Do you launch with people on your boat?

[HappierWet]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

NO, Gear loaded, straps off, plug in, kid or kids on bench ( I just LOVE using the old guys acting like fish cops as the kid watch LOL ) Wife or I back it down. Depends on how busy it is....but she's getting better. Then I unhook it climb in and start it, back off and the wife goes to park.....She's really good at that.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

I don't launch with people in the boat for the same reason I don't drive down the road with people in the travel trailer. ***** happens.

I've seen to many bad things happen while getting boats off the trailer to put people at risk unnecessarily

 

[jkust]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

Yes, both kids go in the boat at top of ramp with pfd's on. Much easier to corral the kids in the boat than anything else. I push the boat off the trailer, the wife holds it until I can get back to start it and take off. There are no beaches at any of the places we launch and the courtesy dock situations are a joke too. I can't really think of what would make me do it another way until the boys get older or less wild.

 

[AngelC]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

Identical, right down to the tee as this

All passengers in the boat, children with PFD's on, everything loaded. My wife backs us down and I drive off.
Everyone gets situated and last minute stowing and sun screen go on while I circle and wait for my wife.
I try to keep my boat off of any dock that is not mine.
When the wife comes down, I nose up, she gets on, and I pull away.
We trailer pretty much the same way.
We have done this for 14 years and have never had an issue.
I think if you have a roller trailer, I would wait until the boat was in the water to unhook and get in.

 

[KeyWestBoater]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

I'm the only one in the boat when I launch. My wife backs the truck up further after I have it partially in the water. My son stays with her. I pick them up at the dock after she parks the truck. I really dont want anyone else with me in the boat while I'm launching cause I dont want to have to keep an eye on someome or have to manuver around them while trying to get launched ASAP.

My 2 cents...

KWB

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

I usally back the trailer and boat down the launch while my gf hold the ropes in the front and back then I take off the safty chain and wench and back down a little bit more and hit the brakes and it slides right in. She holds the boat and the ropes at the dock untill a get back from parking then we jump in start here up and on are way. I would have her back the trailer down the ramp but she doesnt know how and scared to learn for some reason.

 

[notaz3]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

We launch with the wife and kids in boat. Everything is readied before we head to ramp, they all get there vest on and get in. Wife turns on blower, I back down ramp until boat starts to float. She starts it up as I get out and unhook bow. Off she goes while I park the truck. If we have other guest then they come down to the ramp with me. Wife pulls up, I / we jump on and where off.

This seems to take the least time on the ramp, and it?s easy.

 

[jkust]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

We launch with the wife and kids in boat. Everything is readied before we head to ramp, they all get there vest on and get in. Wife turns on blower, I back down ramp until boat starts to float. She starts it up as I get out and unhook bow. Off she goes while I park the truck. If we have other guest then they come down to the ramp with me. Wife pulls up, I / we jump on and where off.

This seems to take the least time on the ramp, and it?s easy.

This is the way I want to do it but my wife is not willing to drive the boat or park the trailer. Makes retrieving especially difficult if there is a line of boats and trailers waiting. We have to go out and come back when they have all cleared out.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

It is dangerous for you to be boating and she not know how to run the boat, if I may say so. She might not prefer to drive, especially in crowded conditions, but she needs to know how.
Toss a life cushion overboard and have her practice picking it up, out where no one's around.
Same with your children, if they are over 7. I would assume you let them "drive" under your close control (in your lap, your hand on the throttle).

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

Depends on when the "launch" starts. I back the boat up empty (wife and kids off to the sides, vest on) until the bunks are wet. then the wife and kids get in, safety chain comes off (straps come off in the parking lot). I back up ~3 more feet, wife drives the boat off. When I return from parking the truck I signal the wife to come in an get me with a "bump & run".

If your significant other doesn't drive the boat, you should really make them learn, it makes launching/retrieving soooo much easier.

 

[jkust]

Re: Do you launch with people on your boat?

It is dangerous for you to be boating and she not know how to run the boat, if I may say so. She might not prefer to drive, especially in crowded conditions, but she needs to know how.
Toss a life cushion overboard and have her practice picking it up, out where no one's around.
Same with your children, if they are over 7. I would assume you let them "drive" under your close control (in your lap, your hand on the throttle).

I agree. She can operate the boat on a very basic level out in the open. Sunday, while boating I said lets work on operating the boat and she didn't want to. I am realizing I have performed all the mechanical stuff in every respect over the 15 years we have been together and is catching up now. I am frustrated but really have no right to be. We have tried having her park the trailer while I get the boat going and she promptly hit a brand new trailer with our new trailer. Now she will never try it again. Good idea on the toss practice. I have never thought of that.