Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

[rtpassini]

I see everyone talk, and videos, of how they power load. I dont like this practice. So how do you guys go about it "manually"

Its been so long since I have even been a boat that I dont recall how its done.

Do I just back in the trailer, Have a line hooked up to the front and walk from the dock over by the winch, pull it up then hook up the winch and crank it up?

I do realize by doing this though, that the trailer would have to be submerged pretty good otherwise I wont be able to get it far enough forward to attach the winch.

I'll usually always have someone with me if that matters in terms of opinions.

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

I do it solo so I back the trailer in next to the dock, pull the boat up onto the trailer using a bow line. I have already pulled out the winch strap so I hook it up and winch it up. Pull out and get out of the way.

 

[rtpassini]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

so you only pull out the winch a couple feet max right?

 

[southkogs]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

so you only pull out the winch a couple feet max right?

That's all I normally do, but I have had to drag out several feet before ... especially when the boat decides it's done before we are

The process of loading trailers (especially considering power loading) gets discussed here nearly every spring. Two things play a big part in the determination of how you do things, 1.) your ramps and 2.) your trailer.

Here in TN, many of our ramps run several yards out submerged and power loading is no problem. Up in your area, the case is much the opposite (from all I've seen and heard). In a similar way ... I can dunk my trailer way in pretty easily because our ramps are rather steep, so again in my case I don't really need to apply much power to load. I can really line things up, and ghost her on the bunks.

If you can only dunk the trailer in shallow, a roller trailer may be much more helpful than a bunk trailer. See how the trailer matters?

In my case, alone or with help, I dunk the trailer down to the top of the wheels; line up the boat under power and idle in. Once the keel is on the front roller and the stern is in the guides, I shut down, tilt the drive up and hook up the winch strap. It's typically about four cranks and I've got it snugged up and ready to come out.

 

[dvtran]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

Our local ramp is very shallow so I load up manually every time. I will back down the trailer while the wife holds the boat at the dock and the bow line in one hand also. I back er down so the fenders are barely under water. The wife passes me the bow line and I jump in front of the boat and pull her towards the winch. Next I pull out the winch and hook it up to the boat and crank it up. If all goes well, it's a 3 minute procedure.

 

[spdracr39]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

I drive onto the trailer at idle speed, shut the motor off, hook the winch strap, then climb over onto the tongue and winch it up. The depth you back the trailer into the water is the same for whatever method you use. Too deep and it floats off too shallow and you will never winch it up (unless its a roller trailer). The secret here is letting out enough winch strap when you take the boat off the trailer and getting just deep enough that you can coast up far enough to reach the strap when you load.

 

[Biggredd]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

I haven't owned my boat very long but I think I have my process down pretty good. I back the trailer up to wheel well deep and then push the boat from the dock with my foot to get it started and use a line attached to the boat and pull it up onto the trailer. I pull my winch strap out pretty far to grab it and then just a simple crank from there. Occasionally the back end will want to wander a little but thats usually pretty easy to fix, just push or pull. alot easier with a second person for back end drift but I can do it usually by myself when the wife is dealing with the baby.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

Yep, "power loading" is a bad idea because it tears up the gravel bed at the end of the ramp (in the case of a concrete ramp). Everyone needs to learn the proper depth for their trailer to make loading easiest. As mentioned, too deep and the stern of the boat will float around as well as (at least on my trailer) the bow doesn't want to come over the bow stop. Too shallow and it's a pain to get the boat on. Once you find the sweet spot for your boat/trailer combination you ought to be able to simply idle most of the way on and just have to winch it the last little bit.

 

[BobGinCO]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

Power Loading is actually illegal in some states (I have heard WI and MN). I think it's a bad idea at any time. Loading a 24 foot pontoon is challenging - but the Bunk Slicks I just installed made it a LOT easier!

 

[coreybv]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

Yep, "power loading" is a bad idea because it tears up the gravel bed at the end of the ramp (in the case of a concrete ramp).

