When backing down some boat ramps I loose track of my trailer. I have ext cab pickup and when the ramp is steep enough I loose site of it till the truck gets lined up. Is there any of you that this happens to ? I see they make a Load Launcher that bolts on the trailer and sticks up so you can see, but its a little pricey. Any suggestions out there ?
Thanks
Mike 
Back with the tailgate down and look out the back window if you lose sight of the trailer
Use your side mirrors. It takes practice, but when you see them going too far one way or the other, you know where to go from there. Remember, when backing a trailer, little movements of your steering wheel equal big movements in your trailer placement.
You don’t need to buy anything for your boat to back down steep ramps. Your boat already comes with this “accessory.” 
There’s one ramp in particular that I launch at on occasion that puts the driver in the same scenario. The ramp is incredibly steep and you have to work the trailer through a turn as you back down the ramp. Once the trailer goes “over the edge” and down the ramp there’s no way to see what the trailer’s doing until the truck itself starts down the ramp. By the time the truck starts down the ramp and the boat again becomes visible… if you were off a little at the top now things are WAY out of whack and you need to start over.
Unless you put the light pole for the nav light in the socket at the rear of the boat.
Most light poles are more than tall enough to be seen in either the rear view or side mirrors making it easy to track the progress of the boat as it is backed down the ramp. At night this little aid is particularly effective if you turn on the running lights. It is hard to misplace a glowing orb on a 4′ pole sitting on top of the rear of your rig.
Every boat has one which makes it handy. And it only takes seconds to install / remove which makes it a perfect solution for those rare launches at a steep ramp.
Thanks…..I was really talking about when there’s no boat on the trailer. Just like James said ” when the trailer goes over the edge” your in a blind spot, then when your doing it at night , its kindof panic time for a few seconds.
Oh well..most of the time I’m in the boat anyway and my buddy has to figger it out. 
If your trailer has side bunks you could easily rig a mount to hold a wooden dowl with a rag or flag affixed to the top to aid in keeping track of the trailer. Or put the light pole in the mount since you already carry that with you.
But like you said… if this is your buddy’s problem… its your buddy’s problem…
what about loading 
with my old truck I could not see the trailer in the side mirrors till it was to late and so far out of wack that I had to start over 
so I got a spring clamp from Home Depot and a 5′ long piece of WHITE PVC pipe,(so you can see it at night) I bolted the clamp on the pipe with the pinch area up, so I could clamp it on the fender 
worked great
If you have a steel trailer you could use a magnetic base and flag.
http://www.allmagnetics.com/hardware/holding.htm
Scroll down to D. Part No. 07206
$8 for the magnetic base. With the threaded insert adding a fiberglass whip with reflective orange safety flag at the top would be cheap-cheap and would work well.
Bike Safety Flag from Ace. $4 and change >>> Bike Flag
you guys should try the backing thing with a dually. You normally only see the boat trailer if it is off track. I gotta leave the tailgate down. 
the clocks must be off. I am making this post at 6:24 am. 
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Use your side mirrors. It takes practice, but when you see them going too far one way or the other, you know where to go from there. Remember, when backing a trailer, little movements of your steering wheel equal big movements in your trailer placement.
I second this one. Too many people back up trailers and don’t use their side mirrors.
I either use the mirrors or sometimes stick my head out the window like ace ventura in pet detective.
Tailgate tip works ok if you have enough distance between gate and winch support.
Buddy system works pretty good as well if you can come up with a signalling system. Or the good ole process of getting out and in a bunch of times.
As for bike flags… you won’t catch me hooking one of those on my skeeter trailer. 
—Tight Lines.
I’ve tried using the side mirrors and for whatever reason I just can’t compute what to do. It’s like I’m looking through a telescope at a trailer backing up on Mars. I gotta turn around and look at the thing. I picked up a couple of accessory lights at Cabela’s a while back. They’re two foot long red plastic tubes that have LEDS in them. I have them hooked up to the brake light/turn signal lines. The more lights the better, right? Plus they stick up far enough so that I can see them when I’m backing the empty trailer up.
I sure wish I could figure out how to use those side mirrors….
Rootski
I like to hang out my window as far as I can. I’m getting better with my mirrors, but don’t expect me to win any speed competitions that way.
I had the same problem, I had a hard Cover on my truck so I could not put the tailgate down. I went and got them white pvc pipe guides and then went and got a 10′ long pvc the same size from HD and replaced the ones that came with the kit and put longer pipes on, to stick up even higher, after that never had a problem.
Here is a trick I use to back up with my side mirrors. Put your hand on the bottom of the wheel, then using the mirrors, if you want the back of the boat/trailer to move to the left/drivers side, move your hand to the left, and do the opposite to go to the right. The only thing I really hate is the convex mirror on the the passenger side.
Try it, it works!!!
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I like to hang out my window as far as I can. I’m getting better with my mirrors, but don’t expect me to win any speed competitions that way.
No self respecting South Dakota boy would admit to that!!! My wife does all the trailer work. She’s SO much better tha I am, I hate to even try when she’s around BTW, she’s a SD gal 
jerr
Backing with the mirrors is a must. Force yourself to not look around. The hand on the bottom of the wheel is a good way to start. Most trucks have electric mirrors, lower them when at the ramp to see the trailer . Take the time and you will be amazed how easy it is.
I saw a comment about a hard top on your truck. I wonder if guys with toppers learned to use their mirrors right away and didn’t develop the turning around habit.
I love my topper, however it severely limits visibility.
I’m a city boy by SD standards, so I’m allowed to backup like a Iowan. 
A friend of ours says when they die they want to be put in a ern and set by a boat landing then they are sure to have a laugh every day. 
Good stuff guys.. 
I have been backing boats up since I was 14 (now 47) I’v got the “head out the window” thing down pat(im from Iowa 
) Got the hand signals with the buddy down. But I tend to hang over the back of the seat alot so I can see everything in real time. I’v heard about the hand on the bottom of the steering wheel trick….but for the life of me I have never gotten the mirror thing working for me..maybe I should try harder. I Think I might live with the 10 sec. of “over the edge” fear and just laugh at by buddy
Thanks
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I’m a city boy by SD standards, so I’m allowed to backup like a Iowan.
Just practice with a horse trailer a few times, made me a good backer-upper, had to back down many field approaches in South Dakota to let the ugly sheep off the trailer.
I’ve never seen an ugly sheep, you must be lieing!
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I’m a city boy by SD standards, so I’m allowed to backup like a Iowan.
Just practice with a horse trailer a few times, made me a good backer-upper, had to back down many field approaches in South Dakota to let the ugly sheep off the trailer.
And that was just prom night!
I would keep practicing with the mirrors. You never know when you need to back up a trailer where you cant see it looking over your shoulder. Try backing up with a van.
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I had the same problem, I had a hard Cover on my truck so I could not put the tailgate down. I went and got them white pvc pipe guides and then went and got a 10′ long pvc the same size from HD and replaced the ones that came with the kit and put longer pipes on, to stick up even higher, after that never had a problem.
I have a crew cab dually I did the same thing added the PVC pipes, but I went one step farther. I mounted a flood light on my winch so at night the PVC pipes stand out like the statue of Liberty.
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