The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

[Nandy]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Nandy, stop being difficult. You reacted negatively to his post. which, by the way, was fun and funny untill you commented; so he apologized to you for offending you or upsetting you.

Biggems, I apologize if I have offended you.....

Im not being dificult, I just stated my opinion. That tends to happens when you post stuff in the net. He dont need to apologize to me, I dont see a reason why if someone differs from another person a apology is in order...

 

[Biggems]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

No worries.

So yesterday the Fiance and I took our boat out for the first time this season. Watching her try and aim the boat straight up the trailer is the best part of our day. She starts off at a distance and gets up some speed (27#trolling motor only) She keeps it nice and straight but as she starts to get close to the trailer, she panics and over-corrects all of the movements. It's quite funny.

So yesterday she decides that she wants to try and back the trailer up into the water instead, and I'll put the boat on the trailer. Haha well she backed it up about 10 feet and then said forget it so we switched it back around. This time she actualy got the boat almost completely straight on the trailer. She's deff. getting better at it. Probably better than me at this point seeing as I always have to back the trailer up so she's done it more than me.

Meanwhile; there were some Japanses tourists there with their camers and I can't be sure, but I think they were snapping pictures of us and laughing.

Always a good time!

 

[beermunk]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Tie a bow line and have her hold the boat after you launch it.

Absolutely - it's the only way to deal with women at the boat ramp. Make them into glorified dock posts. (hope my wife doesn't read here!)

 

[freddyray21]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

I back down and my wife is in the boat. She is very good at getting it started and out of the way and also bringing it back in to the trailer. She drops me off on shore and I go and get the trailer she drives it on. She has asked to back the trailer when the ramp is not crowded and I let her. She gets it a bit cockeyed then straigtens it out. She is learning so need to yell or even tell her she does not have it straight. She is smart enough to see that on her own.

 

[salty87]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Biggems, I apologize if I have offended you.....

that was funny, well done

 

[asdasc]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

This all has me worried for the weekend. It will be the first nice weekend of spring. I have kept my boat in the water or in rack storage for the past 15 years. I just had to put it on the trailer to take it for some outdrive work and I need to launch it at a ramp to test it.

We used to have a good routine worked out, but it has been a really long time. I think the plan will be to unstrap the back straps, and remove the cover and safety chains. Then I will back it into the water. Then she can get in the truck while I launch the boat. She can park the truck and trailer while I get everything else ready and the boat started and tied up to the dock.

Wish me luck.

 

[cribber]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

My wife and I have our routine down for boat day and it starts before we even leave the driveway. I pull off the covers, do my engine checks, and hook up the trailer while she's loading the cooler, life vests, floor carpets, etc... I throw on the muffs and she fires it up. Warm it up for 15 minutes and we're off to the ramp. When we get there we both remove the tie-down straps and we both check to make sure I put the plug in. She gets in the boat and I pull the safety chain. I back the trailer in and she fires up the boat and I park. It takes us three minutes to launch from the time I start backing the boat down the ramp until we're under way.

 

[beermunk]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

My wife and I have our routine down for boat day and it starts before we even leave the driveway. I pull off the covers, do my engine checks, and hook up the trailer while she's loading the cooler, life vests, floor carpets, etc... I throw on the muffs and she fires it up. Warm it up for 15 minutes and we're off to the ramp. When we get there we both remove the tie-down straps and we both check to make sure I put the plug in. She gets in the boat and I pull the safety chain. I back the trailer in and she fires up the boat and I park. It takes us three minutes to launch from the time I start backing the boat down the ramp until we're under way.

Are you saying you can launch the boat in your avatar in three minutes!! That's incredible!

 

[kyle f]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

I can have my boat launched, tied up, and teuck off the ramp in under 3 minutes from the time I hit the ramp. Its not that hard if you load your boat at home and do some preliminary checks, unhook everything and get your ropes and bumpers out in the staging area and have someone in the boat as it goes into the water.
Luanching a boat with 2 people that know how is easy.

 

[cribber]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Yup the one in my Avatar... My wife wants to get it down to 2 minutes but sometimes I can't run from the parking lot back to the dock that fast if it's a busy day. Key is everything is prepped and ready to go before we leave the driveway. Also the engine is warmed up before the 10-15 minute drive to the ramp. The only thing we have to do when we get there is pull the tie downs off the back, unhook the chain and drop it in the water. My wife fires it up while I'm taking the winch strap off and giving it a shove off the bunks. I park our ride and jog back to the dock and we're out of there. I've seen bass guys do the same thing in 30 seconds on a tourney day.

