Automatic boat latch for launch/retrieval

[Pony]

Has anyone used one of these before? I don't often fish alone, but when I do I have a decent system for getting the boat launched and retrieved but if it works as advertised this would be significantly easier....

http://www.boat2trailerhookup.com/

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... My problem with such a thing is the launches I use, they're steep,....

The angle of the floatin' boat to the sunken trailer, puts the bow-eye, 'n winch stand at odd angles, til I pull outa the water, 'n the hull settles to the trailer,....

 

[Bonus Check]

I think under no wind, no current, flat water and low angled launches that this would work fine. The ramps I launch from are generally coming down a steep river bank and then the river current does not let you stay on a perfect line to load. The bow eye doesn't always hit exactly on the bow roller as it should since the trailer sometimes has to be more shallow or you have to run the trailer off the end of the ramp.

 

[H20Rat]

Higher end wake boats come with those (or similar) from the factory. They work well, but they do require power loading. Not always a good thing to do depending on your ramp setup.

 

[bonz_d]

Wouldn't work for me either as I am at the opposite end of most people in that where I launch it's very flat and shallow and have to winch it up and on from the very end of the trailer. Some day I'll have to post up some picture of a very shallow launch and retrieve.

 

[MTboatguy]

Wouldn't work for me either as I am at the opposite end of most people in that where I launch it's very flat and shallow and have to winch it up and on from the very end of the trailer. Some day I'll have to post up some picture of a very shallow launch and retrieve.

A couple of the lakes, I hang out in my area are really shallow launches, they are a couple of the most difficult launches I have ever encountered.

 

[gm280]

Interesting idea but I don't see me using something like that. I basically have my launch and retrieves down to a science now...

 

[StingrayMike]

Seems to be coming in pretty fast, and the way it latched looked like bow will take a beating. Looked abit rough to me.

 

[oldjeep]

I had a ramp n clamp on my trailer that I used once then removed. I wasn't comfortable with the level of powerloading my wife was required to do to use it.

http://www.ramp-n-clamp.com/Awesome-Boat-to-Trailer-Latch-s/1814.htm

 

[smokeonthewater]

My dad tried them on his bass boat.... Bent the lock pin on 3 separate units and gave up on em.

 

[oldjeep]

My dad tried them on his bass boat.... Bent the lock pin on 3 separate units and gave up on em.

Guessing that those were boat buddies? Horrible design on those things.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Yep

 

[Pony]

I have been able to get out a few times since I posted this questions on a couple of different lakes/launches.

I agree that this would only really be beneficial in perfect conditions. I realized, having paid more attention to it recently, that all the ramps I use are very different. Some I would have to back in so far to get enough bunks under the water to get the boat up to the winch stand without the bunks stopping my momentum that the back end of my boat would be floating over the top of my side rails.

I have the launch retrieve down to a couple of minutes with a great deal of consistency....can't imagine this device being worth it