Anyone boat alone? Launch and retrieve Solo?

[Wake Havasu]

How difficult is it?

How about docking?

[boater]

I do all the time on the river close to the house. there is no dock to tie up to so what I do is befor I launch I have the anchor ready in the bow, pull the boat away form any traffic, plant the anchor, move the truck. (rocky bottom so I push it out a little) I can do this all with in 2 or 3 min. Samething at the end of the day.
Thank about it is your turn for the ramp. take you time ,go as slow as you need too and geter don. SPEED WILL COME WITH TIME

[Zacky]

It's not too bad. I would not recomend doing this on a busy day at the dock. It takes a little more time and your boat will be taking up space at the dock (if you are using a dock) and you will probably upset people who are waiting to launch/retrieve.

Launching is easy alone. Just back it down next to the dock (again if you use a dock). Keep the trailer strap on the bow hook. Once the boat is floating, unhook it and tie it off to the dock.

Coming in to the dock alone is a little tricky. I usually come in at about a 45 degree angle on the starboard side. Once the bow is about to make contact with the dock, drop it in reverse and let the rear slide to the dock. If you do it right, the bow WILL NOT make contact with the dock. Once the rear is close enough, kill the motor, jump out on to the dock and grab the boat. You have to do this pretty fast to prevent hitting the dock. I will grab the boat by the tower, then tie it off.

The most important part is the angle on approach to the dock, and how close you get to the dock before putting it in reverse. If it is done right, when you jump out, the boat will already be parallel to the dock. If you throw it in reverse too soon, the rear will make it to the dock, but the bow will drift too far away from the dock. Next thing you know you are sideways at the dock and people are cussing you out...

[Wake Havasu]

Daniel of Corona Water Sports is a master at the : 45 Degree angle approach - throw her into reverse - procedure.

I have a ways to go!

[Zacky]

Be sure to throw the bumpers out first, that way if you smack the dock you will have some protection. Go find a floating toilet or a 5mph marker somewhere on your lake. Practice pulling up next to that...

[CP3]

I find that 45 is just alittle too steep, I go with about a 30 degree angle. How fast do you come in.

[Wake Havasu]

Originally posted by CP3
I find that 45 is just alittle too steep, I go with about a 30 degree angle. How fast do you come in.

CP3 I come in s l o w .

I am very patient and come in slow to dock and load.

[xpjim1]

I do solo but a little differently. I launch at Cattail Cove on Havasu usually early. I have a 60 foot rope off the transom hook and bumpers out. I back up to the edge of the water, throw the rope to the dock. Then I back the boat till it floats, walk to the dock and pull the rope to bring the boat to me and tie off to the dock and go park the truck. When I come in I tie to the dock with the 60 foot rope off the bow hook, I tie the rope off the dock ramp, get the truck, back in, untie the boat and pull the boat on the trailer. All in all if little to light wind works well. I have been using this system for years with or without help as my wife will not back the truck or drive the boat in.

[NICKYPOO]

xpjim, what if you die or get busted up out on the water with your family in the boat? Are they just going to beach it and leave it? Who does the driving when you ride? I've found that women make great boat drivers. If they srew up they know they will never hear the end of it from their (boat) loving husbands.

[RZMike]

Originally posted by NICKYPOO
I've found that women make great boat drivers. If they srew up they know they will never hear the end of it from their (boat) loving husbands.

Sounds familar. I must admitt my wife now drives better than I do. It took almost 2 seasons and a perfect pass installation before she got the hang of it though.

[xpjim1]

My wife has driven the boat before and will drive in an emergency. She will not pull anyone. On busy ramp days she will pull the truck down and ask someone to back it down the ramp. This year I get to train my daughter on driving the boat and backing trailers. She has no fear. If i want to board I will go out with friends. Hopefully my daughter will be a quick study

[Tequilasun]

Last year I ended up having to use this proceedure as the family was all on the houseboat waiting for me. We have two ramps across the cove from each other, one is the commercial ramp, lots of bass master traffic, the other is harder to find by land, but is a nice ramp..the catch, there is no dock anywhere near. Here's what I did.

Because the main ramp was really busy with weekenders, I didn't want to tie it up with my one man launch tactics so.

1: Pull up to ramp staging area, put boat keys in boat, remove bow strap.

2: Back trailer down slowly, until boat floats, tap brakes. Tige gently floats away.

3: Drive truck up ramp quickly, checking the Tige in the rearview mirror often.

4: Park truck (straight away from ramp...Lucky spot )

5: Run down ramp while putting truck keys in plastic zip lock bag.

6: Dive in and swim to Tige.

7: Try to start Tige and freak out when it won't start!!!!

8: Remember that you forgot to switch over Perko Switch, and idle off.

I did it all in just a couple of minutes, the longest step was the last one

[NICKYPOO]

xpjim,

Damn, I'm sorry dude. I honestly feel bad for you. One thing I absolutely love about my wife is the way she handles herself and the boat at the ramp. She has gotten way better than me and she knows it. Before we bought the boat she had only been in one a few times let alone drive or tow somebody or dock or load or anything. She was terrified. Now she is an ace and I can't think of a bigger turn on. I absolutely beam with pride when I see her perfectly timing the launch/retreive process. My only reason for writing this is that mabey you will have your wife read it and be inspired to overcome her fears and allow you to know the joy of having the ultimate wife. Or mabey just get the hell out of my way at the ramp.

I hope you don't take this the wrong way, it's all in good fun.

[Wake Havasu]

Originally posted by draginass

2: Back trailer down slowly, until boat floats, tap brakes. Tige gently floats away.

LMAO!

WOW!

[Matt Garcia]

Originally posted by draginass
Last year I ended up having to use this proceedure as the family was all on the houseboat waiting for me. We have two ramps across the cove from each other, one is the commercial ramp, lots of bass master traffic, the other is harder to find by land, but is a nice ramp..the catch, there is no dock anywhere near. Here's what I did.

Because the main ramp was really busy with weekenders, I didn't want to tie it up with my one man launch tactics so.

1: Pull up to ramp staging area, put boat keys in boat, remove bow strap.

2: Back trailer down slowly, until boat floats, tap brakes. Tige gently floats away.

3: Drive truck up ramp quickly, checking the Tige in the rearview mirror often.

4: Park truck (straight away from ramp...Lucky spot )

5: Run down ramp while putting truck keys in plastic zip lock bag.

6: Dive in and swim to Tige.

7: Try to start Tige and freak out when it won't start!!!!

8: Remember that you forgot to switch over Perko Switch, and idle off.

I did it all in just a couple of minutes, the longest step was the last one

WOW! That is some work and guts there! Props to you!