Loading and Unloading Your Boat

We are remind how to be good Sportsmen at that Launch in and out in 2 minutes. Just a little planning makes the line quicker. Thank You Bob Jensen!

Loading and Unloading Your Boat by Bob Jensen

How you load and unload your boat at the boat ramp may not have an impact on how many fish you catch, but getting it in the water can set the tone for the day, for you and for any other angler that’s waiting to put their boat in the water.

Unloading your boat should be a quick and easy process, but often times it isn’t.

Following are some things you can do to get your boat off and on the trailer quickly and safely. By doing these things you’ll be fishing quicker, and you won’t be tying up the ramp and preventing others from going fishing sooner. Here we go.

When you arrive at the boat ramp, pull into either the parking lot or the rigging lane. Do not go directly to the ramp.

All preparations for launching should be done in the parking lot or rigging area. Transfer gear from the truck to the boat now. Don’t do that while you’re blocking the ramp.

Remove any boat covers, tie-downs, or transom savers. Put the key in the ignition. Make sure the plug is in the boat.

If your trailer is a bunk style trailer, and if you’re comfortable doing so, you can unhook the winch strap from the boat now. I run a bunk RangerTrail trailer. It’s an outstanding trailer that provides great support for my boat. Lots of anglers who use this style trailer unhook the strap in the rigging area unless the ramp is very steep.

Some anglers have roller trailers. The winch strap on roller trailers should not be unhooked until the boat is in the water. The boat will roll off onto the concrete ramp if you do. Not good!

When everything is ready, we approach the ramp. One angler is in the boat, the other backs the rig into the water. When the boat is in the water, if the winch strap hasn’t been unhooked, now is the time to do so. Back the trailer into the water until it rolls off or floats off. The angler in the boat idles away from the dock while the truck driver parks the truck. Don’t tie up to the dock, that just blocks it for the next person. When your partner gets to the dock, you pull up, he or she hops in, and off you go. Easy deal.

Some will say that their partner isn’t comfortable driving a boat or driving a truck with a trailer on the back. They need to get comfortable with doing both. That’s part of the responsibility of fishing from a boat.

When it’s time to go home, we just reverse the process. We pull into the dock, the truck driver gets out and goes to get the truck. If the ramp is busy, again, idle away from the dock. Don’t tie the dock area up. When the trailer is in the water, either drive or winch the boat onto the trailer, hook the winch strap, and pull out. Go to the parking area or somewhere away from the ramp to prepare the boat for the trip home. It shouldn’t take more than a minute or two to get your boat out of the water and out of the way.

I’ve seen many, many, many interesting and sometimes uncomfortable situations at the boat ramp. If you keep the above ideas in mind, you won’t be part of one of those interesting or uncomfortable situations, and you’ll enjoy your time on the water even more.

A good reminder/process that I use, except, I would say that you NEVER remove the main strap until the boat hits the water regardless of trailer style…

This info needs to be on an 8×8 board at every landing. Last weekend we loaded 2 boats before one group even got in the water. Sitting there doing everything in the space that you pull into before backing up I also when they sit at the dock!!

And I have a bunk trailer and I always unhook before putting in.

Great advice!

I would add that if you have a child in a car-seat that you NOT leave them buckled in the vehicle as you are tying off your boat. I seen a guy scramble this weekend when he got out of his truck and it began rolling backwards with the kid in the carseat left alone…..NOT GOOD! He managed to get back in and avoid disaster, but it certainly gave everyone watching a near heart attack.

Good read, thanks for posting

Another thing for a guy to keep in mind…while watching someone who might be having problems, don’t be afraid to offer some assistance instead of getting all mad about the situation. Yes there are some that might know better but then there are always the guys that don’t get to a launch every weekend or maybe it’s there first time. Pointing out proper etiquette in a helpful way goes a lot further than pissin’ n moaning while watching someone struggle.

I follow all these same principles anytime I’m going to the launch. The only exception is when I’m with the kids only. They cannot drive the boat yet (close). I think two minutes as an expectation is going to set people up for unreasonable situations.

