Call me crazy but . . .

Chad Flaugher

Chad Flaugher

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
392
'round here the fish don't even start biting until it cools off! Glad to see that you have safety in mind. Good call with the wind. It wouldn't have made much of a difference going down the road, but loading a boat onto yer trailer in big swells and cross winds can be a challenge!
 
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BigManDan72

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 20, 2015
Messages
101
Got out there today and had a great day on the lake! I made a number of rookie mistakes and learned that backing a trailer is quite a challenge. None the less we had a great time and are going to head out again tomorrow (vacation day). Think we'll head to the river and try something different.
 
UtahBoating

UtahBoating

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Dec 8, 2008
Messages
102
No Title

BigManDan72 said:
Got out there today and had a great day on the lake! I made a number of rookie mistakes and learned that backing a trailer is quite a challenge. None the less we had a great time and are going to head out again tomorrow (vacation day). Think we'll head to the river and try something different.
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Glad you had a chance to take it out. You will be a pro at backing the trailer in no time. After a bit of experience it is second nature. We just bought a newer boat as well and got it out for the first time this weekend also. Saturday was rainy and reached about 52 for the high. Only stayed out 30 minutes. But yesterday we got it out on the water for a bit longer. When we launched it was 58 degrees but sunny, we had the entire lake to ourselves.

My wife taking it out:
 

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Maclin

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May 27, 2007
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6,761
Good deal. BTW I take the wind into account as much more of a factor than the temperature until the 50's
 
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BigManDan72

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Sep 20, 2015
Messages
101
UtahBoating, thanks for the encouraging words. i hope you are correct because I will feel like a complete jackass at the ramp on a busy day if I don't do better than I did yesterday. I friendly fisherman saw me struggling and gave some assistance otherwise I might still by trying to get her in the water :)

What kind/year of boat is that in the picture you posted? From a distacne it looks a LOT like my Wellcraft.
 
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Maclin

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When backing, try to catch any "veerings" early. Whatever direction you want the Trailer to go move the bottom of the wheel that way. Do not be too embarassed to pull up a ways and start again.

I was really good at backing for a long time. Then somehow as age caught up to me dyslexia has taken hold, but just sticking to those tenets helps me as every time is a challenge now.
 
JASinIL2006

JASinIL2006

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Feb 10, 2012
Messages
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Finding 'low traffic' days at the ramp is really helpful when you're learning to back the trailer, launch/retrieve, etc. This is especially helpful for river launching, where you also have to contend with current, which can make retrieval a bit trickier. Nice to not have to worry about holding up others who want to use the ramp.

Do you have an experience boater who is helping you, or are you figuring it out on your own?
 
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BigManDan72

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Sep 20, 2015
Messages
101
Maclin said:
When backing, try to catch any "veerings" early. Whatever direction you want the Trailer to go move the bottom of the wheel that way. Do not be too embarassed to pull up a ways and start again.

I was really good at backing for a long time. Then somehow as age caught up to me dyslexia has taken hold, but just sticking to those tenets helps me as every time is a challenge now.
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Thanks for the tips! Sorry to hear your are struggling too. When you are backing down the ramp, do you use your mirrors more or do you turn around and look more? I've tried both and did equally poorly with both so I'm not sure if there is a preferred method.
 
UtahBoating

UtahBoating

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Dec 8, 2008
Messages
102
BigManDan72 said:
UtahBoating, thanks for the encouraging words. i hope you are correct because I will feel like a complete jackass at the ramp on a busy day if I don't do better than I did yesterday. I friendly fisherman saw me struggling and gave some assistance otherwise I might still by trying to get her in the water :)

What kind/year of boat is that in the picture you posted? From a distacne it looks a LOT like my Wellcraft.
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That is a 1992 Sea Ray 200BR - 5.7 mercruiser in it. Been garaged its whole life so the gelcoat still shines like new.

