Go Back  Offshoreonly.com > General Discussion > General Boating Discussion
Do you drive on or winch on the trailer? >

Do you drive on or winch on the trailer?

Notices
General Boating Discussion

Do you drive on or winch on the trailer?

Thread Tools
 
Old 08-25-2008 | 11:00 AM
  #11  
Jassman's Avatar
Platinum Member
20 Year Member
Platinum Member
 
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 9,398
Likes: 33
Default

I keep 1/3 of the trailer out of the water, line boat up and drive on slowly, then get up a little more with slight throttle as my wife backs up slowly..turn off everything walk across the deck and climb down, hook up and winch up rest of way and if need be my wife backs up a little more to get up the rest of the way. move out the way for the next guy and then put the 4 straps on.
Jassman is offline  
Reply
Old 08-25-2008 | 11:00 AM
  #12  
Knot 4 Me's Avatar
Registered
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,407
Likes: 797
From: Central IL
Default

Our lake has a clay bottom and to my knowledge, no ramp has ever been damaged to the point of not being usable due to powering on. If done properly, you should not have to apply much power at all to get the boat up to where it needs to be. I can see you lakes with soft/sandy bottoms would not tolerate the practice.
Knot 4 Me is offline  
Reply
Old 08-25-2008 | 11:10 AM
  #13  
Gladhe8er's Avatar
Registered
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,692
Likes: 3
From: Fairfield, CT
Default

I winch it on. Good exercise!
Gladhe8er is offline  
Reply
Old 08-25-2008 | 11:10 AM
  #14  
CAPTAIN CHUCK's Avatar
Registered
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,410
Likes: 0
From: The Swamps of La.
Default

I was actually contemplating putting rollers on my trailer because all the ramps here where I live suck azz!!!
The trailer can never get far enough into the water to get the boat within 3 feet of the winch stand.
The trailer is just to long for the ramps and will fall off the end of the ramp before it goes deep enough to get the boat close enough to winch it.
Has anyone ever converted a bunk to a roller trailer?
CAPTAIN CHUCK is offline  
Reply
Old 08-25-2008 | 11:37 AM
  #15  
Registered
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,896
Likes: 3
From: Eastern Lake Ontario
Default

I winch it up. Only need to winch the last foot or two. Lines up nicely on the Eagle. Power loading, as said above, tears the chit out of the ramps around my neck of the woods. Most launches don't allow it.

Watched this one chick power on a few years back. Totally douched the boat in back of her waiting at the dock to take out. Mucky crap blown all over this guys boat. I had to chuckle but it's really not funny That guy was anything but happy.
ThirdBird is offline  
Reply
Old 08-25-2008 | 11:43 AM
  #16  
spazboz's Avatar
Gold Member
 
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,150
Likes: 5
From: Zeeland, Michigan
Default

Originally Posted by Interceptor
Power loading is prohibited at many ramps in Michigan because of the wash out that occurs where the ramp pavement meets the lake bottom.
ed

Same here in Holland.
spazboz is offline  
Reply
Old 08-25-2008 | 11:43 AM
  #17  
Registered
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
From: Port Deposit, MD
Default

Originally Posted by ThirdBird
I winch it up. Only need to winch the last foot or two.
Same here, ramp is too steep to do it any other way anyhow.

I have about 2' or less of strap out, doesn't get tough till the last 8-10".
PJDiesel is offline  
Reply
Old 08-25-2008 | 11:44 AM
  #18  
Registered
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,479
Likes: 359
From: Mansfield, TX
Default

I winch it up the last foot or two. If its too hard to winch just back up a foot.
TexomaPowerboater is offline  
Reply
Old 08-25-2008 | 12:04 PM
  #19  
Beak Boater's Avatar
Charter Member # 545
25 Year Member
Gold Member
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,152
Likes: 2
From: Port Tobacco MD/Cape Coral Fl
Default

Something else to consider besides washing out the bottom of the ramp is the strain on your trailer. Bought a used boat that had always been powerloaded. It was on a Myco trailer that was 2 years old. Had to replace the front v bunks and some of the rear bunks. The bunks that I didnt replace I had to but new bolts in them to tighten them up. Those pieces of angle that the 2x4's or 2x6's are bolted to can't stand up to a 10,000 lbs. boat being pushed up those bunks by 1000 hp. You know what happens, if you didnt get the trailer quit deep enough, just give it a little more throttle to push it up.
Beak Boater is offline  
Reply
Old 08-25-2008 | 12:12 PM
  #20  
Griff's Avatar
Charter Member # 55
25 Year Member
Charter Member
Super Moderators
 
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 20,257
Likes: 2,506
From: Omaha/LOTO
Default

Originally Posted by CAPTAIN CHUCK
I was actually contemplating putting rollers on my trailer because all the ramps here where I live suck azz!!!
The trailer can never get far enough into the water to get the boat within 3 feet of the winch stand.
The trailer is just to long for the ramps and will fall off the end of the ramp before it goes deep enough to get the boat close enough to winch it.
Has anyone ever converted a bunk to a roller trailer?
Don't go to a roller trailer for a perf boat. They don't support the bottom well. They make some slicker bunk covers that might help.
Powering the boat on the last 3 feet is about what I do anyway.
Griff is offline  
Reply


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.