Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 45
  1. #1
    RIP Evinrude 1907-2020 JR19's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Columbia, KY
    Posts
    12,612

    unloading by yourself

    I fish by myself about 95% of the time. I am fortunate that most of the ramps I use are 2-4 lanes wide. When they are not busy I just unload and pull my boat up on the ramp via a rope. I have a heavy duty hambys so beaching on the concrete is no issue. About 10-12 years ago I came up with a easy way to unload by myself. All that is in the picture is scrap stuff I had lying around. As you can see the corners of my truck bed has holes in it. I cut a piece of conduit that fits in it length wise. On the conduit I mounted a plastic spool and attached about 20-25 ft of rope. I have hose clamps on each side of the spool. This keeps the spool from moving around side to side and it keeps it aligned with the boat. On the rope I have a large D-ring clip. I get the boat ready to launch and back down. Once I am close to the water I stop and unhook the bow strap and attach the D-ring to to bow hook. Then I back in very slow. Once the boat starts to slide and becomes detached from the trailer I pull forward until the trailer is completely out of the water. One key thing is not to hit the brakes and "shoot" the boat off the trailer. Simply come to a stop and ease into drive and pull out from under the boat. If you hit the brakes the boat wants to shoot out into the lake too fast. Once you do it a few time you will be able to ease out from under the boat and the boat stays still just floating.

    Once the boat is unloaded and the truck is pulled forward I stop the truck and park. I grab the rope and pull the boat up on the ramp. I unhook the D-ring and go to the spool and start winding the rope back onto the spool. I have a bungee that I keep on the D-ring and wrap around the spool so it stays in place when not in use. Look at the picture and you will see it. In the event there is not space for me to do this on the ramp I unload the old fashion way because I don't want to block the ramp and prevent someone else from unloading. Many time people freak out and start hollering hey your boat is getting away from you. Then they see my rope and realize how I am unloading. Over the years I have gotten very proficient at unloading by myself. I even had a guy one day tell me I got on and off the ramp faster than he could with a team of two people unloading. Multiple times over the years I have had people walk over and want to see what I have on the back of my truck. I started doing this 10-12 years ago and it's by far the best way I have found to unload by myself.

    I bought two Talons a little over 3 years ago. After buying Talons I do it differently. Now I do not have the rope attached to the spool. I simply use the spool to keep the rope wound up. Once the boat starts to float I hit my remote and deploy both Talons. I drive off and go park the truck. When I get back to the ramp I unhook the rope and wind it up and throw it in a storage compartment. When done fishing as I am getting my boat ready to go home I get my rope out and wind it up on the spool and attach the D-ring to keep it in place that way it's ready for the next time I get ready to unload.


    Last edited by JR19; 08-18-2020 at 09:14 PM.

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Crossville, TN & Houston, TX
    Posts
    3,466
    #2
    Thanks for sharing.

    I do pretty much the same thing, except for no roller ( no truck).

    I keep the very long line in the boat. I coil it, drop it on the foredeck, and then clip one end near my winch. From that point on, what we both do is similar.

    I pull the boat to the dock, rather than up the ramp.

  3. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Abingdon, MD
    Posts
    339
    #3
    I got the 30' launching rope from Walmart. It has a large snap on one end and a loop on the other. I simply coil the rope up and place it on my spare tire. Attach the clip to the bow eye, and the loop end to the bow safety chain. Back-up nice and slow so that the boat doesn't float backwards too fast. Pull the trailer up so that I could get the rope without getting my feet wet, undo the loop from the bow safety chain, then I walk the boat and tie to the dock.
    2000 Bass Cat Pantera Classic
    Mercury 200 EFI (0G374590)
    26P Trophy Plus / Garmin Force / Garmin EchoMAP / Dual Power Pole Pro Series II

    "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

    - Benjamin Franklin

  4. Member CastingCall's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    MN
    Posts
    5,058
    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by richg99 View Post
    Thanks for sharing.

    I do pretty much the same thing, except for no roller ( no truck).

    I keep the very long line in the boat. I coil it, drop it on the foredeck, and then clip one end near my winch. From that point on, what we both do is similar.

    I pull the boat to the dock, rather than up the ramp.
    Pretty much the same for me; clip one end of my tether rope to winch post, other end to bow eye, coil rope on the bow step pad. I also pull boat onto the ramp with my Hamby's, but move it off to the side if there is anyone in line behind me.
    This tether-rope launch is a mandatory procedure for me, after public docks are pulled in the fall.