Case in point was 4th of July. One dock at landing, one lane launch. There was a boat tied up to non-launch side as he was getting his truck (and had to wait in line), we put in a moved to the end of the dock. The boat that went in before us motored away as the guy parked. When I got back, the next boat was putting in, boat before us is upset that they have no room to pick up their guy, and the guy tied to dock is still in his truck waiting in line.

In these situations, there’s not much more that can be done. In these times, patience, a smile, and understanding go along ways. In the mid-summer, we have many rec boaters with kids, Sr. citizens, etc who just don’t move like those of us that fish a great deal. Ramps will be slower and we need to recognize that and deal with it. Otherwise, we’ll end up in a uncomfortable position as we were expecting “2 minutes”?

Now the person that shows up, undoes their straps and loads their boat while blocking the ramp needs to be educated!!!

As long as people are making an effort to get in or out of the water in as quick as they can, I’ll wait.

Not everybody can look like a pro at the launch, but everybody can have their apples in a row and do it as quick as possible…for them…I’ll wait, much better than getting po’d because someone took a few minutes more.

Al

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Good read, thanks for posting

Another thing for a guy to keep in mind…while watching someone who might be having problems, don’t be afraid to offer some assistance instead of getting all mad about the situation. Yes there are some that might know better but then there are always the guys that don’t get to a launch every weekend or maybe it’s there first time. Pointing out proper etiquette in a helpful way goes a lot further than pissin’ n moaning while watching someone struggle.

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I was going to say the exact same thing! Don’t just stare at the guy and wonder what the heck he is doing. He doesn’t like it any more than you do,,and hey, it may even make ya feel good helping out another fisherman..

Now, if it’s jetski guy,, Crack a beer and enjoy the show! I’m jk of course.

Re: bunk trailers

Unhooking the strap ahead of time might be ok most of the time, but if you are ever facing freezing temps, I would recommend not doing that. I witnessed a 619V Ranger slide off the bunks when some fellow was backing it down the birchdale ramp a few years back. That sure was a shiny, pretty piece of fiberglass to see grinding into the concrete…… Evidently, when loaded wet, the freezing made the bunks pretty slick and that boat slid off like a greased weenie. I felt sorry for that guy.

T

Great reminder… I follow this procedure all the time. I would like to pose another question for comment. Occasionally I end up fishing by myself. Normally I do all the things mentioned here but have to attach a rope to the boat and trailer so that the boat can float off once the strap is released. I then walk to boat to the non ramp side of the dock tie it up and then go park the truck. How does everyone else launch when they are alone?

I agree with most of everything that was written here.

Keep in mind what cougareye pointed out though. Not everyone is capable of either backing up the boat trailer or operating the boat itself.

Case in point: No way am I ever going trust my clients to do either one of the above unless I know them very, very well! Which means my boat will be tied up to the dock while I park the truck & trailer or retrieve the truck & trailer.

I don’t dawdle around while doing that either though and generally can still get the boat launched or loaded faster than most people. Especially those who don’t follow any of the rules pointed out above.

People who are fishing by themselves will have this same dilemma and generally have no other options. A little patience goes a long way in these situations.

one more thing to add, if it is below 32 out, PLEASE pull out of the water slowly and let your boat drain into the river/lake… dont just fly up the ramp putting down a sheet of water coating the ramp in ice.

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one more thing to add, if it is below 32 out, PLEASE pull out of the water slowly and let your boat drain into the river/lake… dont just fly up the ramp putting down a sheet of water coating the ramp in ice.

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Amen to that!

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one more thing to add, if it is below 32 out, PLEASE pull out of the water slowly and let your boat drain into the river/lake… dont just fly up the ramp putting down a sheet of water coating the ramp in ice.

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Great reminder! Thanks!
I fish with my wife and I’m slowly getting her to be comfortable driving the boat onto the trailer and I think soon she’ll be capable of putting it on and being in it when I back in. Until then she does a good job holding the roap!

