towing - engine in neutral?

[jimmbo]

Tilt the motor way out so the prop wash doesn't wash away the bottom of the ramp and you will be fine.

I raise the Drive when I load, because I don't want the Prop coming in contact with the Bottom...

 

[racerone]

In my area you can do your test / qualify for a " pleasure craft operators card "----No practical test required.----Just have a book / assistant for help and send in your $$ for the card.

 

[jimmbo]

I am not sure why " power loading " is even done.----Never did it myself.-----Too much risk of damage to the tow vehicle in my opinion.

Bunk Trailers are the Reason, as the friction is too high to winch on. Backing in Deeper, results in ruined Diffs and boat that aren't centered on the Trailer. Roller Trailers, work well with winches but not power loading.

 

[jimmbo]

In my area you can do your test / qualify for a " pleasure craft operators card "----No practical test required.----Just have a book / assistant for help and send in your $$ for the card.

I remember doing the Multiple Guess Test a few Decades ago. A lot of it was about Harbour Lights, Channel Markings, and those Floating Things. None of those are used out in the Land of the Right Wingnuts(Alberta)

 

[dingbat]

That is not an accurate statement.

Many lakes have concrete ramps, but the concrete has to end at some point. This is especially the case on northern lakes where ice and freezing/thawing make longer/deeper launches impractical.

Lake bottoms after the launches end can be rock, gravel, sand, mud, etc. Sandy and muddy lake bottoms are the most susceptible to propeller erosion. You can't design and engineer ramps to be propeller-proof. At some point, boat owners need to accept equal responsibility for using bunk trailers and for keeping the boat launches in good shape. Otherwise county and state budgets have to foot the bill, raising taxes, blah blah blah.

White Bear Lake in Minnesota is a great example. There is a great double-launch concrete ramp on the north end. It's a sandy-bottom lake. There is a propeller trench followed by a sandy hump about 10-15ft out that can catch lower units when maneuvering into and out of the launch. The county has had to fix the ramp repeatedly due to the power-loading.

Power loading is a problem in some places whether you want to accept it or not. Boating is not a right, it's a privilege. If you launch somewhere that is immune to the havoc of power-loading, that is great. Most boaters are ignorant of the boat launch conditions and how their actions affect the launches.

I stand by my statement........power loading is only a problem on poorly designed or poorly supported boating infrastructure.

It's just not an issue around here. Saltwater boating is big business. As such, most facilities that cater to said boaters have upgraded their ramps to accommodate larger boats, drive-on trailers, etc. as they've gained in popularity.

The bottom line is money..... some (most?) localities don't want to spend, or don't have the money to build / upgrade ramps to accommodate drive-on trailers. A lot of others have.

 

[airshot]

Bunk Trailers are the Reason, as the friction is too high to winch on. Backing in Deeper, results in ruined Diffs and boat that aren't centered on the Trailer. Roller Trailers, work well with winches but not power loading.

Been power loading my boat on roller trailers for years with no problems.

 

[airshot]

In my area you can do your test / qualify for a " pleasure craft operators card "----No practical test required.----Just have a book / assistant for help and send in your $$ for the card.

Yep....just interested in the money and the stats claiming they have licensed boaters !!

 

[dingbat]

Yep....just interested in the money and the stats claiming they have licensed boaters !!

Unfortunately, a piece of paper proves nothing other than you went through the motions.

We (Maryland) are required to attended two, four hour training classes ($20) and pass a 3-4 hour written examine and we still have idiot boaters…lol

 

[flyingscott]

Due to torn rotator cuffs and very shallow ramps power loading is necessary for some of us. However I know how to do it properly and do not damage the ramp. If I had to winch my boat on the trailer it would take me 20-30 minutes to get loaded up as it does most folks that winch their boats on. I can power load and be gone in 10 minutes or less. Unfortunately those that power load incorrectly are never challenged by authorities.

