Solo launching...

[BassmanIU]

Well, I believe I'm going to make my first "solo" launch tomorrow. How do y'all do it? Should I tie a rope to the boat (i'll have one tied regardless) and push it off the trailer or get in the boat and motor over to the dock? Any other tips or things I should be aware of?

 

[drumking]

When I launch solo, I have an anchor that weighs a ton and I have about 35' of rope on it. What I do is get the boat unhitched. Back the trailer down to the edge of the water. Set the anchor out, pull all the rope out of the boat and lay it to the side so I don't run over it with my tires, ease that baby into the water and float the boat off. I pull the truck out and have it parked and back down to the water before the boat even settles down sometimes. emoGeezer Grab the rope, pull the boat back to you, load the anchor back into the boat, climb into the boat, stow all the rope, and start the engine. Oh, btw, I have carabiners on either end of the rope and I just clip them to the anchor and to the cleat on the side of my boat. This works the best for me. Just pray that you don't go fishing in 30 mph winds. No telling where the boat may bang into rocks, etc. Tilt the motor up so that you can pull the boat back without getting the foot stuck in the mud and you have to go wading.

 

[BassmanIU]

Thanks! I also took your advice and went shopping today. Bought 2 new "crappie-only" combos and some hi-vis yellow line and all the tubes and jigheads I could find. Thanks for the launch info. Hopefully I can nab a few fish tomorrow.

Corey

 

[EricM]

Tip #1: Launch while nobody else is watching.
Tip #2: Tie a rope to SOMETHING or else tip #1 will imediately become invalid and you will have an audience helping you watch your boat sail off to anywhere but where you launched.
Tip # 3: Do not completely strip to go get your boat or the audience will double.
Tip # 4: Do not post the results of your launch experience. The audience will do it for you, and in much greater detail then you'd prefer.

 

[EricM]

I have a bass boat (smells like catfish) that I launch alone. I loosen the winch a couple of turns and back in just far enough (practice) to take the weight off of the trailer, step on the hitch & disconnect, and start and drive off. I have installed a keel protector and can just punch the boat back onto the ramp - don't need a dock. Good luck and don't get discouraged. There is a learning curve. (Where are you going? We'd like to join the audience.)

 

[Roba22]

This is something I hate to do but have found a trick that works for me. Something along the same lines as listed above. I have a jeep with a back lift hatch. I lift the hatch and have a 25' rope that I hook one end to the boat and one to the tie downs in the back of the jeep. i lay the rope in the back of the jeep and back her down. I let her float off the trailer and then I pull up real fast just to get the back end out of the water. (so I don't have to wade to get the rope) ... She will float back some but never take all the line before I can get back to it and pull back to me. I unhook from the jeep and pull the boat over to the bank and tie off. Then jump back in and go park. I like the anchor idea and may add that to this as I have found some places where I can't tie off at. So an anchor would be nice. good idea. When I had my truck I would just tie off to a hook I had on the bed and it was real easy then. With the jeep I had to re-think things a little. I have gotten pretty quick if all things go well. But you know how it is when your in a line of guys all trying to launch for a TX. they hate to see a solo jump in line.

 

[CRAZYHORSE]

sounds like drumking has it nailed!! I do it just like that except i tie my rope to something on land, like a tree or dock. my rope is 75ft long. just tie off to something solid, back it in till it floats, park the truck, pull the boat to you , push off and jump in and boogie. cominig in i just bank it (easily with motor up) and tie off. back truck in then back in the boat and load it. this is all very easy unless the wind is howling.

crazyhorse

 

[BassmanIU]

Thanks for the tips...I haven't decided on where I'm going, but wherever it is, there will be a dock. I'm just gonna tie my rope to the boat and then to my truck and float the boat and "walk" it to the dock where I can jump in after parking the truck. I need to get a keel protector on before I feel comfortable with beaching it.

 

[SNUFFY]

I DO MINE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WAY.... FIRST I NEVER UNHOOK UNTIL THE BACK OF THE THE BOAT IS OVER THE WATER JUST IN CASE IT DECIDES TO UNLOAD ITSELF WHEN I UNHOOK IT...NEVER HAS BUUUTTT..... THEN I I TIE MY 30' ROPE TO THE FRONT CLEAT AND AS I GO OUT TO THE TIE OFF ON THE DOCK I FLIP THE ROPE OVER THE REAR CLEAT AND THEN TIE OFF...THIS KEEPS THE ROPE FROM POSSIBLY HANGING ON THE GUIDE BUNK ON THE SIDE OF THE TRAILER... BACK IT IN AND PARK THE TRUCK...
AND NO.... MY BOAT NEVER TOUCHES THE BANK.... MAYBE 2-3 TIMES IN 11 YEARS...FIBERGLASS AND ROCKS ..EVEN LITTLE ONES JUST DON`T MIX WELL....

 

[Liveliner]

You need someone there to watch you while you do it yourself. That person should have done it and be experianced enough to coach you. Solo without knowledge is asking for a hole in your boat. Or at least a big ugly scrape.

 

[Fat Albert]

EricM - 3/26/2007 7:29 PM Tip #1: Launch while nobody else is watching. Tip #2: Tie a rope to SOMETHING or else tip #1 will imediately become invalid and you will have an audience helping you watch your boat sail off to anywhere but where you launched. Tip # 3: Do not completely strip to go get your boat or the audience will double. Tip # 4: Do not post the results of your launch experience. The audience will do it for you, and in much greater detail then you'd prefer.

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<font color="#ff0099">Eric, now that's funny....maybe not a funny as you falling in the water while landing a big catfish, but funny.....FA</font></p>

 

[Guest]

It's more of getting comfortable doing what works for you. Every boat and boater is a little different. As well as every ramp is a little different. You may have to experiment a little to see what works for you. Just take your time and try a couple different things till you get comfortable. Be careful.

 

[MooseKnuckle]

I end up launching solo most of the time. I keep a 3' rope with snaps on both ends in the boat. If there is a dock, I back down to where the boat floats, then unhook the front tie down and just snap the rope to the cleat on my boat and the other end to a cleat on the dock. With the short rope I don't have to worry about it being tangled up.

 

[minner]

You haven't lived until you launch solo in a dam tailrace .

.......I hate doing that in my glass boat..........the aluminum one was no problem.