Lanching my pontoon

LynnMeyer

Cadet
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
9
this is my first pontoon and when i put it in the water . {I have to back the truck into the water all the way up the my door were i have to step out in water.(Dodge Ram 1500 quad cap) Unlike my bass boat where a just back it in push on the break and it off the trailer. any suggestion :confused:
 

EGlideRider

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Dec 14, 2008
Messages
1,000
Re: Lanching my pontoon

As I'm sure you know, how far you have to back in the water is mostly determined by the ramp depth. If I think I will have to get in the water, then I let someone hold a bow line as I back it in, hit the brakes hard and let it slide off.
 

Jeep Man

Commander
Joined
Oct 17, 2008
Messages
2,803
Re: Lanching my pontoon

Due to the fact that, by design, a pontoon boat must ride on top of the trailer wheels and a bass boat sits between the trailer wheels, you need more water to float your boat. The exception would be a scissor style pontoon trailer which allows the craft to sit much lower. With this style, you give up some stability on the road. Your only choices are to change trailer style or look for steeper ramps.
 

Dkrager

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
110
Re: Lanching my pontoon

Yea look for a steeper ramp. I went to a different lake I had to do the same thing. Didn't like that the truck exhaust was blowing bubbles. When I retrieved the boat I used the other ramp and it was much steeper and worked better.

There is a company that makes a ext. for the hitch that is only used to launch the boat. Have to unhook and then pull out/ bolt on the extension then hook back up, kind of a paid in my mind though.
 

ralphl

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 2, 2010
Messages
223
Re: Lanching my pontoon

Just build an extension. Here's how. Find a piece of the square tubing, the proper size to fit inside your receiver hitch. About five foot long should do it (how long it is depends on how much tongue weight you've got, although I have seen people buy a spare wheeled trailer jack and put it on the extension). Drill a hole to correspond with where the pin fits on your reciever hitch. On the other end, have the correct size trailer ball welded on.

THIS IS NOT FOR TOWING - simply for launching and retrieving your pontoon. Pull into the ramp area. Chock the pontoon. Unhook it from your truck. Remove your towing hitch and install the extension. Hook up to the pontoon. Back in, unload the pontoon, pull your trailer out to the trailer parking area, unhook your extension and toss it in your truck. Mine straps to the trailer.

It takes more time to describe this than it does to do it. It's very simple, very fast, a no-brainer. Just remember, THIS IS NOT FOR TOWING THE BOAT, just for launching and retrieving. When you load the boat you can use this to pull up to the prep area. It's not like you can't tow a short ways - it's just not a highway deal.

This takes all the grief out of launching and the whole thing didn't cost me 20 bucks. If you need pictures, let me know.
 

Mr Crabbs

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
267
Re: Lanching my pontoon

I keep water shoes in the truck just for that reason. I also never shut the motor off to keep water out of the exhaust.

I've been more worried about submerging my rear disc brakes more than anything.
 

kenny40391

Cadet
Joined
Mar 27, 2011
Messages
19
Re: Lanching my pontoon

my trailer has a extension made in the tongue of the trailer. just pull a pin and slide out the tongue to the length you want and put the pin back in. its probably 4 1/2 feet long with holes about every foot.
 

LynnMeyer

Cadet
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
9
Re: Lanching my pontoon

yes i would like to see pic of you extention that you made Email is EDIT
 
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Cubbyblue22

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
220
Re: Lanching my pontoon

You really don't have to make them if you don't want too. I was at farm & fleet the other day and they sell plenty of them there. Imagine you can find them at any auto or truck part shop.
 

Silver Eagle

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 16, 2010
Messages
852
Re: Lanching my pontoon

I have a 24 ft pontoon boat and I have Dodge 1500 Quad Cab .Only one time did I have a problem launching the boat. Most of the time The only time I get wet is when I forget to unhook the cable holding the boat in place.I'll tow the boat to the ramp ,back up until the wheels are getting wet then I get out of the truck ,unhook the bow hook And then back into the water.One day the tide was really low so I got a bucket out of the truck ,Then I wet down my bunks. Then I backed up and hit the brakes and the boat slides of off the trailer.
 

joebob14

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
170
Re: Lanching my pontoon

I had the same problem with mine and found it makes a huge diference if the tounge of the trailor is lowered. I tow with a dodge 1500 and I use a 3inch raised recever hich to keep the boat level while towing on the highway. I have an extra hitch that is the same 3 inch rise but I put the ball upside down to make it a 3 inch drop. If im just going the couple blocks to the local ramp I use the drop hitch and I have no problem launching. If I use the 3 inch rise my rear bumper will go in the water and the boat still wont come off. If you have a hitch like this I would sure try that before going crazy with the extension.
 

curtiscapk

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
38
Re: Lanching my pontoon

Try backing in getting everything wet pull up outa the water and back in again once your back tires are close to water hit the brakes pretty good and she should slide right off.

If you are at a really shallow ramp though you may want to find another...
 

LynnMeyer

Cadet
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
9
Re: Lanching my pontoon

Re: Lanching my pontoon
I had the same problem with mine and found it makes a huge diference if the tounge of the trailor is lowered. I tow with a dodge 1500 and I use a 3inch raised recever hich to keep the boat level while towing on the highway. I have an extra hitch that is the same 3 inch rise but I put the ball upside down to make it a 3 inch drop. If im just going the couple blocks to the local ramp I use the drop hitch and I have no problem launching. If I use the 3 inch rise my rear bumper will go in the water and the boat still wont come off. If you have a hitch like this I would sure try that before going crazy with the extension.





i do have one one of those ill see how it work for me. thanks
 

Mr Crabbs

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
267
Re: Lanching my pontoon

I had the same problem with mine and found it makes a huge diference if the tounge of the trailor is lowered. ..... If I use the 3 inch rise my rear bumper will go in the water and the boat still wont come off. If you have a hitch like this I would sure try that before going crazy with the extension.

Joebob, I'm having a hard time seeing this. If you drop the hitch, the rear of the pontoon rises higher, away from the water and this makes it easier to launch? This also keeps the bunks closer to the pontoons. Lowering the hitch flattens out the ramp.

I'm not seeing this as a solution, has anyone else tried it?
 
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M

mrcrabs

Guest
Re: Lanching my pontoon

I think your avatar is a copyrighted photo (not in the public domain) there Mr Crabbs
 

MSGTRETIREDCSP

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
38
Re: Lanching my pontoon

Mr Crabbs, I haven't tried lowering the hitch, but it makes sense to me If you lower the hitch, the back of the boat is raised. But the back of the boat is in deeper water and that's not what is keeping the boat hung up on the trailer. It's the front of the boat that is in shallow water, hence you lower the hitch and the front of the boat is now in deeper water. Just my 2c worth.
 

Mr Crabbs

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
267
Re: Lanching my pontoon

You might be right. Too many variables to take into consideration.
 

LynnMeyer

Cadet
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
9
Re: Lanching my pontoon

Ill let you two guy know on the three inch drop reciver by the end of this weekend, weather nice so im taking the boat out to cruise around
 

joebob14

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
170
Re: Lanching my pontoon

msgtretiredcsp is correct the front off my toon is what sticks to the trailor. If you back into a ramp you can put the tounge of the trailor on the ground and the back of the boat would still be floating, if not you deffinitley need to find another ramp. My toon is twenty ft and 3 inches of drop on the ball makes all the diference in the world when launching, just remember at highway speeds it also makes a big difference in handling witch is why I have one hitch set for 3 inch drop and one for a 3 inch rise. Let us know if this helps.
 
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