Get an electric winch

 

[airshot]

Get an electric winch

Takes to long, others use electric winches and I am loaded and out while they are still winching. Power loading does not mean full power to get up on your trailer, just enough to let the boat slide on close enough to clip the winch strap. Not much prop wash at all, especially when tilted out...that also forces the bow up so you need even less thrust. Like everything, it needs to be done properly !!

 

[airshot]

Unfortunately, a piece of paper proves nothing other than you went through the motions.

We (Maryland) are required to attended two, four hour training classes ($20) and pass a 3-4 hour written examine and we still have idiot boaters…lol

No matter how hard we try " you can't fix stupid".......

 

[KJM]

Been power loading my boat on roller trailers for years with no problems.

I was going to say the same thing. I always power load and have never even owned a bunk trailer. I do it myself, tilt the motor about halfway up, drive onto trailer until almost up to post, leave her in gear on low rpm to hold her in place while I jump over bow onto the trailer to hook on winch cable. Then back to boat, turn off motor and raise it fully, then complete the winching in. Just make sure you have a rope when you jump over the bow in case she don't "hold in place"! Takes 5 min or less from start to finish.

 

[airshot]

I was going to say the same thing. I always power load and have never even owned a bunk trailer. I do it myself, tilt the motor about halfway up, drive onto trailer until almost up to post, leave her in gear on low rpm to hold her in place while I jump over bow onto the trailer to hook on winch cable. Then back to boat, turn off motor and raise it fully, then complete the winching in. Just make sure you have a rope when you jump over the bow in case she don't "hold in place"! Takes 5 min or less from start to finish.

Exact same for me, but I don't jump over (gettin to old) I can reach my strap and clip it by just reaching over !!

 

[JimS123]

Due to torn rotator cuffs and very shallow ramps power loading is necessary for some of us. However I know how to do it properly and do not damage the ramp. If I had to winch my boat on the trailer it would take me 20-30 minutes to get loaded up as it does most folks that winch their boats on. I can power load and be gone in 10 minutes or less. Unfortunately those that power load incorrectly are never challenged by authorities.

Although I have switched t a newer and less used ramp, for many years I used the town ramp that was heavily damaged by power loading. Most every week I saw at least one guy drop his axle off the end.

My cuffs are fine, but I am simply lazy. My boats have had power winches for the last 40 years. I never hold up the ramp. People watch me with open mouths while my boat effortlessly rolls up to the winch stand.snap on the safety chain and clip on the bow tie down and I'm off.

 

[cyclops222]

4 Vertical Guide On Posts make me PERFECT in wind and cross currents.

 

[airshot]

4 Vertical Guide On Posts make me PERFECT in wind and cross currents.

I have a 5' long side guide in each side, wind and current is not a problem as it takes very little power to load my boat and stay on center !

 

[Prophammer]

my son gave me a plastic prop to spin in my receiver hitch - it wouldn't spin after sometime in the weather - I sometimes put my outboard in gear to stop it from spinning - but I don't think it spins much in neutral anyway , when following my wife she was pulling the boat and prop wasn't spinning - I think it was in neutral that time- I quit even thinking about prop spin until I saw this thread ! Now my head spins !

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I have a bunk trailer and a 2200 pound boat, never power load, boat is loaded deep and is centered every time.

 

[airshot]

I have a bunk trailer and a 2200 pound boat, never power load, boat is loaded deep and is centered every time.

We have very shallow ramps, doesn't take much power to load and with engine tilted up no damage to the ramp and with lines of people waiting in line, it is so much faster. No one at my ramp can load their boat faster than I can.....

 

[DeepCMark58A]

We have very shallow ramps, doesn't take much power to load and with engine tilted up no damage to the ramp and with lines of people waiting in line, it is so much faster. No one at my ramp can load their boat faster than I can.....

I can't tilt my engine and I have a rudder, I also believe I hold the lake record for loading and unloading. (there are no official records kept)