Ramp N Clamp

[Txjetter17]

Has anyone installed this on the yamaha? Package just came in and I see that the u-bolt has to be changed out. Is this possible? Not sure how to access the inside of it.

 

[Noko]

Has anyone installed this on the yamaha? Package just came in and I see that the u-bolt has to be changed out. Is this possible? Not sure how to access the inside of it.

I've installed this. I don't remember a U bolt. I thought it went where the bow roller is on the trailer. I thought all I had to do was remove the bow stop roller and put the ramp n clamp where the roller was.

 

[Txjetter17]

Maybe they redisgned it but it has an extended u-bolt now.

 

[CAM212SS]

the bow hook has to be changed in order for the ramp-n-clamp to catch it. very simple to do. access through the anchor locker. no issues

 

[Noko]

That I did, change the Ubolt on the bow. Perhaps @Txjetter17 thats the Ubolt you are talking about?

 

[Ronnie]

I think it's called the bow eye.

FYI - Just got a used ramp n clamp from another member here and plan to replace my boat buddy II with it the next time I hit the water. I hope it's worth the effort, time on the water is precious.

 

[scokill]

I think it's called the bow eye.

FYI - Just got a used ramp n clamp from another member here and plan to replace my boat buddy II with it the next time I hit the water. I hope it's worth the effort, time on the water is precious.

I've had the ramp and clamp for a couple of years. It's definitely worth it but you really have to have the trailer at the optimum depth when you retrieve.....that is shallow enough for the bunks to self straighten the boat, and deep enough to allow for powerloading the boat to get it to where the ramp n clamp will catch the bow eye without too much throttle or not making it to the ramp n clamp. If you have to winch it defeats the purpose of the ramp and clamp.

Also, when launching I go ahead and disengage the ramp n clamp and keep the strap and safety cable engaged and launch as if I didn't have it vs disengaging when the boat is in the water. I've found the pressure of the boat on the ramp n clam makes it difficult to raise the disengage lever and I've bent the lever. They sent me a replacement but now I'm careful.

 

[Ronnie]

The ramp n clamp sounds a lot like the boat buddy II and your processes is the same as mine which has worked well for me so I'm going to stick with it. I didn't realize that the lever is subject to bending (on the boat buddy the pin is the weak link). I will verify that the boat buddy bow eye is at least the same length as the ramp n clamps before I make the switch this weekend.

 

[scokill]

The ramp n clamp sounds a lot like the boat buddy II and your processes is the same as mine which has worked well for me so I'm going to stick with it. I didn't realize that the lever is subject to bending (on the boat buddy the pin is the weak link). I will verify that the boat buddy bow eye is at least the same length as the ramp n clamps before I make the switch this weekend.
View attachment 56030

The lever itself It is not the most sturdy of materials or design...but when there is pressure on the clamp mechanism from the bow eye, like when the boat is angling down the ramp, it is harder to disengage. Maybe it's just me but it can bend. I had to use a screwdrive to insert in the hole and release the bow eye. The rest of the design and materials seem bullet proof.

 

[CAM212SS]

The lever itself It is not the most sturdy of materials or design...but when there is pressure on the clamp mechanism from the bow eye, like when the boat is angling down the ramp, it is harder to disengage. Maybe it's just me but it can bend. I had to use a screwdrive to insert in the hole and release the bow eye. The rest of the design and materials seem bullet proof.

you have to release the tension first if it is too difficult to release by itself... do this by winching the strap a little tighter at the same time you can disengage the ramp-n-clamp

 

[scokill]

you have to release the tension first if it is too difficult to release by itself... do this by winching the strap a little tighter at the same time you can disengage the ramp-n-clamp

Good advice!

 

[Ronnie]

Good advice!

Agree and thanks. Although I will continue to launch with the mechanism open, I'm still disappointed that it is not likely to work as well as the videos I have seen portray it to where launching is concerned. I got a great price and will have it or the boat buddy ii as a spare so I'm grateful and not complaining about now know quirks of both devices.

 

[Ronnie]

Here is a link to a short (1 min.) video I put together showing the BB II and Ramp N Clamp in use.

