18ft Boat Launch with RWD Suburban

[airshot]

Rear wheels wet? I don't think so!!!

Unless you have a "ramp" that is not designed right, if you can't walk behind the car to work the winch you are backed in too far.

Back in 1968 I read a book called "The Trailer Boater's Guide". Every aspect of launching back then is still true today.

Nobody reads any more. I would say that 90% of the boaters back in too far and simply don't have a clue.

You are correct, however there are ramps that are shallow or the water is low etc that does require getting the back tires in the water. As you know that creates a whole different problem. Just trying to understand the posters position at his launch ramp !

 

[dingbat]

Better ramps or better boaters?

Nobody in their right mind would consider backing their tow vehicle into saltwater to launch.

It’s few and far between that I even get the front axle of the trailer wet

 

[jimmbo]

Told this Guy, to use the other Ramp, not this one which is only good for Canoes...

 

[JimS123]

I thought I had seen everything. Then, recently I happened to come across a few YouTube videos entitled "Ramp Failures". I never saw so much stupidity.

 

[jimmbo]

The Ramps have always been a great source of entertainment...

 

[redneck joe]

Especially the Miami ramp fails.

 

[redneck joe]

There are also a group of young men that set up at ramps to cheer the fails.

 

[jimmbo]

There are also a group of young men that set up at ramps to cheer the fails.

That's not nice, those, illegitimates, probably couldn't launch a boat either

 

[redneck joe]

I cannot say either way if they know how to back so I choose to enjoy and my enjoyment is from the people that can't back. Ive been backing since the late 70s and sometimes things go away. Those same kids engage in a fun way when the bad backer is having a fun time with it because sh.t happens.



Back to the OP, I remember again from the 70s when a car was spinning out at the ramp and all it took was 4 or 5 dudes with a beer in hand on the rear bumper and or the tongue of the trailer to get the boat out.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

When I worked Fire for the DNR we would stage in parts of the county, I often parked at a large county park that was on the lake. I would park the engine in the lot by the boat ramp. We would set the over/under on how many tries when they pulled unto the ramp. Have seen some doozies over the years.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Better ramps or better boaters?

Nobody in their right mind would consider backing their tow vehicle into saltwater to launch.

It’s few and far between that I even get the front axle of the trailer wet

I can't believe that brief exposure to salt water could be worse that the 5 months a year we drive on salt covered roads here in Minnesota.

 

[flashback]

Done it before, my Dad had a "flying fifteen" yacht that needed a good 5 feet of water to float so using the above method was mandatory for both launch and retrieve

View attachment 415833


The rudder comes off but that keel is 400 odd lbs of cast iron and doesnt.

Sure looks like fun..!

 

[Renken2000Classic]

5.7L (Vortec) Suburban with 3.73:1 (ltd slip) and 2WD. Works every time, but there are some ramps at my lake (one in particular) I'd be way too scared to try (steep and a longish way to the top). I don't think it ever even spins the tires, or rarely and only briefly.


The one I use 99% of the time isn't very steep, and I have to get the back wheels in the water to get the trailer fender wells submerged (I try not to go over the axle seals, if that matters, but can't say I never). I prefer almost floating the boat ON/OFF. I had issue at that ramp early on, scraping the underside on a center roller bracket, if it didn't go back on exactly like it should.

That LeSabre's probably an LT1, no?

 

[dingbat]

I can't believe that brief exposure to salt water could be worse that the 5 months a year we drive on salt covered roads here in Minnesota.

Working in the coating industry, I have a bit of insight on the subject.

The corrosion rate of carbon steel in saltwater increases approximately 30% for every 18F increase in temperature.

If the average temperature you’re driving in for those 5 months is 32F, the corrosion rate for that same exposure at 88F would be roughly 90% greater.

Exposure isn’t brief either.
24/7/365 exposure is a given seeing that the humidity, dew and mist are all salt laden. Would eat the galvanized bug screen off the in-laws storm door in a summer

 

[Pmt133]

Meanwhile half the roads flood from the bay you need to drive down on a regular basis.... yeah the salt air coast vehicles are some of the worst exposure you'll see and some are truly gnarly.

Anyway, it's rare the rear axle touches water much less gets submerged. If I have to do that chances are the boat won't float anyway or something really bad happened. (Sandy pulling others crap from god knows where) The lake is bad when they do the draw down though. Ramp itself is steep enough but the end of the ramp is short and the first 300 feet of the cove is 4-6 feet deep at full pool. 2 foot drawdown in most cases means I barely float much less have much more than the dip in the axle touching water.

my rule is simple. If I have to back in far enough to need shorts and no shoes, I shouldn't be using that ramp. there are very few that bad.