Boat retrieve solo

[richep]

Thanks for clearing up my boat launch solo question. Now I was wondering your tricks for getting the boat on trailer without getting all wet. I don't mind getting wet in summer but I am planning on going out this fall. I have a 14' sea nymph with tilting trailer.

 

[cajun555]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

richep, Thats a little more tricky. First beach your boat or tie off at courtesy dock. Back trailer in water far enuff to drive boat on trailer. Wench up last foot or so, climb in back of truck, or in my case I climb on back of car and hopefully jump to dry ground. Launching is a lot eaiser than retrieving. <br /><br />Thats my goal this fall is to teach wifey to back up trailer so no more jumping. <br /><br />Hopr this helps.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

I also fish year-round and in the winter I open the back of the Explorer before backing down so I can climb in over the bow after driving the boat onto the trailer. It also gives you amazing visability. Just don't forget to lower the seat & raise the steering wheel when you get out!

 

[roscoe]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

Don't want to get wet?<br />I wear a cheap ($9) pair of knee high rubber boots for launch and retrieve.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

Must admit - looking through recent posts, I've never seen such a collection of ingenious ways of retrieving a boat! Someone should write a book. Me - I try not to get wet, but life's a bummer and it often happens.<br /><br />My (used)trailer had a couple of pipes welded, pointing skywards and just higher than the gunnels of the boat, one each side at the stern (can a trailer have a stern?), and I slipped a length of plastic plumbing waste pipe over these with a tennis ball bonded on the top.<br />Makes easy eyeballing when retrieving, and the pipes revolve if the boat touches them.<br /><br />Anyone else got novel tips to make life easier? Could make a good post topic.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

Originally posted by stillfishing:<br /> ... the pipes revolve if the boat touches them.<br />

Excellent idea; I've got the high guide-ons also and my boat does contact them ever once in a while . The taillights are mounted high on them - great for night operations & eliminates the need to disconnect the lights.<br /><br />Almost forgot to mention - CHOCK your tow vehicle if you leave it unattended on the ramp!<br /><br />Also, after hooking the winch to the boweye and pulling up the ramp, continue on to the parking lot to prep for the drive home. (It's just common courtesy & I'm sure you thought of it already, but some folks forget that they're blocking the ramp.)

 

[richep]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

Being that my boat (14') is small and light, I was wondering if I got trailer in place and pushed boat back into water and lined up with trailer I could then reel in with bow line. Then from there I could winch in.

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

Originally posted by jtexas:<br /> I also fish year-round and in the winter I open the back of the Explorer before backing down so I can climb in over the bow after driving the boat onto the trailer. It also gives you amazing visability. Just don't forget to lower the seat & raise the steering wheel when you get out!

That's a great idea JTexas - except in my case the bow of the boat gets in the way of the back door coming down on the Explorer. It's a real pain if I hook the boat & trailer on while the door is up....I have to unhook in order to get it down again Yours obviously works out better...your boat must be further back on the trailer?

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

Hi Richep<br /><br />Have you tried this? On my boat I have cleats either side right at the stern, and open cleats at the bows. When I'm coming back in, I run a big loop of light line from both stern cleats, feeding it through the twin bow cleats, and on up to the vehicle.<br /><br />With this, I can easily haul the boat onto the trailer and - here's the best bit - 'steer' the stern to get it central by pulling more on one side or the other of the line, while guiding the bows into the block with the same line, while hooking on the winch.<br /><br />Still get my feet wet sometimes, but that's not a problem. I still wash behind my ears too, like momma told me, so I'm used to water. The main plus is, it's easy to get the boat centralised - spot on every time.

 

[Red Rider]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

As I spend anywhere from 180 to 200 days on the water every year. I have a lot of experience launching and retrieving a boat by myself as most of these days involve launching or recovering a boat. On bad days I may launch and recover a ½ dozen times or more a day, but those days are rare. <br /><br />Several things I have learned.<br /><br />I wear shoes that I can slip on or off without having to bend over and a pair white rubber boots that can also be slipped on or off easily. Ramps are slippery so the boots give a fair grip on them. I also wear the boots all the time on the boat. They come off easily if someone falls overboard.<br /><br />Both boat trailers I use are a little longer than needed, and the boats set well back on them. Unless it’s an unimproved ramp where I really have to back way out, I can usually use the trailer tongue to get on and off the boat with out getting in more than ankle deep water. The tongues have some "no-slip" stuff on them.<br /><br />I have a wheel chock that is attached to a length of cable with a hook on the free end. I back down the ramp, chock the wheel, attach the hook to the trailer hitch, launch or recover the boat, then pull off the ramp. The cable is the right length so when I drive off it drags behind the Truck or Suburban without getting caught in the trailer wheels.<br /><br />Both boat trailers have the guide pipes (also holds trailer lights), with white plastic pipe over them to help guide the trailer when backing, and to help guide the boat on the trailer. They also have side bunks to make sure that the boat stays centered on the trailer. Usually I can get the boat all the way on the trailer like a "float on-off", and I slip a rope from the bow tie-off over the post that the wench is on to hold the boat temporarily. I pull into the parking lot and attach the wench and tie down the boat.

 

[trebot]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

I found a drive-on loading device that makes loading really easy. Check web site at www.load-guide.com. I don't get my feet wet anymore!!

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

I frequently launch my gamefisher 13-1/2 foot aluminum boat which is to my knowledge a sea nymph in disguise in ares so shallow that dictate that I just pull up to the waters edge unhook the winch line, lift the bow, and shove the boat off the trailer and into the ankle deep water.<br /><br />For retrieval I back the trailer to the waters edge, unreel the winch line, line the bow with the center roller, attach line and have at it.<br /><br />I have found the key to success is to, before retrieval, generously wet down the bunks and winch rope as this will help it slide along a bit better, and also will lubricate or cool the rope, or it will break from tension/friction.<br /><br />

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

I never have to get in the water at all. I back my trailer in until the fenders are just submerged. I then walk the boat with the bow rope as far up the trailer as I can (its a roller trailer). Still holding onto the rope, I step off of the dock onto my trucks bumper. I can then walk the winch strap to the boat, staying on the trailer frame. I hook up, walk the frame back to the winch. With one foot on the bumper and the other on the trailer tongue, I winch the boat the rest of the way up, and hook up the emergency hook-up that holds the boat if the winch fails. I then just step back onto the dock. If I am at a ramp that I can't get onto the dock, I just climb into the truck bed and jump over the side. Also, I always launch/retrieve as close to the dock as I can. I am always troubled by some people who launch in the middle of the ramp, then have to figure out how to get the boat over to the dock. Too much extra work if you ask me.<br /><br />Cheap knee high boots are also a great idea, I see that technique done quite often. Up here, the best fishing is when it is cold and crappy out, you don't see a lot of the fishermen in flip-flops here....

 

[Dakota Dave]

Re: Boat retrieve solo

I keep the knee high boot in the truck put them on before I back down the ramp to retrieve the boat. they have good nonslip soles. its easier to just walk in the water than fall off the trailer. I have a poller trailer so its just the end roller in the water.I walk out hook the cable on and crank the boat up only takes a couple minutes.