Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

[jstiene]

Hello.

I have a 1989 Bass Tracker that I just purchased and I am hoping I might get some ideas for mounting some rod holders, for trolling and also for storage when under way. If anyone has some unique solutions, I would really appreciate any suggestions.

Also, I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on getting the boat back onto the trailer, without having to get into the water to attach the winch cable. It is easy to launch without going in the water, but I was curious what ideas some of you have come up with for managing to stay dry when getting back to the dock. I have no issue with going in the water in summer,etc, but with the water getting colder, I was wondering what ideas are out there. I have come up with hip boots as a solution thus far.

Any suggestions / advice is very much appreciated!

Thanks
Joe

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

This is how I put my boat back on the trailer, I stay bone dry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkWMtqQBL5k

I do a lot of trolling for Crappie and this is my holder setup.

 

[blifsey]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

This is how I put my boat back on the trailer, I stay bone dry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkWMtqQBL5k

Pretty much how I do it also except I climb over bow to trailer tongue to connect bow strap and crank winch tight. With my Durango, I can't step off trailer tongue without stepping into water. So, I step onto bumper of Durango, hold onto luggage rack, swing outside leg around to spare tire and then step off to dry concrete. When I had truck, it was simple just to climb into bed and then over side. Guess I could open rear hatch and climb through to back seat and out door.

 

[jacoboregon]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

drive it on. Don't back the trailer in too far. You can add a board to the trailer tongue to have more width to step on if needed for balance.

 

[pikefisherman]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

Around my neck of the woods you cannot power load your boat. I have a rope longer than the boat tied on the bow, I can push the boat out away from the trailer, and then pull it back in.Then I walk down the tongue of the trailer to the bow of the boat with the winch rope in my hand.This is a 15' flat bottom.

 

[RandyJ]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

I've got 3 boats that I use frequently... a cuddy cabin, a pontoon, and a small v-hull for fishing. It depends on which boat I'm on because they all load differently. I prefer power loading when practical. If everything goes just right (which seldom happens) I can float right up to the winch. I always leave plenty of slack for attaching to the hook eye. If the reach for the rope is too far then I use the end of my paddle which has hooks for grabbing things. Then I can get the rope in hand and easily attach on the pontoon or fishing boat but on the cuddy I've got to step onto the trailer to hook it up or have someone do it for me.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

I have aluminum runners on my tounge, they are plates about 5'' wide that look kind of like a cheese grater, on mine I back the trailer in until you can see about 6''-1' of the bunks, drive the boat on ther trailer, blip the throttle ot get it set then crawl out the front onto the tounge of the trailer and winch it on, I never get into the water.

The key in not backing too far in, it will screw up everything, you want the bunk shallow enough that the grab and hold the boat straight.

 

[RandyJ]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

That cheese grater stuff is probably called expanded metal....
I don't have a job to go to today so maybe I'll get out and work on trailers since this subject has come up. I definitely get tired of trying to balance on trailer tongues to winch boats up on trailers. I've got zillions of projects already but fixing up these old boats and getting them out of my yard needs to be on top of my list. Maybe if I can sell all of them I'll have enough money for a down payment on one decent boat....

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

A catwalk. The tilt trailer I just sold had one from the front of the bed all the way to the rear of the trailer. Worked great because I cannot powerload at the ramp I use, It's too shallow, hence the tilt trailer.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

Only power load if you know the concrete extends well behind the boat otherwise you will dig a big hole at the end of the ramp and one day may back your trailer into it and not be able to get out.

 

[kemer1]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

What kind of bass tracker is it? One of the flat bottom ones like the Pro Team series, or a deep V model like the Targa models? Each one of those takes a little different approach to launch and retrieve.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Bass tracker questions - Rod Holders and returning boat back onto trailer at ramp

As you can see from the responses each boat has a different method. You don't have to get wet regardless of the type of boat. I have a BB and a p/u truck. I put slack in the winch strap and back the boat into the water till it floats off (p/u tires get into a couple on inches of water...brakes stay dry) then I pull up slightly ensuring that my tongue is high and dry. I too have added a walkway along the tongue (4" steel purlin I welded on...cost about $5 if I had to buy it but I had it here at the house). I took a can of paint I had and sprayed it and then took some play sand (clean fine granular sand) and threw in onto the wet paint. Let it dry and dusted off the access and sprayed it again...non slip and works great.

I crawl into the bed of the truck and let the tailgate down giving me a seat to sit on as I start into the boat unhooking the winch hook on the way then just crawl/walk right in.

On retrieval, I back up till the tires are just at the water's edge and drive the boat onto the trailer. I don't power it on, I just hit the trailer at a couple of mph and where it stops is where I crawl out snapping the hook (which is still lying where I left it) on the way.....turn around and sit down on the tailgate and winch her up. Crawl out of the truck as I entered and that's it.

For boats with high closed bows, I have seen trailers around here that have the metal walks down the tongue and all around the side of the boat, over the tire and aft to the end of the trailer. These were not custom installations. Dilly trailers for one used to make them. That way in/egressing was a walk in the park.

HTH,

Mark