 

[VONCE]

So which is recommended? I really would like one of these. It's a big struggle when I am boating by myself or with my wife only - I don't have as much strength as I used to and I get winded really easily. I guess those bone marrow transplants will do that to ya, lol. It's extremely tiresome for me to winch the boat and/or jump in and out of it and the truck trying to get things just right. Wife isn't comfortable doing much of anything. I have a few friends who have helped me get the process down to a science (each person has a task... we are in/out of the ramp in 2 minutes or less). But they don't always boat with me.

 

[scokill]

Here is a link to a short (1 min.) video I put together showing the BB II and Ramp N Clamp in use.

It looks like you have the MFI trailer without the bow stop welded. Getting it welded will make it easier and stop the flexing. The construction of the ramp and clamp is much, much better than boat buddy. My friend has a boat buddy on his Mastercraft and it still works but looks half destroyed. The urethane stop offers a lot of protection. What helps is polishing/waxing the urethane, having bunk slides helps even more. To be honest my brother in law is better at loading the boat than I am. I'm the only one who can back the trailer and we go to the lake together a lot. Not to say I'm bad at it, and I do help guide him in to where he literally can just come in at speed enough to almost get to ramp n clamp and then kiss the throttle to lock it in. We take about 20-30 seconds at the ramp at most.

 

[Ronnie]

@scokill , I can't weld and didn't have time to take it to a welder so I bolted through my bow stop at three points. As long as I use the boat buddy ii or ramp n clamp before I secure the winch hook the boat never moves away from the bow stop.

If I prep properly, I can load the boat, pull it up a little, secure the boat buckles and be on the way home in less than a minute but that rarely happens.

 

[Ronnie]

@VONCE , I like both but from memory the ramp n clamp costs over twice as much as the bb ii. Both work best with trailer guides and I have crack the cover on the bb ii by hitting it at the wrong angle (pre trailer guides). This exposes the bare metal frame to the hull but the cover is the only part that is sold separately on the bb ii. The bb ii cover is like thick plasti dip where as the ramp n clamp is like a stoltz roller material.

Here are some picks of both units. Another altenative for you to consider is the auto loading system that uses an electric winch, trailer guides and a cable system that is activated when the bow of the boat hits a cable that crosses the back of the trailer between the trailer guides.

 

[scokill]

@scokill , I can't weld and didn't have time to take it to a welder so I bolted through my bow stop at three points. As long as I use the boat buddy ii or ramp n clamp before I secure the winch hook the boat never moves away from the bow stop.

If I prep properly, I can load the boat, pull it up a little, secure the boat buckles and be on the way home in less than a minute but that rarely happens.

I used it unwelded for years and didn't have an issue with boat moving....it's flexing during loading. And while it wasn't an issue it certainly much better with absolute zero flex.

 

[VONCE]

@VONCE , I like both but from memory the ramp n clamp costs over twice as much as the bb ii. Both work best with trailer guides and I have crack the cover on the bb ii by hitting it at the wrong angle (pre trailer guides). This exposes the bare metal frame to the hull but the cover is the only part that is sold separately on the bb ii. The bb ii cover is like thick plasti dip where as the ramp n clamp is like a stoltz roller material.

Here are some picks of both units. Another altenative for you to consider is the auto loading system that uses an electric winch, trailer guides and a cable system that is activated when the bow of the boat hits a cable that crosses the back of the trailer between the trailer guides.

@Ronnie thanks for the advice. Which one of those are you giving me? It looks like they are already in boxes, ready to be shipped. Need my address? LOL, JK.

My lord, an automated setup with an electronic winch? Where do I get one of these!? Does the winch run off the truck battery or the boat battery? Surely the pin in the trailer harness isn't capable of passing that much amperage. Guess you'd need a dedicated trailer battery or some kind of heavy duty 12v connector (like for a snow plow) to run off the truck. Hmmmmmm.... Wonder how much those winches cost? It doesn't have to be "automated." I'm capable of clipping the cable to the bow eye and pushing a button. The manual winch kicks my arse though (when not power loading). Really wears me out, even when I dunk the trailer extra deep. Guess this boat is heavy!

 

[Ronnie]

@VONCE, I'm keeping the bb ii as a spare, I've been using it for over 4 seasons now at least. To complete my recommendation, ramp n clamp if cost is not a factor, otherwise bb ii.

Here is a link to a video of the auto boat loader in action, there are many other videos available detailing the components and install. I have only seen it in videos and no idea what it costs but suspect it's around $600 for just the parts.