Launching Pontoon

[ronboonville]

Sometimes when launching our 24' pontoon with a 90hp Nissan someone has to push it some to get off the trailer. Of course backing in further would be easiest but sometimes it's more shallow. My question is would trimming up the motor help? I usually don't load passengers till after launching, so would having some people at the back help?

 

[MinUph]

You shouldn't tilt or trim your motor down when launching especially in shallow launches as it may drag bottom. People shouldn't be on board either it's not the safest way and I doubt it would help. Backing further down should do it. Move the vehicle a little faster and stop quickly when your at the point where the exhaust is just at the water should do it. The quick stop should start the motion. If this doesn't work try to find a deeper ramp to use.

 

[Nathan Bond]

Go to the store and buy a can of silicone lubricant. After a day on the lake (with the bunks dry), liberally coat them with the silicone lubricant. It will really make a difference. Do this once or twice a season.

 

[bruceb58]

I know a lot of people like doing the silicone spray trick but personally, I would rather have it slightly harder to launch and retrieve than have it come off my trailer easier while I am towing it.

 

[Nathan Bond]

I know a lot of people like doing the silicone spray trick but personally, I would rather have it slightly harder to launch and retrieve than have it come off my trailer easier while I am towing it.

That's a good point, as well. When trailering my pontoon, I only lived a mile from my launch so it was a non-issue for me.

 

[bruceb58]

Yep, it's a tradeoff. I tow my pontoon boat to/from a high altitude lake on windy mountain roads. It stays there in the water for the whole season so there is only one launch and one retrieve and a bunch of towing in between.

 

[ahicks]

A proper tow procedure would have a tie down in each corner of the boat holding it securely to the trailer. The rig should not be dependent on the boat's weight to keep it on the trailer. Stuff happens, and generally when stuff happens it going to do that quickly! Point being silicone on the bunks should not be a factor.

Regarding having somebody stand on the back to make it easier to get off the trailer? I don't think the front of my boat raises much when I move to the back. More than anything, the back goes down?

 

[bruceb58]

Stuff happens, and generally when stuff happens it going to do that quickly!

Yep! That's why I don't increase the risk by adding silicone to make it slide off even easier. Things break including straps. Seen it happen.

 

[MH Hawker]

I tie a 50 foot line to mine then back in till it floats off, the other end is tied off to my truck, if I have help then I fire up the motor just before it floats off.

 

[richard.prince]

My boat WILL NOT back off my trailer. What I do is back the boat in the water enough for the motor to pick up water and fire it up. Then I put it the boat in reverse and my fishing partner backs the truck up about 3 feet and hits the brakes. Slides off every time and I don't have to back the truck in farther than I should. Retrieving is easy cause we can submerge the bunks then pull forward until about a third of the bunks are out of the water so it loads correctly.

 

[Blujay96]

On my trailer I put rollers on the front 8 ft. It rolls right off once the bunks hit the water.

 

[Fleetwin]

I know a lot of people like doing the silicone spray trick but personally, I would rather have it slightly harder to launch and retrieve than have it come off my trailer easier while I am towing it.

That's what tie downs are for.

 

[bruceb58]

That's what tie downs are for.

I have very strong tiedowns. I still wouldn't silicone spray my bunks on either of my trailers.

 

[Silver Eagle]

When we get near the launching area I get my wife into the boat , She hooks up the fish finder and puts the Biminity top up .I remove the rear hold down straps. Then I drive to the ramp,That's when I remove the safety chain.Then I hook up a safety line to the eye bolt on the very front of the boat .It's a ski rope. The other end to my trailer. Then depending on the tide I back the trailer into the water...Once the boat is floating my wife puts a line on a pier pole to hold the boat in place, then I remove the safety line from the trailer and throw it on the boat After coming back from parking the truck and get into the boat I then lower the motor in the water and start it up..I let the motor run a couple of minutes before putting in reverse for a day of cruising.

 

[ahicks]

I have very strong tiedowns. I still wouldn't silicone spray my bunks on either of my trailers.

Yup, waste of money - UNLESS - you're tired of struggling trying to get the boat to slide off for one reason or another.

 

[Silver Eagle]

The tide would have to get pretty low for me not to get the boat off of the boards.but when it does I just pull up some and back up kind of fast then hit the brakes and the boat just shots off.