Hi guys...New here... Just bought a Ranger Z522(2010). Launching and loading is trouble! Has step stairs to get on etc. Have to back the truck up till it hits the water to launch! First step is three feet over the water!I've had other bass boats that have launched on the same ramp with no problem.My buddies that have Rangers have told me no problem.Loading up,same problem.I don't think I should have to get wet,on and off.. I am a guide and need to be able to do this by myself.Any ideas?
Have you tried taking the safety strap off and letting out the winch strap a couple of feet then back in let it float off and take the slack out of the winch strap and then pull forward a couple of feet? I have to do this often with my 521.
Does that put the steps too far away to get in the boat? What do you do to load up?
My friend has the same boat as you 522D and he put a Drotto boat latch on his and it works out nice. You can go to their website for videos and also YouTube.Originally Posted by Bassfishingmusician
i have a fold down step on my bumper so if I get the bumper close to the edge of the water I can step on the step and onto the trailer. For loading up I can get it on the trailer with it being a little shallow. Always seems like it needs deeper to get off than it does to get back on
Sounds like you're thinking you should be able to launch the boat and yet still be able to use the steps to get into the boat and they are reached without getting wet !! I don't think it will work that way ! For the boat to lift off the trailer and still be able to do that, it would have to be a very steep ramp !! Is there no Courtesy Dock that you can back in along side and then get it that way ?
Ranger Boats / Mercury Motors
G Loomis Rods / Shimano Reels
Raymarine / MinnKota Ultrex
Garmin / Live Scope Plus
Pepper Jigs / Robo Worms
Troll Bridge / V-T2 Vents
Go to hardware store and get you a rope about 25 ft long tie a loop in both ends of the rope one end goes over the cleat on the boat the other end goes to the wench clip on the trailer . Back down the ramp till the boat starts to float off the trailer then pull the truck up about two or three feet undo rope from trailer pull the boat over to the dock and tie it off go park truck enjoy your day.
Great explanation Big J Mac, I do about the same when I'm alone.
I guess I'm not understanding the problem correctly. Our dock is about 100 feet from the ramp, so you must launch then dock your boat. I solo launch most of the time and I simply back the boat in, hop into the bed of the truck using the tire, open the tailgate, hop into the boat, start the motor, go to the bow and unhook the bow strap, back off the trailer, drive to the dock, then walk back to my truck and drive to the parking lot. Then I walk down to the dock, get in the boat and go fishing. Exactly the opposite to load the boat.....
1994 Ranger 492VS
2004 Optimax 225 - 0T920364
6" Hydro Dynamics Manual Jack Plate
24p Fury 4
24v 47" Lowrance Ghost / Lowrance HDS
Don’t know what you drive, but if you can’t get in the bed of your pickup or don’t feel like crawling through the rear of your SUV, you can always wear knee high waterproof boots.
thats what i do
His problem is like mine. When I back in, by the time the stern of the boat is far enough into the water to back it off the trailer, the rear tires of my truck are almost in the water.
Sick, tired, hungry, broke, busted, disgusted, can't be trusted, been imposed on and won't fight
This works extremely well. ^^ I launch my Z519 by myself a lot, at many different launches. My favorite scenario is having a dock between launch lanes, so that I can back in close to the dock and step from the dock onto my boat. Otherwise, I do as above. The main hang up in getting the boat off the trailer is that the front bunks are dry, and there’s a lot of weight plus friction involved in floating the front of the boat off those bunks. If you can back in far enough that the boat floats away, then pull up far enough so that you can go from a step into the boat [as above], problem solved. Even if, when you pull forward, the boat comes partially to rest again on the bunks, once you get onto the step it should be fairly easy to shove the boat away from the bunks [wet bunks have a lot less friction]. When loading, it’s also a very good idea to completely submerge the bunks first, then pull forward far enough to be able to gain access to the boat. You should be able to drive on then, and if not all the way on, get yourself a 2-stage Fulton winch. They are like magic!
John Clark — Findlay, Ohio
With the water level at holiday park up to the parking blocks...all trucks will have water up to them running boards.
2008 Ranger 178VX
150 Yamaha V-max
GO Fins!!!
We’ve had to get creative on Erie the past few springs, as well. Extremely high water on the Great Lakes the past 3 seasons. At multiple Erie launches that we use, the water has been 10 feet up into the parking lot. There’s not much slope in the parking lot [basically flat], which means that muck boots or the equivalent is a good idea. Even when we have a partner to drive the tow vehicle, said partner often has to wade through water from the parking lot back to the launch, then wade water again to step into the boat. Takes some ingenuity, plus a tow vehicle with lots of ground clearance.With the water level at holiday park up to the parking blocks...all trucks will have water up to them running boards.
John Clark — Findlay, Ohio
Ahh, gotcha...
1994 Ranger 492VS
2004 Optimax 225 - 0T920364
6" Hydro Dynamics Manual Jack Plate
24p Fury 4
24v 47" Lowrance Ghost / Lowrance HDS
Reply With Quote