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People who are fishing by themselves will have this same dilemma and generally have no other options. A little patience goes a long way in these situations.

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I fish by myself a ton, and I guarantee you that I can launch and/or load my boat, tying it to the pier, parking or retrieving my truck, faster than 75% of the people I see at the launch that have multiple people. If the launch is busy, I can be launched, parked, and gone in under a minute. And yes, I have timed it. It’s all about figuring out a system that works and sticking to it.

2nd that on not unhooking the winch strap till the boat is in the water. Saw a guy with his 1st new boat,a brand new Lund…backing down a long 4 lane ramp at Mark Twain, he was fine until he tapped the brakes half way to the water, about 75 feet, and the boat slid off onto the ramp and scuffed it all up. Somebody nearby had some plywood in his truck and we got the boat on the plywood and slid it the rest of the way down the ramp. Felt sorry for the guy.

Some other advice would be… TAKE YOUR TIME. And by that I mean, run at a speed you feel confident in. I’ve seen too many guys trying to rush things and outworking their actual skills to launch swiftly and effectively. They get into trouble when they see the crowd and rush it.

Prime example is trying to back in too fast and jacking it every 8 feet..

Wish you had posted this before the 4th holiday. And like many people have said this applies to every launch state wide. And I believe this should be printed out and posted at every public launch and reposted on this website at least 6 times a year and especialy before holidays. And this applies to Duck hunters also. I swear I saw a guy making a sandwich in the ramp lane

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And this applies to Duck hunters also. I swear I saw a guy making a sandwich in the ramp lane

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Earlier this year, I pulled up to the launch, and there was a Honda Element parked in one lane, and three guys putting together an inflatable boat in the other. The ramp only has two lanes. They finished unloading all their crap and moved the vehicle, but now had junk piled up in both lanes, and had all their gear loaded on the pier like they were the only ones that were going to be using the launch that day. I asked them to move some of their stuff so I could launch, but they yelled something in Russian and kept on pumping up their boat. When I started backing up to run over their stuff, they got the hint and scrambled to get it out of the way. I tried asking nicely, but I don’t speak Russian.

I noticed the canoe and kayak crowd likes to pull their ride up on the boat ramp and wait for their buddies to arrive. I try to be nice.

I’ve heard lots of bad stories of boat ramp follies. Don’t put your kid in the boat before you launch. If they float off without you, that would be bad. Also, taking your whole family on the test drive in a new boat is not a good idea’r.

as stupid..while watching some one try to launch who is over their head bitching about it loud enough to entertain everyone at the launch..offer to help if the people are stupid enough to turn you down sit quietly in your truck and snicker to your self

Get yourself a private harbor and avoid it all Seriously, not everybody is a tourney fisherman and landing that 22 footer, 5 days a week… cut em some slack, but for those who want to see how it’s done, go to a hundred boat tourney and watch how a couple hundred guys get 100 BIG BOATS & TRUCKS out of the water in about 1 hour. 2 ramps of course

Big G I think were not calling for expertise here . Like the opening statement made was about being a sportsman with etiquet and courtesy. If I see someone struggling to back a trailer or having mechanical problems ,I’ m very understanding.I think what people are trying to convey here is the stupid waste of time and space by things that can easily be avoided.

at a FOM nation tournement we had a lightning delay and Al called a meeting at 9:05 and every body was in the water 130 boats and we were boat 11 went by check out boat at 9:47
thats organization!! you didn’t move till they told you to 4lanes of ramp Stan

this is a funny thread…lol

Totally agree Backing partially in and then taking off the transom saver is probably a bad idea….

The part of the article that’s missing is about the resort manager running around screaming “you have two minutes get going!!” at a bass tourney

Bass ……. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww….

When alone I have a rope that I connect to the bow. I back in till I am able to unhook the winch strap. I then take the rope connected to the bow and run the other end back to a post on the dock. I use a couple half hitches to tie it up. Bury the trailer and as the boat floats off I pull the truck to a parking spot. Get to the dock pull your boat up and jump in. It obviously doesn’t work well if busy or very windy.