

-robert

On Apr 4, 11:40*am, "Eisboch" wrote:
"Robert M. Gary" wrote in ...

Also, *if you aren't experienced .... *practice backing up the trailer in a
mall parking lot for a while until you master it.
You'll feel much more confident when performing in front of all the launch
ramp judges.

I was originally worried about that. The parking space I rent for it
is very, very tight. However, I have a small utility trailer that I've
been backing into areas for years. I found that the boat is much
easier to back than the trailer. The boat tends to go nearly straight
pretty easily, the small utility trailer never goes straight for long.
In the end, backing the boat has been a non-issue. I do have to use
the side mirrors though because from the rear window all I can see is
boat.

-Robert

Great advice. My wife asked to be taught. She spent a full day and
nearly a tank of gas backing our truck and boat trailer around our lake
cabin neighborhood. That was about 32 years ago.

She can back a boat trailer better than most men and every woman I have
seen doing the same thing. She and I take great pleasure in launching
and recovery at a busy ramp with minimum time and effort. The
instructions were low-keyed, and though I have been known to raise my
voice in frustration or anger, I never do so with my wife, my light of
my life for 33 years.

Try it. You and she will be glad you did!





wrote in message
...
On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:49:59 -0700 (PDT), "Robert M. Gary"
wrote:

I'm trying to think of the best way to coordinate solo launch/recovery
at a busy dock. We have a very busy lake here. There are 4 ramps with
2 docks. The docks are only big enough for the active ramps (you
couldn't leave the boat at the dock without disrupting launches. My
wife can just barely drive the SUV so she certainly cannot drive the
car with the trailer and certainly cannot drive the boat. On a busy
day there is a waiting area where cars wait in line for the busy
ramps.

To launch I figure I could tie up to the dock, park the car and run
back to the dock. I could probably do this in the time it takes the
next guy to back his trailer down the long ramp (very, very long, the
water is low).

However, I'm not sure how to best recover. Usually people come to the
dock, drop off the car driver and then go back out to the water
waiting for their turn. The trailer driver them goes and gets into
line for a ramp. How can I do this w/o taking up dock space necessary
for operations? I was thinking of perhaps just anchoring off shore and
swimming to the dock and then swimming back out to the boat once I get
the trailer.

As you can tell I'm very sensitive to not disrupting people. I'm
trying not to be the annoying guy that everyone loves to hate.

-robert

Take your wife and the car/trailer combo to some deserted parking lot
and have her practice, practice, practice. Do NOT raise you voice ever
for any reason during this practice. Take her for practice as many
times as it takes before SHE feels comfortable. Then go to a launch
ramp on a day when it is lousy weather, so there isn't much activity
and do a bunch of practice drills on the ramp. Once she has that down,
do some launches and retrievals. She'll end up being better at this
than you, because she will have had a lot more practice.

Later, you can do the same thing with boat handling skills.

Swimming in a busy launch area is a REALLY bad idea.