WTF is power loading?

Where I have put in it says no power loading, but most I see do it. Me, I just get it close. The side bunks bring the boat right into place. Let about 2' of line out of the electric winch, hook the front and hit the button. Stop when the trailer starts flexing! Helps to have a 5,000 lb winch with only one wrap on the drum to load a 5,800 lb boat! pretty quick actually, but I learning.

Brian

Using your motors and props to push the boat up on the trailer. There is a line between using a little throttle to set the boat onto the bunks and others who have to rev the heck out of their motors throwing a huge prop wash all over the place and washing a hole out at the end of the ramp. A little finesse goes a long way here.

Then what's the point of a drive on trailer? And every trailer and every boat are different to load. I don't have a problem loading or unloading by myself, at the ramp that I'm used to, but I'm certainly not going to tell someone on the internet, halfway across the country, how to load his boat, of a diiferent make at a different ramp.

Every boat is different, every trailer is different, every ramp is different. Gotta do what works for you. I had a perfect system for the Fountain, but it took me a little while to figure it out (even though it DID involve powerloading...it was the only way). Still trying to figure out the AT in terms of how far to drop the trailer in, and I've been messing with the position of my bow stop as well.

In fact, I did just what ICDEDPPL is suggesting this past week. When I pulled out after Boyne, the bow was barely resting in the v-block, but I was all the way up on the bunk (no hull overhanging). I used a winch strap to tighten things down for the ride home, but released the tension (wasn't that much) when I got back. Bow went off the block about 1" so I loosened the set bolts on the bow stop and telescoped it outward to fit in the V. Perhaps this position will be better? If that doesn't work, I'm gonna mess with fore and aft position a bit.

It really does depend on the ramp. This lake varies 50 ft in elevation. Ramps here are long. Powering onto a trailer actually washes silt off the lower part of the ramp.
Short ramps do not take power loading well at all. One boat hauler told of one that had a 6 vertical foot drop at the end, and all that fill had become a 1 foot deep bar farther out across the launching area. Drop your trailer off the end of the ramp, recover it if possible and immediately run aground, great afternoon.
When the signs say no that means no in most languages. Most of the time that is for a reason.

Arrogance and pushing into line has become a national past time. "I will not stand in line", is too common, and some take it as a right.
Your daughter was correct. She knew you were wasting your time and risking jail time in that confrontation. That would have been a great experience for her; meeting all those social services people while you were in the back seat of the cruiser.

Good Luck to the Human Beings!

The ramp at a marina around here is completely f**ked because of powerloading. The concrete is broken off to about a 45 deg angle on one side about 3 ft below the surface of the water. The result is youre backing down the ramp then suddenly the left side of the trailer drops violently, the boat floats but the left side frame rail of your trailer is grounded out on the concrete.Your right side tires are still on concrete but your left side tires are now dangling in mid air (or mid water) so to speak because the concrete has broken off.....nice. Ask me how I know this!. Its too bad because this Marina has a great restaurant and outdoor patio overlooking the Marina and lots of parking....thanks u a -holes!! That ramp is now useless for any boat on a trailer over 14 or 16 ft. And the next nearest ramp for boats our size is 6 miles away. I winch my boat on the last foot or two every time thank you and yes I slip off my sandals and my feet get a bit wet.

I'm similar to Sommer on this. Still adjusting the bow stop to what works best. Usually I get the boat hooked to winch then I will crank to tighten then back trailer in deeper as needed. My ramp is not very steep so tide plays big factor in trailer placement.

I don't care how you load as long as you're fast.

not to change the subject there was a post not to long ago about adding triangle braces for lack of a better term, in front of front tire so when you fall off a damaged ramp you can get back up. one of the best ideas I have seen in a while all trailers should have them, I have seen a lot of trailers come out of the ramps with axles damaged or pulled back.