putting your boat in by yourself

[cd1]

The lake I fish most often is a big flood control reservoir.  The launch I normally use has a sandy beach right next to the launch and when i'm by myself I unload, beach the boat, then walk back and move the truck.  I have an 18.5 foot aluminum hull so I'm OK with beaching on this sandy area. 

I went out yesterday and discovered that they've let so much water out of the reservoir that the ramp I normally use is bone dry.  This leaves me with few good options for launching solo.  The ramp I ultimately used yesterday is a concrete ramp flanked by a few hundred yards of big rip-rap.  There is no good place to beach the boat while I move the truck.

I don't want to tie the boat up at the bottom of the ramp and let it bang into the concrete and rip-rap while I move the truck.  Not sure what the best procedure is under these circumstances.  Any thoughts?

[GotstaFish]

Get a Minn Kota Terrova with I-Pilot and you can spot lock the boat till you get back and then drive it to you via remote control when you get back

[pawpaw]

Get a Minn Kota Terrova with I-Pilot and you can spot lock the boat till you get back and then drive it to you via remote control when you get back

Man, I allways wanted to do that with people around and hiding the remote. 

[GotstaFish]

Man, I allways wanted to do that with people around and hiding the remote. 

A friend of mine did that up in Canada a few weeks ago. He let his boat drift away from the dock and when some others yelled "Hey, you boat is drifting away" he had the remote in his pocket, whistled and drove the boat right to him. Needless to say their jaws dropped half way to the ground as he boarded the boat and said "good girl" 

[clarker2000]

Why dont you get a pair of waders and anchor your boat just off the side of the rip rap.  Then walk out to it and roll from there. 

[cd1]

Why dont you get a pair of waders and anchor your boat just off the side of the rip rap.  Then walk out to it and roll from there.

I may have to do that once it gets colder.  I'm starting to think that I'll tie a bow line to the rip-rap with about 10 feet of slack...then i'll get on-board and throw and anchor astern.  I'll pull back toward the anchor until the bowline is tight then tie off.  At that point I should be within 10 feet of the bank and I'l be able to wade ashore and move the truck.

The high end trolling motor sounds cool too.  After looking at the price and thinking about it I realized that a power-pole anchor might fit the bill too.  Hmmm....

[GotstaFish]

But you won't have to get wet with the TM  The spot lock feature is way cool! Like having an auto anchor with no rope or extra weight.

[Broskee]

But you won't have to get wet with the TM  The spot lock feature is way cool! Like having an auto anchor with no rope or extra weight.

but wouldn't that drain your battery faster, as it constantly goes back and forth changing speeds in such?

[cd1]

But you won't have to get wet with the TM  The spot lock feature is way cool! Like having an auto anchor with no rope or extra weight.

I like the thinking!  I'll have to do some more research on that TM.  I've had the itch to buy something recently anyway. 

[Bassinkorea]

I like the thinking! I'll have to do some more research on that TM.  I've had the itch to buy something recently anyway.

Me too 

[Broskee]

why not buy the minn kota talon :D that thing is NICE