 

[xxturbowesxx]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

My dad used to fish the Bass circuit and he used to race boats. I was his launch partner and try launching sponsored boats in front of 2k people now thats pressure.. I learned from the best and I can get my boat in and out of the water pretty fast..

 

[asdasc]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Well, my weekend didn't go as planned. Instead of taking my wife, I brought an experienced friend. The plan was to put it in Friday evening, take it for a quick spin to make sure the new outdrive was solid, drop him back at the ramp to drive the car around the lake to the cottage, and I would meet him there by boat.

By the time we got to the ramp it was dark, REALLY dark, but calm and decently warm for Michigan in April. The test drive went great. As I dropped him off at the ramp I happen to lift the engine cover to look it over one last time and found 8-10" of water!!

We pulled it out quick and scrapped our plans for the boat ride. I can just imagine sinking my boat in 40 degree water, alone, at night.

I still haven't looked at it to see what went wrong, but I think I will have a MUCH better plan next weekend.

 

[Bart Sr.]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Did you put the plug in?????

 

[asdasc]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Funny story...couldn't find the plug ANYWHERE! Stopped at the store and picked up TWO on the way to the ramp. Test fit it in the parking lot at the store, then for some reason pulled it out again. Started backing into the water, and sure enough, the plug is still in my lap. Pulled up, installed the plug, so that wasn't it. I think I may have an issue with the oil intercooler behind the engine. OMC 4.3L

 

[ZK]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

I always launch my boat alone, but it's small so it works. I back it in the water, tie it to a pier, disconnect the winch, and pull the trailer out. It only takes a few minutes. It's probably longer to walk back to the launch than it takes to actually launch it.

I let The Girlfriend drive the boat once, in the daytime, and she tried to dock it, we came in a little hot, and I had to try to grab the dock and throw it in reverse to slow down.


EDIT: As I read these posts, I realize how lucky I am to have a private launch that only three or four people use.

 

[asdasc]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Yes, you are!!

Around here it is not uncommon to have an hour wait or longer in line at the boat launch. Especially early in the year on a nice day.

 

[timrod]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Me and my better half go a lot but i have always did the driving . Last year we was in the intercoastal at stmarys ga ,we had no where to dock .so i let her out and said today is your day to learn how to get the truck and the trailer from two blocks away and back in the trailer !she turned green and said ok i will do it .it took a while for her to get to the ramp because of the traffic .and to my amazement she only pulled up twice on a steep ramp.She is getting better every time !

 

[Jason 641]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

I guess I am lucky ...

This past weekend my girlfriend and I took the boat out for the first time. She has never launched a boat before so I pull into the lot and got everything ready then backed down the ramp until the trailer was almost in the water. Then I had her get in the drivers seat while I got in the boat so she could back me the rest of the way in the water. She did it perfect. Of course there were a few guys standing there just waiting for her to mess up.

She drove the truck and trailer around to our cottage while I brought the boat to our dock.

When we got ready to leave the cottage I was headed toward my truck so I could get the trailer turned around for her so she could head back to the launch. She stopped me and asked if she could try so I said 'sure'. she backed the trailer perfect and got it all turned around. I told her that I would meet her over at the launch, and that I would dock at the launch and jump in the truck and back it down for her then let her pull me and the boat out of the water. By the time I got over to the launch she was already there with the truck turned around ready to back in. She saw me coming toward the launch and backed the trailer right down into the water. I pulled the boat up on, and she jumped out to hook the winch to the front then pulled me and the boat right out. Of course she had a crowd watching her once again waiting for her to screw up but she did it perfect. I thought that was pretty cool, and it sure makes it easy on me. By the way she is only 5' tall and she was driving my F-250 superduty 4x4 with a lift and 35" tires and the trailer is around 27' long.

 

[cbavier]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Once I learned how to launch and retrieve by myself. When someone is with me and wants to help. I find them things they can do to help and feel like they are an important and part of the experience so nobody feels put down. I always warn of the dangers too and what to look out for. When I am by myself. I just do it. I really prefer to do it alone but sometimes somebody insists on helping. So I give them a job or two to do and everybody feels important and is happy.

 

[QC]

Re: The famous "Power Launch" at the Boat Ramp

Incredible as it may sound, I actually have a blonde wife who can back a trailer . . .