Bad launching ramp!

New to boating, but heres a first for me! Decided to go to a new fishing spot in the reservoir above where we normally fish...first time there when putting the boat in, i noticed something odd about the ramp...when backing the boat in the ramp just dropped out from under the boat very quickly...never thought much about this, but when it came time to load the boat the depth of the trailer in the water made it difficult to draw the boat straight on the trailer...THEN today, i used a different ramp at this location...again, just didn't feel good putting in...WELL, when it came time to load i found out why...the ramp had a big dip on the port side...the trailer wheel felt like it was falling in a hole...i could winch the bow of the boat to its rubber snubber, but the cocked angle of the trailer would not let it set down on the secondary roller when try to retrieve the boat...Took a little studying to figure out how to get my boat loaded properly...Anybody had this experience before???

Re: Bad launching ramp!

It is usually from people power loading. But yes ramps can settle in a bit too. I launched at one that the cement stopped and the tires dropped right out into what used to be the sea bed. Pulling out was a lot of fun..............

Re: Bad launching ramp!

that's why I powerload, just to watch you guys drop your trailers off the ramp.

Re: Bad launching ramp!

capt sam said:

that's why I powerload, just to watch you guys drop your trailers off the ramp.

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Re: Bad launching ramp!

And so tell me just how you powerload when the trailer is setting twisted in the water? What, you just slam the boat up in there not caring whether its evenly loaded or not...the deep drop was really not bad at the first ramp...it's when the trailer is setting twisted in the water...the guy next to me told me his buddy used the same ramp and it took him 30 minutes to get his boat setting in the rollers evenly...

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I was joking, it's called humor, it's lacking around here. I use a ramp that has that issue, it's a known issue, it's a poorly constructed ramp, I tend not to back down quite as far now that I know it's there.

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I love humor...You shoulda' threw an LOL in there somewhere!! I was pis#@ed about that boat ramp and then you threw that in there....yanked my chain a little there...LOL..

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just keep in mind if you back a trailer tire into a powerloading hole, you stand a chance of leaving that tire there if you try to pull your trailer out with a boat on it.

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can you launch/retrieve without sinking the trailer?

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No people don't just slam the boat on the trailer.
Power loading is an art. I am good at it.

However I only do it at my local lake where I know the ramp goes all the way to the bottom of the lake, at least you can't find the end of it even when the lake is near empty.

I only do this because so many people on here complain about others time spend launching and retrieving. LOL.

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First, im really not familiar with the practice of power loading a boat. The term itself gives me a little hint about whats going on there, but i would like to know more about how this is accomplished. The ramp at the lake i usually go to has a nice gradual incline and it has good smooth level concrete...as i described earlier, this new place has two ramps...the first one has a decent level surface acrossed it, but it has a very steep incline so when retrieving i back the trailer in just enough to be able to hook it and winch it up to the bumper on the winch bracket, now normally the boat is just inches above the front roller on the trailer at my usual spot and when i accellerate my truck the boat would set right down in that front roller, BUT this ramp is so steep the front roller is so far beneath the boat that the boat will drift out of line with the trailer before you can snatch it out of the water! The second ramp just has a huge hole on one side right at the loading point depth...so what happened here is that now the boat is pulled to the stop bumper at the winch but the trailer is setting at a 30 degree angle side to side and with the height of the winch arm this puts the front trailer roller about 4 to 6 inches out of plumb with the upper winch stopper so when you try to accellerate to retrieve the unit the boat stays true with the winch point but the trailer is coming out cocked so it won't lay down in the trailer rollers. I would like any insight suggestions etc. that will help me learn more about launching and retrieving!

Re: Bad launching ramp!

Home Cookin' said:

can you launch/retrieve without sinking the trailer?

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I have a EZ Load roller trailer that says in the instruction book you can stop the trl when the rear wheels hit the water and winch (electric with block/pully) the boat on.

my boat is 7,000lbs and i have not tried this method yet. I do not back too deep ( fenders almost under) and power on most of the way and winch the last couple feet.

Re: Bad launching ramp!

monk-monk said:

First, im really not familiar with the practice of power loading a boat. The term itself gives me a little hint about whats going on there, but i would like to know more about how this is accomplished. The ramp at the lake i usually go to has a nice gradual incline and it has good smooth level concrete...as i described earlier, this new place has two ramps...the first one has a decent level surface acrossed it, but it has a very steep incline so when retrieving i back the trailer in just enough to be able to hook it and winch it up to the bumper on the winch bracket, now normally the boat is just inches above the front roller on the trailer at my usual spot and when i accellerate my truck the boat would set right down in that front roller, BUT this ramp is so steep the front roller is so far beneath the boat that the boat will drift out of line with the trailer before you can snatch it out of the water! The second ramp just has a huge hole on one side right at the loading point depth...so what happened here is that now the boat is pulled to the stop bumper at the winch but the trailer is setting at a 30 degree angle side to side and with the height of the winch arm this puts the front trailer roller about 4 to 6 inches out of plumb with the upper winch stopper so when you try to accellerate to retrieve the unit the boat stays true with the winch point but the trailer is coming out cocked so it won't lay down in the trailer rollers. I would like any insight suggestions etc. that will help me learn more about launching and retrieving!

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do not back in soo deep

Re: Bad launching ramp!

I see a lot of power loading here because people use to small a vehicle to pull thier boat. They cant back down the ramp far enough with out thier exhaust going under water. so they stop and just power load. Ive seen some small vehicles pulling big boats.

Re: Bad launching ramp!

karatejoe said:

I see a lot of power loading here because people use to small a vehicle to pull thier boat. They cant back down the ramp far enough with out thier exhaust going under water. so they stop and just power load. Ive seen some small vehicles pulling big boats.

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You never want to back any vehicle in that far. Submerging the rear diff is really, really bad! Whereas getting water into the exhaust, not a problem.

bigger reason is people are afraid to get their feet wet &/or use a winch. I see TONS of people who run the boat up to the winch, and then while the engine is still cooking along at 1/2 throttle or better, will LEAN over the front to hook up the safety/winch lines.

Trailers have a winch for a reason, use it!

Re: Bad launching ramp!

I have an antique grappling hook that I heave off the front of my boat. It usually catches somewhere on the roof or bed of my truck and I keep dry that way!

Seriously though, smokingcrater is right. It's usually the guys who are too scared/unprepared to get a little wet when retrieving their boats. I have a pair of water shoes that I keep in my truck bed. They stink to high H-E-double hockey sticks and my wife hates them, but it means that I have a safe retrieve every time.

If I ever back into a power-loading hole, I just pull the trailer out of the water a little more - just enough to get the wheels on solid ground. To me, that's the beauty of a roller trailer since I can winch my big boat up even if the back rollers are barely in the water. That's extreme but it's possible.