Docking, putting the boat in the water and pulling out of the water.

[TonyR64]

I've read a few threads on here about observations from people about others follies about the above subjects. I've also read some from people making fun of us newbies trying to do the same (yes, you were all rookies at one time). I'm new to boating, but I use common sense when doing these activities. But it would be nice to hear from some of the more experienced on how to do this....properly, in case some of us are missing something.

 

[Captain Caveman]

For some of us, it's the disbelief that folks would spend so much money on a boat and never take the time to learn the proper ways to use them. In some cases, that also leads to dangerous use of said boats and injuries.

There really should be a sticky about the proper way to launch and retrieve a boat, but with the variety of boats it would have to read like a choose-your-own-adventure series. Boat type, trailer type (bunks vs rollers), and many other factors make a one-size-fits-all sticky a difficult undertaking but probably worth the effort nonetheless.

I didn't grow up with boats but went out with others enough to learn the basics. Then I bought a $300 boat/trailer and practiced on my own when others weren't around so that I wouldn't get in other peoples' way if I needed to take my time. I joined iBoats and a few other forums and quickly soaked up countless bits of wisdom and advice. I can now quickly launch and retrieve with the best of them, using a system that works for my rig.

My best advice is to ask for help, take seasoned boaters with you in the beginning to help and teach, and never do things faster than you can safely do them. I used to have a launching and retrieving checklist. It really helped set a pattern. I highly recommend it for beginners. You never want to forget any critical steps just to look good.

 

[kjsAZ]

As Caveman said the best way is to take someone with you who is in the know the first few times.

Docking is different depending on wind and current conditions and also the size an type of boat. Never try to go in idle as you will have close to no steering. What you do is to use short bumps or bursts (in and out of gear) to direct the boat. The most important thing is to take it SLOW. Best to practice is to anchor a buoy somewhere (or use one which is there but not a marker!) and try over and over again to approach it from several directions to give you a feel on how the boat reacts with different wind and water conditions. Using spring lines is THE best way to make a good docking approach if it's tight (good articles on BoatUS).

Launching is relatively simple. Make yourself a checklist (drain plug, any supports for the engine, tie-downs aso) and do all that in the prep area and not on the ramp. Be alone in the boat the first few times and have your passengers board from the dock! Put the trailer into the water until the stern is floating, lower the drive or outboard to get the water intake under water but not all the way down to avoid hitting the ground (unless it's deep enough). Start the engine and let it warm up. If you have an I/O or inboard turn on the blower(s) before you are ready to back into the water and sniff for fuel fumes at the outlet (I always open the engine cover too to check). Once the engine is running fine disconnect the winch strap and slowly go backwards and to the dock.

Retrieving is a bit more sophisticated and heavily depends on the ramp. Most beginners dunk the trailer to far into the water. If you have a roller trailer as long as the bow goes onto the rearmost center roller you will be able to crank her up. With a bunk trailer you have to experiment how far you have to put it in. Best is if you have someone in the tow vehicle. Dunk the trailer until the bunks are just in the water and then try to get it on. If it's not deep enough have the trailer put in a few inches deeper into the water.
I never had an issue until I got my current boat. I was never able to get it on right on the first try. Had others with a lot more trailer boat experience (I started with boats to long for trailers) try it and they ended up the same way. Installed these 5ft long side bunks and now it's just on, winch the last few inches up, hook in the bow safety chain and out into the prep area to so the rest (don't forget to lift the drive/engine up!). Again, be alone in the boat for that to start with.

One rule: NEVER approach anything faster then you are willing to run into it!

 

[airshot]

Never had an issue with a newbie, always glad to lend a helping hand or give a suggestion to make things easier, however.....there have been many times where arrogant people will intentionally hold things up. One time a fellow had the local public ramp tied up while working on his boat, this went on for quite some time and when anyone suggested he move his boat so others could use the ramp, his comment was " I was here first, you can use it when I am finished" Then even had the nerve to call his buddy who cruised over with another boat and tied up the ramp beside this idiot while the two of them spent the afternoon working on his boat. The police were called but stated they really could not do anything about it.

 

[oldjeep]

Tips from the most common mistakes/problems I see at the ramp

1) Load your junk into the boat before you are in the launch lane (I also load all my passengers unless they are not capable of the climb into the boat when on the trailer)
2) Put your plug in (all of them, my boat has 3)
3) Don't forget to remove the transom straps
4) Leave the winch hooked up and locked until the boat is in the water (I remove the safety chain before hand since they like to bind up when the boat floats)
5) Learn to back up a trailer somewhere other than the launch lane on a busy day
6) Hopefully one of you is backing and one is in the boat, but in any event start the boat before you detach it from the trailer (once it is in the water). Eliminates the oh, crap dead boat floating away or into shore problems
7) Learn to use your mirrors (all 3 of them). If you are looking over your shoulder then you are missing more than 50% of what is going on around your moving vehicle. Bonus points for folks who open their hatch because they can't figure out how to see the empty trailer in their mirrors.
8) Docking - go slow, really slow and have your bumpers and lines already attached to the boat before you head for the dock.
9) Loading on trailer is so dependent on the boat/launch and trailer that you really just have to figure out what works for your setup
10) Learn to laugh at yourself - everybody does dumb stuff sooner or later, deal with it calmly and move on with your day

 

[oldjeep]

One more - make sure to check your fuel level before you leave the house. Just because you think it had gas in it, doesn't always mean you were right.

 

[TonyR64]

One more - make sure to check your fuel level before you leave the house. Just because you think it had gas in it, doesn't always mean you were right.

I hear you there. When we got home the last time, the motor wouldn't start. The fuel gauge read a full tank, but boat has 2 tanks and the other was empty. Figured out I wasn't looking at the tank switching valve correctly and was reading the wrong tank level. I called my fiance from the airport and said, "stupid me knows what's wrong with the boat". Felt like I had a big "L" on my forehead.

 

[kjsAZ]

It's always a question of when and not if. We all forget some things at some times. Worst is if you have to many who want to help and get you out of your normal routine. That's why launching and retrieving is just the admiral and myself. The rest is already send to the dock........

You will one day forget to lift the outdrive or outboard when you pull her out, put the drain plug(s) in, lift the outdrive and ruin the prop, remove the tie-downs and a lot more things. The difference is how often you do so.......

 

[tpenfield]

In terms of docking, I find that most novices tend to go into the dock too fast. Then they realize that they cannot stop the boat (where are the brakes) ? 1 mph into the dock is fairly fast and will make a dent or gouge.

Another thing, particularly with single handed docking, is that before you head into the dock have lines on the bow and stern cleats. Lead these lines to somewhere in the middle of the boat where you can easily grab them. As you pull into the dock ( at less than 1 mph) and reaching the dock (engine in neutral), grab the lines as you get off then immediately secure the bow then the stern.

Quite often when I pull into the dock there is someone willing (and insisting) to help . . . so I often throw them the line. . . . about 90% of the time, they have no idea what to do with it. I think to myself . . . what are they doing offering to help :noidea: So, keep that in mind, is that a 'volunteer dock hand' may have no clue.

Finally, and depending upon how big a boat you have and how strong your are, . . . people . . . when trying to stop a boat while docking will instinctively attempt to pull on the dock line. I could muscle my 24 foot boat, if I had to, but my 33 footer, no way. The best thing to do is to get the line around a piling or dock cleat and let those things stop the boat. When getting off the boat to secure the bow line, I always tell my 'Admiral' to immediately 'cleat' the line. So, what is the first thing she does . . . tries to stop the boat by pulling on the line. As she is doing that and quickly losing the battle, I have to bark out the order 'cleat it' at least 4 times before she will give up the fight and cleat the line. Admiral training is an important aspect of boating . . . and docking.

Even with experience, once in a while you will have a spazz attack and goof-up. I was docking this past weekend and mis-judged the 25 mph wind . . . it caught the bow as I was gliding into the dock and smacked the boat into a piling. . . . stupid wind I should have known better.

Enjoy.

 

[oldjeep]

Good point - people trying to help you dock. The dock kids at the restaurant - fine once I toss them a rope. People who are along for the ride are told, under no circumstances try to "help" at the dock. They get their hands smashed or grab something and turn the boat into a dock post. My kids know not to do anything until I ask them to (big kids), my wife knows to just stay seated because there is not much someone her size can do to effect the path of a 4000lb boat.

 

[bruceb58]

I personally never could understand the comments some people write where they put out a lawn chair and observe and make fun of the people launching. Seems kinda sick to me in taking pleasure in other peoples problems. Maybe that's just me.

On the other hand, a new boater can learn a lot observing others at the ramp and that is probably how most of us learn. You can tell pretty quickly who knows what they are doing and who doesn't.

There is some good advice from the previous posts. One thing I can add is that I almost always start my boat the night before in the driveway. I bring it up to operating temp and take a good close look and listen to everything going on with the engine. I then have a good feeling that it will start and run just as well the next morning when I launch.

 

[southkogs]

Another addition ... practice. No kiddin', go to a ramp that doesn't get used much and launch and recover a few times. Shoot some approaches to docks, shores and other things (that are legal) and work on pulling up to them, coming alongside and puttin' the boat where you want it. Just do so in a place where you're out of the way of others.

Also, don't underestimate the value of short bursts of power. Your throttle can be just as important close in as your helm is. Sometimes a reverse "thrust" in the opposite direction can make up a LOT of steerage.

Everyone goofs here and there, so don't be too self conscious. This is supposed to be fun, right?

 

[H20Rat]

A. If you have an I/O or inboard turn on the blower(s) before you are ready to back into the water and sniff for fuel fumes at the outlet (I always open the engine cover too to check).

I have a slightly different variation of this... I don't turn on the blower until AFTER I back down the ramp. My normal process is back down, hop in the boat, then open the hatch and both check for water in the bilge as well as sniff for fuel. After I'm convinced, close it back up, hop in the drivers seat, turn on blower and start. (your nose is able to detect gasoline vapors far below it gets anywhere close to a flammable concentration.)

It has two advantages doing it like that... If there is a leak from bellows that cracked, or god forbid, a plug that somehow was forgotten, I'm going to catch it immediately. And second, if I'm leaking fuel, I would much rather catch it before ever starting the engine, than continue leaking but not blow up because the blower saved my *****.

You can still stick your head in the compartment before hitting water, just don't turn on the blower before you take a whiff.

 

[oldjeep]

I personally never could understand the comments some people write where they put out a lawn chair and observe and make fun of the people launching. Seems kinda sick to me in taking pleasure in other peoples problems. Maybe that's just me.

On the other hand, a new boater can learn a lot observing others at the ramp and that is probably how most of us learn. You can tell pretty quickly who knows what they are doing and who doesn't.

There is some good advice from the previous posts. One thing I can add is that I almost always start my boat the night before in the driveway. I bring it up to operating temp and take a good close look and listen to everything going on with the engine. I then have a good feeling that it will start and run just as well the next morning when I launch.

Well, holiday weekends are entertaining.

 

[oldjeep]

My most recent mess up was the first day with the new boat. My wife usually backs the boat off the trailer and then comes back to the dock after I park the truck. She was nervous about the lack of steering in reverse that an inboard has so she wanted me to take the boat off and dock it. I fired it up and proceeded to back off the trailer to the sound of a spinning winch - oops. I had hit the reverse lever and let out a little slack but normally I don't unclip until she has the motor running. Routines are good and bad

 

[JASinIL2006]

I haven't found many books that can hold a candle to the information you can get here at the iBoats forums, but one book I've found is Powerboat Handling Illustrated by Bob Sweet. It doesn't have much on trailering, but its coverage of docking is really thorough. It's on my Kindle and my iPad, and I still find it useful to look over every so often.

 

[Pony]

I like to attach the boat plug to the boat keys and put them on the top of my locators/depth finders. All three of my graphs are in a nice padded bag and dont stay on the boat during travel....so the first thing that I see when I go to grab them is the plug,

I prep the rest of the boat in the driveway in the morning before we head off.....tackle box, and cooler go in, rods in the locker box, and life vests on the seats. Pretty much everything aside from the bait and locators are in the boat. I also, like Bruce, like to start the motor the day before or a few days before a trip.

 

[Mischief Managed]

The best tips for launching are: have a routine and always follow it, take as little time as possible on the ramp, and if using lines and a dock rather than driving the boat off the trailer, use TWO lines attached to different parts of the boat.

When I dock, I never rely on lines or people to stop the boat. I use the engine and steering. I generally approach the dock at a shallow angle (maybe 15 to 20 degrees) and have a person on the bow prepared with a line that's attached to a bow cleat and ready to use. Fenders are out and stern line is also secured to an aft cleat and ready to use. I'll come in at a slow speed (in and out of gear) and generally cover the the last 10-15 feet in neutral. A second or two before the person on the bow can reach out and get a loop of line over a piling, I crank the wheel hard over toward the dock and put the boat in reverse to halt forward motion and draw the stern toward the dock. If my forward line handler cannot get a loop over a piling in this situation, I abort and try again until the line can be secured. As soon as the boat stops, I put it in neutral. If I have another person on board, they will already be poised to tie off the stern. If not, I take care of it.

If it's windy, I try to tie up on the lee side of the dock so that the wind keeps the boat away from the dock. Once I have a bow line secured, I can use the engine and the bow line like a spring line to get the stern to the dock, regardless of how strong the wind is.

The most important tip for efficient pulling out is to not put the trailer in too deep. You need the boat to touch the trailer at the stern bunks/roller to keep it aligned. Once aligned winch it up. If winching gets too difficult, only then back the trailer in deeper and don't get crazy backing, a couple of feet makes a huge difference. Unless the ramp is entirely paved, and the local rules specifically allow it, NEVER use more than idle power to put the boat on the trailer. Doing so makes a big hole in the gravel off the end of the paved section of the ramp and doing that is very inconsiderate.

I prefer to drive the boat onto the trailer (again only at idle power) and think that's the best way to do it, but I see people successfully hand pull their boats to their trailers prior to winching and I guess if they can do it quickly and efficiently it's OK. That said, what's the point of having a motor boat if you are just going to drag it around with lines?

 

[WellFast210]

The best tips for launching are:.......

I prefer to drive the boat onto the trailer (again only at idle power) and think that's the best way to do it, but I see people successfully hand pull their boats to their trailers prior to winching and I guess if they can do it quickly and efficiently it's OK. That said, what's the point of having a motor boat if you are just going to drag it around with lines?

I was just gonna chime in and tell the OP to NOT power his boat on and off the trailer.

Doing this will dig a prop wash hole at the end of a ramp. If you've never seen a boat trailer drop off into a giant hole created by doing just that, it's not pretty. And will ruin someones day of boating. There is a lot of thrust coming off that prop even at idle. A sand or mud bottom doesn't stand a chance.

I know everybody has a different opinion on this particular subject, but regardless, it will dig a hole giving the right circumstances. Just saying...

My only advise to the OP, find a ramp that has a dock right next to it. Makes life a lot easier when loading/unloading. Get your trailer real close to the dock and you can walk the boat on/off. All boats, trailers, waters, currents, wind is different for all of us. You will just have to find what works for you.

 

[H20Rat]

I prefer to drive the boat onto the trailer (again only at idle power) and think that's the best way to do it, but I see people successfully hand pull their boats to their trailers prior to winching and I guess if they can do it quickly and efficiently it's OK. That said, what's the point of having a motor boat if you are just going to drag it around with lines?

If you can idle it to the bow stop, your trailer is WAY too deep and you won't be able to keep it centered.