Since I didn't see anything recently listed about this device, I thought it would be worthy of mention. I purchased one of these things a couple of years ago in efforts to make boat retrieval a little easier. And easier is probably an understatement.<br /><br />The device installs on the winch post in place of the jigger-shaped rubber snubber the bow normally contacts. It contains a spring-load steel pin that goes through the bow eye and securely anchors the boat on the trailer when engaged.<br /><br />The only modification necessary to the boat is the removal of the existing bow eye and replacement with a longer stainless steel model included with the device. The longer length enables a trigger bar to be contacted when the boat is driven onto the trailer. Once the pin fires, the whole rig can be simply driven up and away from the ramp without ever getting your feet wet.<br /><br />My wife handles the boat and I drive the tow vehicle, so it's a snap to get it out of the water and out of the way of others, especially when the ramp is busy (when are they not?) and it certainly causes more than a few eyebrows to raise when other boaters, constantly struggling with retrieval and often up to their waist in water, see how well this thing works. <br /><br />All you need to do to learn how to use it is determine the best depth your trailer should be in the water and that can be done the first time during a launch by seeing where the boat sits on the trailer with the pin in place. Once you have mastered that depth, note it on a fender with a piece of brightly colored tape and the rest is a snap. When retrieving, back the trailer into the water to the level of the tape on the fender and drive the boat on. In seconds, the rig is secured and ready to be pulled to the prep area.<br /><br />They make these things in two different sizes for those with boats smaller or larger than 21 feet.<br /><br />An additional advantage is, once the boat is on the trailer and the winch strap or cable is attached, leave the pin engaged as well. It will act as a secondary attachment device should the winch strap part, and do the same thing as the installation of a secondary bow eye chain.<br /><br />If anyone doubts the value of something like this, think about how many times you have been in cold or dirty water and have to then get into your nice dry automobile. It makes a real difference and also greatly speeds up the retrieval process to the benefit of the rest of the boaters at the ramp.<br /><br />Who knows, if launching and retrieving can be made easier, maybe more boaters will use their rigs more often and get more value out of a generally expensive piece of gear, all too often sitting alongside the garage on a beautiful day just made for the water, because of the hassle of launching and retrieving the beast.