As far as feeling like a jackass, been there done that, on my last boat I backed it in and forgot the plug, as my wife backed off the trailer about 50 feet I started yelling bring it back! bring it back!, everyone looking at me funny on a very busy Saturday at the launch ramp. I was amazed at how much water we took on in that brief moment.
 
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muskyfins

muskyfins

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
578
When backing, I use a little different method. I use the top of the wheel and think about it as pushing the trailer the direction I want it to go. Been doing it that way my whole life. Just seems easier for me.

As for the forgotten keys thing-keep a spare key hidden somewhere in the boat. It's trailered so it's not like some one is going to find the hidden key and drive away with your boat and you'll never be on the dock without a key.
 
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Maclin

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BigManDan,

I use everything I can! I have a shortbed pickup truck, and when I get to aiming at the ramp I get out and lower the tailgate, don't do it sooner to make sure to not hit it with the boat/trailer (been there done that, ouch).

I cannot leave my neck turned backwards for very long, so depend on the mirrors mostly, with the tailgate down the rear-view is a big help. To quote Red Green... "...you watch it in the mirrors, or actually turn your head and look if you are under 25..."

I leave the rig in neutral and let gravity work to do down the ramp. As others give different tips, you can pick and choose what fits for you. Practice time is good and kind of fun unless too many people are watching :)

The biggest problem I have now is "finding" the ramp again when you are on the flat and the trailer is on the slant and more or less below the horizon..

My son at 16 helps as a spotter. He remembers the times when he was very young when I could spot it in one try, and is kind of amused to watch what happens now!
 
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BigManDan72

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Sep 20, 2015
Messages
101
Thanfully you have the 16 year old son who is still willing to go boating with "old dad". My kids have no interest (they're a little older too) but my wife is game and she'll "help" me a little bit.
 
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cdnNick

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 29, 2014
Messages
132
We went out for the last time this season, it was 42F when we launched and warmed up to 55F, no wind and sunny so it was comfortable with the windshield closed. First time for us launching and retrieving the boat, I think it went well. We picked a spot that had 2 separate ramps and it wasn't busy so that was nice. My wife left with our youngest son to a bday party so my oldest, all of 6, and I had to back the boat into the garage and I think we did a pretty damn good job.

So far the biggest thing I need to keep in mind is not over correcting mistakes, we seem to turn the SUV too much and get all twisted up and basically have to start over. We did practice in a empty parking lot so that helped a bit.
 
JimS123

JimS123

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Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,993
BigManDan72 said:
Thanks for the tips! Sorry to hear your are struggling too. When you are backing down the ramp, do you use your mirrors more or do you turn around and look more? I've tried both and did equally poorly with both so I'm not sure if there is a preferred method.
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After your initial practice at driving a car, its becomes second nature. You intuitively know which way to turn the wheel whether you're going forward or backward. With very little practice backing a trailer is the same thing.

DON'T use mirrors. Everything is in reverse. Turn your body around and look out the rear window. Hold the wheel and watch the trailer move. If it goes the wrong way move the wheel the other way. I leaned it the first day, but to this day if I try to look in the mirrors I lose control.
 
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boatman37

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May 14, 2015
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when backing small corrections are all thats required. if you have ever driven a forklift or any rear steering machinery you know what i mean. same concept. and smaller trailers are harder to back up than larger ones. i have backed up 30'ers in one try but give me a 6' trailer and i usually need several attempts
 
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Maclin

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boatman37 said:
when backing small corrections are all thats required. if you have ever driven a forklift or any rear steering machinery you know what i mean. same concept. and smaller trailers are harder to back up than larger ones. i have backed up 30'ers in one try but give me a 6' trailer and i usually need several attempts
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Exactly. I look much better when maneuvering my 22 footer versus the 16 even now.
 
littlerayray

littlerayray

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My mirrors automatically tilt down so I can see the wheel wells of the trailer and I just use my side mirrors when backing never use my rear view except when pinning up to my trailer I line up the tailgate handle screws with the bow of the boat and get it within an eight of an inch of the ball being centered on the hitch try tilting your mirrors down
 
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