Launching alone

[oldjim]

First do all the things lawguy has posted. For when you are alone launching your boat get a 50ft nylon rope, put a heavy duty climbing clip on one end and make a loop with a knot on the other end. The loop fits easily Thu and around the stanchion on the front side of my Skeeter. Take the other end of the rope with the clip and fasten it to the very back side of the trailer. Stand by the trailer wheel and coil the rope and lay it on top of the trailer fender. When you back your trailer into the water get the boat floating and pull the trailer back up the ramp until the back of the trailer is out of the water. The boat will float out to the end of the rope or just stay in one spot depending on the wind. Undo the rope from the trailer and take it out on the dock if their is one, or pull boat back to shore and tie rope. If you have trouble with the rope not staying on trailer fender get sticky back non slip pad from homedepot, comes in roll about 4in wide and feels like heavy sand paper. Put a strip over trailer wheel fender and rope will stay on fender. I have used this method for years and it has worked for me every time.

Old Jim

[Bassinkorea]

Great post Old Jim, thanks for sharing 

[DBrooke]

This is a great way to launch, I use a very similar technique every time I launch, by myself or with the wife. My rope has snap lock tow hooks on both ends. 1 clips to the boats "eye" bolt, the other I have a large eyebolt mounted on the winch stand of my trailer.

[Ron Fogelson]

This is a great way to launch, I use a very similar technique every time I launch, by myself or with the wife. My rope has snap lock tow hooks on both ends. 1 clips to the boats "eye" bolt, the other I have a large eyebolt mounted on the winch stand of my trailer.

I do close to the same thing but just hold the rope in my lap as I back the truck down, boat slides off the trailer, pull the truck up just a bit, put it in park jump out and tie the boat up to the dock or pull it up to beach it if no dock.  Been doing it for about 9 years and can launch on my own about as fast as a team of two can.

[Lipripper]

I do close to the same thing but just hold the rope in my lap as I back the truck down, boat slides off the trailer, pull the truck up just a bit, put it in park jump out and tie the boat up to the dock or pull it up to beach it if no dock.  Been doing it for about 9 years and can launch on my own about as fast as a team of two can.

I can vouch for that can have seen fogy in action 

[Lawguy513]

I can vouch for that can have seen fogy in action 

As have I.  It is quite a sight.  Someone else watching commented that they were expecting his process to go wrong one day, and see him get yanked out of the truck.  I advised it would never happen because he is too darned strong for the boat to pull him!   

[Ron Fogelson]

As have I.  It is quite a sight.  Someone else watching commented that they were expecting his process to go wrong one day, and see him get yanked out of the truck.  I advised it would never happen because he is too darned strong for the boat to pull him!   

LOL that person doesn't know me  more times than not I have to step off the dock and push the boat away from it because when I jump out of the truck and pull on the rope the boat come at the dock to fast.  LOL

[Lawguy513]

Dude, I believe it! 

[DBrooke]

LOL that person doesn't know me  more times than not I have to step off the dock and push the boat away from it because when I jump out of the truck and pull on the rope the boat come at the dock to fast.  LOL

Thats has happened to me a few times, with the rope attached to boat and trailer I have accidently puled to far and beached the boat. Lucky for me though 90% of these ramps are gravel and I have a aluminum boat that repaints with the touch of a olive drab spray can. (Gotta love duck boats)

[Wildcat26]

Been launching like this for years. Only think I do differently is I lay the coiled rope on the front of the boat. Placing it so that as it pulls off it will not get hung on trolling motor.

[dandeman]

I do this with my aluminum boat except I tie the end of the rope to a tie point in the bed of my truck with a slip knot which makes it easier to reach than if I tied it anywhere on my trailer.

[ronalddipietro]

we all do it diff:...the rope trick tied to trailer works...
But I just back the rig in the waterjust far enough tol see the boat float up off the trailer, then I unhook the front and push the boat about half way off and then start and go...works for me

[pawpaw]

I use to do it that way when I could fish by myself. I had the rope break once, of cource it was in February. I swam out and got it, damn near froze to death.

[ronalddipietro]

had to happen sooner or later....I keep connected up front until I am far enough in the water...then release...NO ROPES..NO Brakes...No swimming...thanks ...

[Baron49]

Seems we all have similar variations of the same basic idea.  For me I use 50 foot of top quality rope as I do not want to go swimming if it breaks. I bought from West Marine a locking clip like mountain climbers use that has a spring loaded barrel over the pin that opens that has to be turned before the heavy duty clip will open.  This is attached to one end of the rope.  Several of the other clips I tried over the years will open if they get turned around or are pulled in the wrong direction.  This clip is attached to the eye of the boat.  A simple loop in the other end of the rope is attached to the end of my winch strap.  The rope is coiled and placed on the front part of the bow.  Into the water goes the trailer and when there is enough water to float the boat off I pull the trailer out, unhook the rope from the trailer and tie off to the dock.  When done properly the boat barely moves after it floats off the trailer and takes seconds to do and not a whole lot of practice.

[bassindude]

I watched my granddad do the rope trick 40 years ago, and started doing it with the first boat I got.  What supprises me is the number of people I see at the ramp that have no idea how to launch by themself.  A real comedy of errors, but if they seem like they would be open to a suggestion I try to help.

[celia19O5]

Well, I guess it is much more interesting to go fishing alone, is not it?
I myself have never tried it but I will do it next time....I like being alone or doing anything alone when I am upset

[screwballl]

I saw a guy at Lake Seminole a few weekends back that had the large caribeiner clips at each end of the rope, one was wrapped around a seat or secure location on boat and clipped to itself, then the other end he did the same to a T junction of the trailer frame itself. Once the boat floated he just pulled back out and the boat stayed close to the ramp/shore.

[bassamatic]

as with most i use this basic method.i clip one end to the boat and take about 20ft of rope and coil it on the nose of the boat and tie to the winch arm.throw the rest of the rope in my truck bed and back up.by backin in slow i can get out safely and reach the front of the trailer before the 20ft runs out.most ramps here have no dock and little room so to allow ur boat to float out to far is askin fer alot of paperwork.

[on_the_water]

Thanks for the tips!