Depends on the ramp. The two lakes I do most of my boating at are reservoirs whose depths can vary tremendously from year to year. The ramps are long enough to be usable when the lake is extremely low, so during a "normal" year you have probably 200 feet of concrete still behind you when you load your boat.

Can't think of any reason why power loading would do any damage on a ramp like that.

 

[matt167]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

If the ramp is prohibited to power loading, it's marked ( at least wherever I have launched ).. I 'think' most NYS owned launches do not allow power loading, some of the launches I have been to in the finger lakes ( Lodi point, Deans cove, Sampson beach ect...) have officers waiting to write the tickets... Over the years my dad and I have gotten good at cranking the boat onto the trailer. Only roller trailers tho, never had a bunk trailer.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

With a roller trailer you don't have to sink it that far (important in salt water) and the rollers usually straighten the boat out--if it's not too deep.

Our ramps have piers next to them, so you can hook up your winch cable, hop over to the pier, then crank, intead of climbing over the bow onto the tongue.

If you have a helper on the pier, give him a boat hook and stern line tied to the close cleat; he can push/pull it straight. never let them toss the lines in when the boat is part way up; if something fails, the boat relaunches. i often just tie the bow line to the winch post until I'm hooked up.

And a power winch makes the world a much better place--you can even power winch up onto dry bunks.

By doing it shallow and using the winch, your feet stay dry.

 

[SDSeville]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

And a power winch makes the world a much better place--you can even power winch up onto dry bunks.

By doing it shallow and using the winch, your feet stay dry.

How much pressure will the bow eye take when doing it this way? I am always afraid to crank it too far on dry bunks, or even wet bunks.

 

[spdracr39]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

How much pressure will the bow eye take when doing it this way? I am always afraid to crank it too far on dry bunks, or even wet bunks.

More than the winch will take unless the boat is rotten.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

How much pressure will the bow eye take when doing it this way? I am always afraid to crank it too far on dry bunks, or even wet bunks.

all of it

 

[plztellme]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

To those guys that think your "hot stuff" cause you power load. I load mine " mine the old fashioned way", then my head doesn't swell so bad that my fishing hat still fits. Happy fishing "power loaders"!!!!!!! HA, Ha Ha!!!!!!!

 

[blackhawk180]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

A bit off topic but I feel for you guys that can't power load. My usual fishing areas are quite popular and that translates into a LOT of boats launching and recovering at about the same time. If everyone knows what they are doing, especially on the recovery, you can move a ton of boats out in a hurry. I have to agree on the gravel displacement but all our launches are on concrete ramps that extend WAY out due to seasonal changes. In fact, power loading is encouraged here and finding someone winching up usually results in an outburst of tourettes from the next boat in line. /thread drift over/

 

[littlerayray]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

i can load and unload faster by hand then most people who power load
i have been complimented on my speed and efficiency when i am by myself

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

Before I bought an indoor dry slip I stopped power loading after adding slicks to the bunks and getting an electric winch... I had guides on the trailer since day 1. Get the winch-- so much more comfortable!

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Loading Boat WITHOUT powering up

Have to agree that to motor load or winch load is more a matter of the ramp design/construction then anything else. Can do either with both types of trailers from all I've seen. I prefer to winch myself, I just feel safer because I've been going it that way for so long. I too can winch up as fast as many of those that chose to drive on. Mostly because the neighorhood ramp I use is so shallow that you couldn't get close enough to the trailer with the engine down to try and drive on.

Now my new dilemma. Same ramp, new boat and trailer. This ramp has no pier and is usually on the windward side of the lake. The old trailer had a catwalk that made it easy to walk down to connect the winch strap which made it nice when the water was below 50 degrees. The new trailer is a Shoreland'r V with all rollers. I've got 6' between the front of the trailer and the middle crossmember then 6' between the crossmember and the end of the trailer. No easy way to add a catwalk though I'm workin on it. I'm gettin too old to be swimmin in 40-50 degree water, how I wish we could have a pier!