    I did this last fall, and had a guy beside me watching intently. After launching and parking the truck, as I walked back to my boat on the ramp, I noticed the guy was backing down, and his boat slide off the trailer with a similar tether tied to it... but it never stopped. It kept drifting away! He got out of the truck, grabbed the tether on the winch and pulled it in, while we could see the other end clipped to the boat dangling limp in the water.
    We looked at each other with our mouths agape, and he said "guess I should have tied those two ropes together better. I watched you do it, and it looked so easy - figured I'd try it too".
    I hopped in my boat and retrieved his for him. Lucky I was there, or he would have had a (dangerously) cold swim!

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Crossville, TN & Houston, TX
    Posts
    3,466
    #5
    At first, I was using yellow poly rope for the Long Painter. One day the boat launched and kept going. The poly rope had been Sun rotted.

    Luckily, another boater came by and took me to my boat. By that time, it was a 1/4 mile away, floating near a shoreline.

    Don't use poly rope if it is left exposed to the sun all of the time.

  6. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Scottsdale
    Posts
    2,305
    #6
    I back the boat in until it starts to float, unhook the winch strap, get in and park the boat then park the truck. Works and takes a couple of minutes.

  7. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Jupiter, Fl
    Posts
    701
    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by gleninaz View Post
    I back the boat in until it starts to float, unhook the winch strap, get in and park the boat then park the truck. Works and takes a couple of minutes.

    Yep.

  8. Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Newmarket, ON
    Posts
    5,277
    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by gleninaz View Post
    I back the boat in until it starts to float, unhook the winch strap, get in and park the boat then park the truck. Works and takes a couple of minutes.
    Me too. I just engage reverse and it comes right off the trailer easily. Dock the boat and then go park the truck.
    2019 BCB Classic
    Merc V8 200 4S

  9. RIP Evinrude 1907-2020 JR19's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Columbia, KY
    Posts
    12,612
    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by gleninaz View Post
    I back the boat in until it starts to float, unhook the winch strap, get in and park the boat then park the truck. Works and takes a couple of minutes.

    Quote Originally Posted by hogzilla View Post
    Yep.

    Quote Originally Posted by catdude28 View Post
    Me too. I just engage reverse and it comes right off the trailer easily. Dock the boat and then go park the truck.

    There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing it the old fashion way. What I described is a lot faster and easier. The way I described it in detail may make it sound complicated but I can assure it is not once you learn how to do it efficiently. Multiple times I have pulled into a ramp by myself and there would be another person already started unloading by himself and I would get unloaded and back to my boat before they did. I can also think of more than one occasion were a person by himself has stopped me and ask to look at my set up. Again nothing wrong with the old fashion way. I just wanted to share a more efficient way.

  10. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Colleyville, TX
    Posts
    575
    #10
    Technology to the rescue. My Ulterra renders both of these methods virtually obsolete. Back into the water, float the boat off the trailer, deploy the Ulterra and hit SpotLock, leisurely park, walk to the loading dock and call the boat over to pick me up.
    Joe B

    2017 Tracker PT 190 TX
    2017 Mercury 115 Pro XS
    Mercury Spitfire X7 19” prop
    51 mph @ 6240 rpms (RPMs from Vessel View Mobile) : full fuel tank and fishing load by myself
    4.2 second Hole Shot (measured using Vessel View Mobile)
    Engine mounted in 3rd hole
    Minn Kota Ulterra-Link w/built in MDI 80 lb thrust 60” shaft
    Humminbird Helix 12si Gen1 chirp on console
    Humminbird Helix 15si Gen4 cho on bow
    Humminbird Mega360

    Dotline two step transom boarding ladder
    Tracker trailer bow boarding step

  11. Member Hollada's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Lake St Clair, Michigan
    Posts
    2,223
    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by joe3buck3 View Post
    Technology to the rescue. My Ulterra renders both of these methods virtually obsolete. Back into the water, float the boat off the trailer, deploy the Ulterra and hit SpotLock, leisurely park, walk to the loading dock and call the boat over to pick me up.

    Not so much once they pull the docks in the fall up north.


    2019 Basscat Caracal
    225 Evinrude G2
    Solix 12 Mega SI bow and console
    Mega Live
    36V Ultrex

  12. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Crossville, TN & Houston, TX
    Posts
    3,466
    #12
    I use the Long Rope Launch method mostly because climbing into and out of the boat isn't easy any more. Two new knees at age 78 will make one think of alternatives.

