Northeast Ohio. West Branch, Milton, and Berlin Lakes. Essentially bathtubs, but two of three are less than 3 miles from me. Hoping to graduate to the Ohio River, and eventually Lake Erie later this year. Getting a Coast Guard radio first though.

Love the comeback, by the way!

Is it worth it to upgrade to a paid membership on here?

Some say yes, to help with the cost. Some say not worth it. Personal preference is what it is. In boat monies probably cheapest thing about hi-perf boating. I did it for convenience of pictures.

"Any words of wisdom for what the wifey can help with? She's not the most mechanically inclined gal...,"

Every once in awhile, I use to like to sit at our local ramp and watch the entertainment. It was amazing how many boaters launched without installing their boat plug. They'd launch, load up the boat with goodies and people, head out, and a few minutes later come zooming back to the ramp (boat riding very low in the water) hoping to get the boat on their trailer before it sunk.

Perhaps the funniest launching scenario I ever saw was a guy that had backed his boat down the ramp, his wife walked back as he launched and was standing on the pier holding the bow and stern ropes. The boat became loose from the trailer and a healthy cross wind started beating the boat against the pier (no fenders). The guy gets out of his truck and yells at his wife, "KEEP THE FREAKIN' BOAT OFF THE PIER!!!" She yells back to her hubby in a crazed panic, "I'M PUSHING THE ROPES. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?!" (True story.)

The trick to a stress free launch is to make a step-by-step plan ahead of time and talk the procedure over with your wife well before you start to launch. If your kids are young, I suggest keeping them out of the way until you're ready to get stuff loaded. Here's a few suggestions for a launch list:

Before you start backing down the ramp:

* Ensure the boat plug is installed and any rear or center straps are removed (DO NOT disconnect the trailer's wench cable until the majority of the boat is in the water).
* Hang at least two fenders off the side of your boat which will come in contact with the pier.
* Connect a decent length rope to the bow and stern (I use 25 foot ropes)
* Align your boat trailer and vehicle so you can back straight back and so you won't have rely on backing directions from anyone (LEFT! NO RIGHT! NO LEFT, NO, NO STOP!!! etc). This will keep your stress level down.
* Check the winds. If possible select the side of the ramp which will cause the winds to blow the boat toward the pier, not away from the pier. This will make it easier on your wife holding on to the ropes.

Down the ramp ya go...

* Instruct your wife to watch for kids or animals as you start to back up (instruct her to yell STOP). Also have her yell STOP if you're angling the trailer the wrong way.
* Instruct your your wife to hold the ropes tight and walk back with the boat as you back it down the ramp.
* Once you see the boat floating in your rear view mirror, secure the vehicle's transmission and emergency brake, then get out and disconnect the trailer wench cable, then back the trailer a bit more if necessary for the launch, or have your wife pull the boat back a bit.
* When the boat clears the trailer (including the trailer fenders!), have your wife tie the boat off securely.

Work yourself a list something along these lines for launching and departing the water. and talk over the steps with your wife well ahead of time. The more you do it, the easier it will get.

Hope this helps.

As a 17 year old learning from his father, and also teaching my neighbor with a 32' Egg Harbor what to do when pulling in, here's what I have to suggest:

- Take it slow, don't rush even with people waiting on you. On that note, act like you know people are waiting. I always get annoyed when it looks like people are dilly-dallying at the ramp.
-Don't get nervous when someone on the boat starts flipping out that you're too close and gonna hit. Take everything in, but don't let them rattle you. (I notice the ladies tend to do this...)
- When coming it with heavy winds blowing you away from the dock, go past the dock and then head into it.
- Use short bursts; forward, neutral, forward, neutral...
- Assuming you have twin screws, I don't know if this will work but I know it does with singles. When you get the bow in, turn the wheel so the drive is toward the dock and throw it in reverse for a sec. This will pull the ass in.
- I suggest investing in a rubber chock to put behind the rear wheel of your truck for when you launch/retrieve. Watching the car start sliding down the ramp is some scary sh*t.


It always helps to have someone who can throw a line around a cleat, but with enough practice you'll be able to pull right in with no trouble.

Hope something I said helps! Good luck and safe boating.

we too enjoy the entertainment at the local ramp in the early season, the best is that wad yelling at his wife or kids,

So my words of wisdom are don't be "that guy"

Even if you or your crew commit a gigantic eff up, remain calm and speak in a normal tone. The minute somebody starts yelling a crowd gathers then your even more under the gun. As long as you dont start yelling 3/4s of the people watching at a ramp wouldnt know you screwed up anyway.

I saw a guy yesterday with his motor running before he even backed down the ramp. we were pulling out so I don't know how far he made it.

Yes sir. Egret bay blvd launch. If its not the fisherman it's the azzholes on wave runners making waves.

Hey don't worry. I have hauled boats, put them on trailers, took them off a million times. NEVER an issue. This weekend I did not do my normal walk around of my friends truck and trailer before I was going to back in and get my buddies boat. Backed right over a massive stump, tore the right nerf bar off my friends 2012 3500 dodge dually. I felt so bad I dang near puked. I high centered the truck and had to get a small tug. It just shows, no matter how good we think we are, I learned this weekend it can happen to anyone. Thank goodness it did not do an body damage, could have been WAY worse. Embarrassing to tell this story but I hope someone can learn from my mistake.