Before Leave the House
- Prior to departing for the boat ramp on your weekend fishing trip, think about the preparations that need to be made. Picture yourself at the boat ramp. What lines do I need on the boat and where do I need them? Where are those lines right now? Are they neatly stored, or are they a tangled mess?
I’ve seen boats launched by backing the trailer to the water while the fishing buddy holds the anchor line. One end of the line is tied to the bow cleat; the loop of anchor line is in his hand; and, the anchor is still in the boat. The partner has a double length of rope in his hand coming from the bow area of the boat. The driver backs up; the boat leaves the trailer; and more line is needed. As the partner tries to pull more anchor line out of the boat, it tangles. I’ve seen partners go into the water because the line is tangled inside the boat – actually pulled into the water by the boat. I’ve also seen them let go of the line and watch the boat drift away. Neither scenario is good!
- You have a boat – obviously you can afford to spend at least a little money! So – why not invest in a couple of launching/dock lines? Any marine store sells them – precut and terminated on both ends in lengths from six feet to thirty feet and every length in between. Some are even color infused with a blue, green or red tracer fiber – just so you know which line is which.
- Wrap and store the lines in an accessible place on the boat so you can quickly put them to use at the ramp.
- PUT THE PLUG IN THE TRANSOM. Did you notice that this is in all caps? Everyone has done it at least once in their life – “it” being launching their boat with the plug out. This circus act can be witnessed at least once on a weekend at a large launching facility!
- Make a last check for the ignition key, a charged battery (there is nothing harmful, in my humble opinion, about turning the engine over a couple of times in the driveway to make sure the battery is good – just don’t allow the engine to start), all the dock lines, and – oh – that the plug is in!
In Line at the Launch Ramp
- Don’t wait until you are backed down to the water to get your lines out and get your supplies on board. On a weekend at a large ramp, you have plenty of time to do all this while you wait your turn in line.
- Leave one person behind the vehicle wheel to move your rig forward as the line progresses. The other anglers can help load things into the boat, tie the dock lines on the boat, and make sure the drain plug is in place.
- The most frustrating thing for other anglers waiting to launch is to watch someone wait until they back the trailer to the water to even begin to load the boat and get the lines in place. DO IT WHILE YOU ARE IN LINE WAITING TO LAUNCH!!
Ready to Launch
- As you get to the end of the line – your next! – make sure to get the stern tie downs off the boat – once again a circus act follows launching a boat with the aft tie downs still in place!
- Leave the bow connected to the trailer tie down while you back the trailer to the water. I’ve seen more than one boat slide off the trailer onto a steep ramp while being backed down to the water!
Some people have applied silicon spray to the carpeted runners on their trailers so the boat will slide from the trailer more quickly. If you do that, it is even more important to leave the bow connected. Anglers whose trailers have rollers also need to be careful. Rollers can be worse than carpeted runners!
- If you launch next to a dock, have your partner walk back with the boat. One line should be on the bow cleat and a second line should be on a stern cleat. He can walk the boat right back to the dock as it launches, using the lies to guide the boat. You, on the other hand can simply drive off to the parking lot with your trailer – safely and quickly out of the way of other boaters waiting to launch.
- Some large launch ramps do not have a dock, so a longer bow line is required. Allow the boat to come off the trailer while your partner handles the bow line. As you drive off the ramp your partner can pull the boat back to him, perpendicular to the ramp. He can either hold the bow there and wait for you to return, or – if you know your engine will start easily – he can push off the ramp, climb aboard and start the engine.
- In any case, do not allow the launched boat to breech and sit sideways on the ramp. That takes up needed launch room and can damage the boat’s bottom.
- Some boaters back in and float their boats off the trailer. Others back down until the tires on the trailer just reach the water, and then use the winch to slowly back the trailer off and into the water. There’s nothing wrong with that – it can increase trailer life by not submerging the trailer in saltwater. But, it is more time consuming, making it even more important to be totally prepared during the launch.