    The Long Rope Launch is quick and easier for me.

    However, I have an EZEE Step being built for this trailer. It may allow for a change in method, but I doubt it.

  13. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Colleyville, TX
    Posts
    575
    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Hollada View Post
    Not so much once they pull the docks in the fall up north.
    I went for the Hi-Tech solution due to my advancing age. Fortunately they don't pull the docks here in North Texas BUT for those times when I need to launch without the Ulterra method I have trailer steps that allow me to don my rubber boots and do it the old fashioned way. Unfortunately the Ulterra method does not work when putting the boat on the trailer so the rubber boots/steps are used every time in cold weather.
    Joe B

    2017 Tracker PT 190 TX
    2017 Mercury 115 Pro XS
    Mercury Spitfire X7 19” prop
    51 mph @ 6240 rpms (RPMs from Vessel View Mobile) : full fuel tank and fishing load by myself
    4.2 second Hole Shot (measured using Vessel View Mobile)
    Engine mounted in 3rd hole
    Minn Kota Ulterra-Link w/built in MDI 80 lb thrust 60” shaft
    Humminbird Helix 12si Gen1 chirp on console
    Humminbird Helix 15si Gen4 cho on bow
    Humminbird Mega360

    Dotline two step transom boarding ladder
    Tracker trailer bow boarding step

  14. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Knoxville
    Posts
    2,093
    #14
    Place retractable close line on curtesy dock, launch boat, park truck, come back to dock and boat is on its way to you. Started this with two dog leashes but the close line is longer......plus I modified it using parachute cord which is smaller so I can get more line on it. You should here the comments from those who watch this......

    Winter benefit - everything remains dry.

  15. Banned
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Rayland, Ohio
    Posts
    5,699
    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by gleninaz View Post
    I back the boat in until it starts to float, unhook the winch strap, get in and park the boat then park the truck. Works and takes a couple of minutes.
    I do exactly the same, only put my poles down

  16. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Pensacola, FL
    Posts
    639
    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by joe3buck3 View Post
    Technology to the rescue. My Ulterra renders both of these methods virtually obsolete. Back into the water, float the boat off the trailer, deploy the Ulterra and hit SpotLock, leisurely park, walk to the loading dock and call the boat over to pick me up.
    I could never let myself put that much faith in the dependability of such a device.
    I just know I would be the one guy that it would crap out on at the wrong moment.
    You Don't Know what you Don't Know until you Know.

    1984 Champion 201/Yamaha 175
    1986 Ranger 390v/Yamaha 200
    2002 Viper Cobra Coosa 216/Mercury 225EFI
    2002 ProSports ProKat 2200/Twin Yamaha 150HPDIs

  17. Member Bonanza's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Wedowee, Al
    Posts
    494
    #17
    JR19 inspired me. Got a $25 air hose reel, 18 in rubber tarp strap for shock relief on rope. Works great for solo launching.


  18. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Crossville, TN & Houston, TX
    Posts
    3,466
    #18
    I like it!. Nice thinking.

    How do you have the line attached on the boat end? Is it run to the normal bow eye? Do you have to bend over the bow to free it up? Tell us more!

  19. Member Bonanza's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Wedowee, Al
    Posts
    494
    #19
    Rope clip to bow eye. This system is for my ramp at lakehouse, my truck stays parked on the ramp when I’m fishing....Back the boat down the ramp to waters edge, get out of truck and unhook winch strap, make sure rope clip attached to eye, get back in truck and back boat off trailer, slowly pull trailer out of water and park truck on ramp. Go to ramp edge and pull boat to me with rope (I have a keel shield) Get in boat and go fish. Saves me some steps, used to have to back boat in, climb into truck bed then boat, back boat off trailer and tie up to dock, get in truck and pull trailer out of water, park truck and walk to dock to get in boat. The spool just keeps rope tangle free

  20. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Crossville, TN & Houston, TX
    Posts
    3,466
    #20
    Gotcha...

    I also do the "long rope" launch. My long line is temporarily attached to the trailer and stays fixed to the boat, actually to a side cleat rather than the bow.

    After the boat floats off, I detach the line from the trailer. I then haul the boat to the dock, and drop the line into the boat when I am ready to go fish.

    Your system would keep the long line out of the boat, and keep it neater. Thanks for posting.

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast