I will add that I "two foot" when I go up the ramp. ....I already have a foot on the brake when I start to apply the throttle. Also helps with traction. If I have the brake on it is less likely that the wheels break loose as I start to apply some throttle. Of course as soon as I am rolling the left foot comes off the brake and I go back to single foot operation. My little fail safe procedure
The problem is that Power loading stirs up the sand/mud on the bottom at the end of the ramp. It creates a NASTY drop off that swallows trailers. This is the kind of ramp I am talking about where it doesn't matter:
Yes, at a certain lake level it matters. But it took 10 years for the lake to get that low. Point is I can't wash away concrete
I find sliding into the drink really bad Etiquette. Slows everybody down . . .
Hi guys,New boater here. Finally got my first boat that I will be trailering for the most part and since I really have no idea what I am doing I would like to ask for any tips or no no's when it comes to the boat launch. I dont want to look like a fool or make anyone mad by breaking any unspoken rules.
thanks.
Boy did you miss my point. Look again at the picture. I have launched at the top of that thing. There is no edge unless you have a submarine. Yes, there is an edge when the lake is 150 ft. down. And . . . when I say power load, I mean idle. I sooo thought I was clear. Oh well.Power loading does cause the concrete to break away in time. This is especially true if the edge at the end of the ramp has holes in the ground caused by power lifting. The edge breaks away and trailers get stuck in the deep hole. People struggle to bring the trailer and boat up the ramp. Many times I have seen the trailer tongue on the ground because the trailer had fallen into this hole(caused by power loading). Please be respectful and refrain from this.
Don't worry about looking like a fool. We all had our first launches, we all made mistakes.
Roger. One of those text didn't convey emotion properly type deal, thing, stuff. All goodnot intended for you
How come people always give me dirty looks when I sit by the side with a bullhorn and goof on their launch problems?
Bob has it right--which is why everyone on the boat has to be able to operate the boat and trailer. Only solos should be allowed to tie up and go get the vehicle (and it sounds like at some ramp set-ups, when crowded, this creates a problem--not in my neck of the woods luckily).
Any person over 14 can hover the boat and run it up on the trailer, unless you're talking about a cabin cruiser (which in my neck of the woods isn't likely to be trailered in the first place).
Since it's the beginning of the season, I'm going to harp on a point that I've presented before so it is fresh in the minds of everyone.
Please use wheel chocks behind your back tires when launching/retrieving! It is your greatest insurance against having a YouTube moment for the rest of the world to enjoy...namely, your truck in the water! I cannot stress it enough how simple it is to put a 4"x4" piece of wood behind your tires immediately after exiting the truck while backed down the ramp. If you have others with you, have a responsible person set the block of wood behind your tires BEFORE you put it in park and set the brake. That takes a ton of weight off the tranny! When solo, I have asked a bystander to set the chock for me before I back down the ramp, and have never been told no or looked at funny. Folks who understand this extra precaution appreciate it. ANYONE who has ever driven a commercial vehicle understands it. It takes 10 seconds max to do it, and could save you from an insurance claim or an injured passenger/innocent bystander. For those who think this is overkill, I dare you to try stopping the combined weight of 5-10k lbs. of stored kinetic energy just waiting to roll down the ramp with your bare hands and feet. Ain't gonna happen. CHOCK YOUR WHEELS!