Launching

[Bssmith1220]

We have a AR240 that we just bought this year, first boat ever for us. It always seems like it’s a bit of a struggle to get the boat off the trailer. I’d rather not have to power off, but it’s a pain to push sometimes. I put the trailer in to just cover the tops of the trailer fenders, is that too far in? We have no issues getting it back on with the winch at that trailer depth. Any advice?
Separately, I’ve seen some people unhook their boats from the winch before backing into the launch, and the boat slides right off when they come in. That seems crazy to me, doesn’t that risk the boat coming off before you get in the water?

 

[jgourlie]

I make sure the fenders are buried and I still have to push the boat off the trailer. I have never unhooked the winch when backing up that just scares me, but that might be the way to get it to slide off.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Bssmith1220 I do exactly as you do, when retrieving, I cover the front fender by about an inch of water and load effortlessly.

For launching, in staging I start Blower, put in clean out plugs, double check keel plug, test start each engine, open up window shield and secure and grab lines from compartment and throw down to the Admiral. Head to the ramp and figure out what side I will be taking. Unbuckle the two boat buckles in back. Remove front safety chain and also remove winch strap. I don't release the Boat Buckles and front till I am lined up on the ramp and a few feet from the water. I put a 25' line on the front cleat and a dock line on my lower tower or cleat depending on dock height. I through the mission fenders on real quick. I give both lines to the Admiral and I back in till the boat start to float and tap the break and it comes floating off no problem and then I start pulling the trailer out making sure in my side mirror that the ropes are going above my trailer guides. She then secures to dock and waits for me. Works like a charm and I don't hold up the line.

The 60" trailer guides make sure that the boat is going straight back and work for better for us then when I didn't have them.

I doubt your 3000lb boat is going to slide off the bunks. I couldn't even image how steep you would have to be for that to happen. Perhaps more experienced members could give you some insight on that.

 

[sunbyrned]

I put the fenders under also. In fact my tires are usually right at the water line. I unhook the chain and rather than unhook the winch, I release the winch with the hook still on. With the release of that tension, usually the boat just rolls right off until she’s completely floating. Then, I unhook the winch.

 

[Looper7]

I also back in to fenders are covered and about 1 foot of the bunks are still showing depending on ramp angle wife grabs the tower or a rope to control the boat and I release the tension on the wince unhook from the bow eye and give a little push and she floats right off. Take time to find your process and depth at your ramp took the whole first season for me to relax and enjoy the process but now I enjoy launching and recovering the boat. So good luck and don't beat yourself up pretty soon you will be helping others at your ramp.

 

[Beachbummer]

Spray Silicone on the bunks and watch out. Good generous helping of silicone spray on each bunk, and they become very slippery and the boat slides right off. You unhook only a foot before you want it off the trailer, then back it in that foot and step on the brakes gently...it slides right off.

 

[sunbyrned]

Spray Silicone on the bunks and watch out. Good generous helping of silicone spray on each bunk, and they become very slippery and the boat slides right off. You unhook only a foot before you want it off the trailer, then back it in that foot and step on the brakes gently...it slides right off.

Interesting. I assume that helps with trailering too. How often do you spray them?

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Beachbummer What is the rational for the Silicone? Is it something that I should be doing? Perhaps I should adjust my routine to only remove the buckles and then the safety chain while she is mostly in the water. Then back up and tap the break for her to float off.

 

[Ratket]

The Liquid Bunk stuff is no joke! I spray mine once a year. I have my wife back the trailer down untill the rear of the boat is in the water, then I unhook everything and have her back the rest of the way so the boat carries that momentum and pushes back and away from the trailer. We have a really steep ramp so it take a little finesse, especially loading. I can’t winch all the way up. If you use some type of bunk spray... DO NOT UNHOOK UNTILL THE BOAT IS MOST THE WAY IN THE WATER... because it could very easily and possibly slide off the trailer while being back down the ramp.
Also- How many people/ how much weigh I. The boat when Launching. I took out 9 People once... I will never launch my boat or load it on the trailer with that many people ever again.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I don't launch with anyone in the boat, unless the dock is really messed up and I need to drive it off and the Admiral tries to park the truck and trailer.

 

[Crob83]

@Beachbummer What is the rational for the Silicone? Is it something that I should be doing? Perhaps I should adjust my routine to only remove the buckles and then the safety chain while she is mostly in the water. Then back up and tap the break for her to float off.

I don't see the point of waiting to release the boat buckles when it is the water, I take them off as soon as I pull up on the ramp area after prepping the boat. The boats not going to go anywhere when the winch and safety chain are still connected going down a ramp, but to each their own. If it's works for you then go far it

 

[Bssmith1220]

Thanks for the responses. So far my wife doesn’t want to back the trailer or drive the boat so I’m stuck doing both. I haven’t thought about getting it close to the water, unhooking, and letting her do the last foot or two and hit the brakes. That sounds like something to try.

 

[Crob83]

Thanks for the responses. So far my wife doesn’t want to back the trailer or drive the boat so I’m stuck doing both. I haven’t thought about getting it close to the water, unhooking, and letting her do the last foot or two and hit the brakes. That sounds like something to try.

My wife did not want to either at first, I gave her a choice, one or the other! She picked launching and putting the boat on trailer, she is pretty good at it now. She did have minor incident the first try by herself and hit the dock a tad to hard with the front of the boat, but nothing major.

 

[Beachbummer]

The logic is to make the bunks more slippery. I prefer to hand crank the boat out for greater control. I work way less with slick bunks.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

We have a AR240 that we just bought this year, first boat ever for us. It always seems like it’s a bit of a struggle to get the boat off the trailer. I’d rather not have to power off, but it’s a pain to push sometimes. I put the trailer in to just cover the tops of the trailer fenders, is that too far in? We have no issues getting it back on with the winch at that trailer depth. Any advice?
Separately, I’ve seen some people unhook their boats from the winch before backing into the launch, and the boat slides right off when they come in. That seems crazy to me, doesn’t that risk the boat coming off before you get in the water?

