When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

[jones56]

I got my engine(4.3) back in my sea ray this weekend and have been very excited to take it to the lake. I planned on taking it this evening but the wind here in middle Tennessee are blowing like 20mph.. There is not a dock where I put the boat in the lake only a ramp so I worry about the wind blowing the boat upon shore until i can park my truck and trailer and get back to it.. What do you guys do??

 

[wifisher]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

You could always drive it out a little and anchor it before you park the truck. If it is bad weather, the ramp will probably not be busy.

 

[cribber]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

Can you beach it before parking your truck and trailer? That way you pick where to put on the shoreline. Or better yet... take a buddy out with you and you motor out while he parks your truck and pop back in to pick him up.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

You could always drive it out a little and anchor it before you park the truck. If it is bad weather, the ramp will probably not be busy.

Then what ? swim in , park, swim out ?:facepalm: In bad weather ???!!!

 

[wifisher]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

Then what ? swim in , park, swim out ?:facepalm: In bad weather ???!!!

Anchor it right next to shore. I am assuming he doesn't want to beach it, or the question would be moot.

 

[jones56]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

last time I tried to beach it then park the truck the wind blew it side-ways up on shore and I had a heck of time pushing it around straight( with me waste deep in water )

 

[Sixmark]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

It's too windy when you are not comfortable with launching it with the conditions that you have available to you, who cares what anyone else thinks, if you don't like the conditions then don't launch it. There are no awards for doing so.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

Anchor it right next to shore. I am assuming he doesn't want to beach it, or the question would be moot.

Ahhhhhh. i suppose, anchor from the stern perhaps, and wade it... ok...thats an option

It's too windy when you are not comfortable with launching it with the conditions that you have available to you, who cares what anyone else thinks, if you don't like the conditions then don't launch it. There are no awards for doing so.

Maybe not an Award, but a Reward !!!... He gets to go boatin'!!!

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

to windy when the waves hitting the ramp are over 8-10 inches at that point it becomes a 2-3 person job loading the boat and time consuming. i usually unload and load by my self and i am fine but if i got 8-10 inch waves hitting my boat it will fly all over gota have some one guiding some one driving on ends up taking 3 times as long.

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

I have a 25 foot express cruiser I launch by myself at a ramp on a lake exactly as you described. The wind many days will be 15-20 MPH and build the waves at the ramp to a foot or so. Here are my steps that work for me for launch and retrieval. My total time with the trailer in the water is 5 minutes for either in or out.

As with most things it starts with the prep at home.
1 Buy a small one man inflatable boat. Single chamber with a large valve to unscrew to let the air out. While at the store buy a 12 volt inflate pump for the cigarette lighter. One small paddle as well.

Inflate the boat and put it the back of the truck along with a step lader to help guests get into the boat if needed. Off to the ramp you go.

At the launch but away from the ramp do your prep
1 unplug trailer lights
2 Drain plug in
3 Transom straps off
4 Step ladder out board passengers and blower on.
5 load inflatable boat into the "mother ship" .
6 tie a line from the winch post to the side cleat next to the helm. It needs to be snug.
7 Anything else you need to load, do it now.
8 Back down the ramp till the transim is in the water.
9 unhook your safty chain and winch strap.
10 back it the extra 2 feet it needs to float/ slide off trailer and hit brakes so it does slide. The line to the side cleat will allow the boat to slide about 2 feet.
11 walk out on trailer tung onto winch post onto bow. Lower motor and start engine. If for whatever reason your boat won't start after 2 minutes, climb over bow and hook winch and crank it the couple feet back to post and pull out of ramp. Do not hold up others!
12 with engine running un tie the line at the cleat next to the helm. Slowly back off trailer.
13 Nose into wind drop anchor. And make sure it is set and where your boat is not blocking.
14 jump in little boat back to your truck and clear truck and trailer from ramp. If someone is waiting apologize and jump back in rubber boat and paddle to mother ship. Just tie a line and move clear from launch area.
15 once clear deflate rubber boat and enjoy your day.

Retrieval is basically the same except the line that went from the winch post to side cleat, now the line is tied at the tung of the trailer and when you drive onto the trailer use the boat hook to tie the bow cleat so it won't back off when you trim up motor or climbing off bow to attach winch strap and safty chain.
It is not a time to be going slowly. Move your back side and other boaters will admire your speed, and efficiency. 5 minute in and out.

 

[RRitt]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

go to a different ramp where you can temporarily tie off your boat?
-or-
tie it up at shore and bring along an extendable aluminum pole (i use swimming pool skimmer handle that goes from 10' to 20') that allows you to push prop into deeper water.
-or-
get help
-or-
enjoy the swim
-or-
?

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

Is the wind coming dead in to shore? Or with any luck, away. Our premier [arguably] walleye lake... Lake Mil lac's is big and round and 'bout 20 miles across. On the side of the lake the waves are hitting is No mans land. At 20 mph wind speed, waves are crashing over docks. Drive around to the other side, and its basically ripples... Sorry to state the obvious...

 

[jimbo_jwc]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

Boat Guides on trailer have helped me come home after night and next windy day on lake only to find Sate Launch had to close because of wind and waves and them woundering how I got out .

 

[HollieMac]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

Great replies, some really exceptional advice here, but don't ever beach your boat unless it's already all chewed up on the bottom or you can see through the water to what is underneath the boat. It's gonna grind sand or small rocks into your finish.
it seriously affects performance and gas use, makes it harder to clean the bottom, all undesirable. And if you really don't wanna do the inflatable thing, there are front-zip drysuits that will keep you all warm and dry for that wade out to your boat. You find the self-zipping drysuits in the sailing and paddling sites like www.stohlquist.com pricey and worth every penny. You can also buy waders and a tube made to support you in waders at fishing sites. Never go out into water wearing waders without a life vest or tube though. Unless you want to spend time not breathing at the bottom of the lake while you try to get out of them.

 

[HollieMac]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

Middle TN? take me along....I need about an 8 hr notice, but will get there....There is no finer water to swim in than a TN lake..you should never have to go alone...you must not be trying to find a buddy...guess I can relate to that too

 

[emoney]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

I always keep two anchors, in the event I want the boat to stay in the same place and there's nobody to hold it. Of course, the best advice I've seen so far was drive to ramp that has a dock. One thing I do know about those Tennessee lakes is they have more than one, lol.

 

[h20skiluvr]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

Jones56,

Sounds like there are plenty of good responses, guess it depends on just how involved you want to be in getting the boat in safely.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: When is it too WINDY to put the boat in the water?

General rule is if you see White Caps, stay on shore