@Bssmith1220 respectfully suggest that you do not unhook before being over water. I have seen a boat slide off its trailer and land on the concrete launch ramp: $500 to get a crane in, tied-up ramp for others and I'm sure at least $2,000.00 in repairs + loss of boat while being repaired. Also do not recommend powering off the trailer: hard on engine, hull and IMO possible loss of control is dangerous. Back in as far as you need to. If you have brakes that must be connected to avoid reverse brake lock, look to see if you have the manual pin and slot to lock the reverse braking out - that way you can disconnect your electrical hook-up to your vehicle and keep it all dry. Hand at six o'clock on your steering wheel and turn in the direction you want to go. Take your time and don't let anyone rush you. Do it right or do it fast - pick one!

 

[bthessel]

Everyone and everything on board, rear buckles off, safety chain off, plugs double checked, fan on before hitting the turn around. I back down till the fenders are covered. By the time I jump out of the expedition my wife has the engines started. I let loose the winch and she powers off and I am back in the vehicle and gone to park.
Our ramp that we use can get busy and is a single trailer at a time, you will get a hard time from others (mostly from people you know) if you mess around at the bottom of the ramp.
When retrieving I sometimes don’t back as deep if there is a crosswind or a lot of wakes hitting the ramp area. With the Fulton F2 as long as my wife gets it lined up I can winch it all the way up.
At this point my wife is better than I am at putting the boat on the trailer. Which she reminds me often ?

 

[212s]

Thanks for the responses. So far my wife doesn’t want to back the trailer or drive the boat so I’m stuck doing both. I haven’t thought about getting it close to the water, unhooking, and letting her do the last foot or two and hit the brakes. That sounds like something to try.

NEVER unhook the winch or safety until you're ready to release the boat into the water - never know when a young child or pet will run behind the trailer and you hammer the brakes and the boat slides back. Bad day at the ramp right there.

This is us basically - we get the boat ready to launch, I back up the boat and my wife takes the dock lines and I back into the water, gently stop when the fenders are just in the water, unhook the winch/safety, then back in another 6 inches and poke the brakes - the boat slides off the trailer and the wife pulls it to the dock to tie up while I park. Retrieval is basically the opposite (power loading here is illegal) where I back in until the rear of the bunks are just under water, then pull the boat with the dock lines into the bunks, pull the winch strap to the boat and crank it up. It won't get all the way on the trailer yet but at this point the bunks have guided the boat straight in and now I back in another foot and can easily crank the winch till the bow hits the tower - and we're done. Pull the boat out, remove fenders, lines, turn off batteries, put cover on, go home.

Interesting note...been boating for many years and my wife has had little interest in driving the boat although she has her pleasure craft license. Until we bought the jetboat. After seeing me have so much fun with the boat, spinning around, punching it through our own wake, driving like a dick, etc., she now has a new interest - I think she is now getting the "boat fever" I've had for years. LOL

 

[Inthrustwetrust]

We have a AR240 that we just bought this year, first boat ever for us. It always seems like it’s a bit of a struggle to get the boat off the trailer. I’d rather not have to power off, but it’s a pain to push sometimes. I put the trailer in to just cover the tops of the trailer fenders, is that too far in? We have no issues getting it back on with the winch at that trailer depth. Any advice?
Separately, I’ve seen some people unhook their boats from the winch before backing into the launch, and the boat slides right off when they come in. That seems crazy to me, doesn’t that risk the boat coming off before you get in the water?

I would try backing it in a little further. I get the fenders submerged and probably go back another foot or two. Once the fenders are in the water I’m looking for the boat to be floating before my truck touches the salt water.

Once I get in the parking lot my pre launch routine includes unbuckling rear straps, and letting a couple inches of slack out of the winch and re lock the winch. Back her down, using the process I said above, undo the winch strap and safety chain and give it a little shove. Usually it’s just a little harder of a push than if you were pushing off a dock. I do this all alone so this is what works for me, and in my mind seems to be the safest way.

 

[Babin Farms]

It always seems like it’s a bit of a struggle to get the boat off the trailer. I’d rather not have to power off, but it’s a pain to push sometimes. I put the trailer in to just cover the tops of the trailer fenders, is that too far in? Any advice?
Separately, I’ve seen some people unhook their boats from the winch before backing into the launch, and the boat slides right off when they come in. That seems crazy to me, doesn’t that risk the boat coming off before you get in the water?

The most simple answer is to back into the water farther to get the boat floating so your not sitting on the bunks.

Unhooking winch- If the ramp is steep I loosen the strap but leave hooked until boat is starting to go in the water. If the ramp is NOT steep I will unhook before backing down ramp. Make all of your movements when backing the trailer fluid, no jerking or hitting the brakes hard. There is no reason to leave your rear straps on once your at the marina, the front strap is all you need hooked if your worried about it slipping off the trailer.

 

[ShesCrafty]

I would try backing it in a little further. I get the fenders submerged and probably go back another foot or two. Once the fenders are in the water I’m looking for the boat to be floating before my truck touches the salt water.

Once I get in the parking lot my pre launch routine includes unbuckling rear straps, and letting a couple inches of slack out of the winch and re lock the winch. Back her down, using the process I said above, undo the winch strap and safety chain and give it a little shove. Usually it’s just a little harder of a push than if you were pushing off a dock. I do this all alone so this is what works for me, and in my mind seems to be the safest way.

Yep. This is how it’s done.