"Calif Bill" wrote in message
m...

Put a line / rope just a little shorter than the boat attached from the
bow the winch post of the trailer. Back down enough to float the boat a
little and let the boat drift back. Pull forward enough to get the line
without getting wet and pull the boat over to the dock. You want the rope
a little shorter than the boat so if the line falls overboard, it does not
get tangled in the prop.

Interesting idea. Thanks. I'll try it.

wrote in message
...
I load a pontoon on a trailer and it needs some coaxing sometime. The
trick is to get a "salt water treated" PT 2x12 and bolt it down on the
trailer next to the center roller. Then you can walk on the trailer
instead of that slimy ramp.
I used hot dipped carriage bolts and backer plates from the trailer
guy under the stringers so I had the rounded heads on the walking
surface.

Thanks. I'll check that out and see if that looks like something I can do
on the trailer I have (probably, "yes").

I am amazed at all of the different ideas and tricks people here have
suggested.

On Nov 4, 8:33*pm, DK wrote:
Boater wrote:
Alta47 wrote:
I bought a 13-foot aluminum boat and trailer this summer. *I never
owned one before, so I had to figure out how to get it into the water
using a boat launching ramp. *As far as I can tell, part of that
process includes backing the trailer into the water and then actually
having to wade into the water a short distance to push the boat off
the trailer.

My stupid question is: Now that it's getting cold outside, if I want
to launch the boat in cold weather, do I actually have to wade into
icy cold water on a cold day to do that? *I assume there must be
another way to do this.

The question isn't stupid, especially for a newbie.

If you have a roller trailer, which I suspect you do not, the boat will
roll off the trailer into the water, assuming any sort of incline on the
boat ramp. Make sure you keep the boat attacked to the trailer until you
want it to roll off!

Bunk trailer requires you to back down the ramp far enough for the stern
of the boat to float free. Once it does, you usually can push a light
boat off the trailer with an oar or boathook at the bow.

Tell him about your 300' bowline theory.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Now that's funny!!!

On Wed, 5 Nov 2008 12:32:27 -0500, "Alta47" wrote:

wrote in message
.. .
I load a pontoon on a trailer and it needs some coaxing sometime. The
trick is to get a "salt water treated" PT 2x12 and bolt it down on the
trailer next to the center roller. Then you can walk on the trailer
instead of that slimy ramp.
I used hot dipped carriage bolts and backer plates from the trailer
guy under the stringers so I had the rounded heads on the walking
surface.

Thanks. I'll check that out and see if that looks like something I can do
on the trailer I have (probably, "yes").

I am amazed at all of the different ideas and tricks people here have
suggested.

Here's a real easy one. Get to the launch ramp early and watch other folks.
You'll learn some good techniques, and laugh your butt off at some of the
'not so good' techniques.
--
A Harry Krause truism:

"It's not a *baby* kicking, beautiful bride, it's just a fetus!"
[A Narcissistic Hypocrite]

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
Here's a real easy one. Get to the launch ramp early and watch other
folks.
You'll learn some good techniques, and laugh your butt off at some of the
'not so good' techniques.

Oh, so THAT'S why I always see people laughing while my 13 year-old nephew
and I are trying to get my new (used) boat in and out of the water! :-)

(Actually, we're usually the ones laughing. It's a real Keystone Cops
routine so far, but I'm getting better at it each time.)

On Wed, 5 Nov 2008 15:03:46 -0500, "Alta47" wrote:

"JohnH" wrote in message
.. .
Here's a real easy one. Get to the launch ramp early and watch other
folks.
You'll learn some good techniques, and laugh your butt off at some of the
'not so good' techniques.

Oh, so THAT'S why I always see people laughing while my 13 year-old nephew
and I are trying to get my new (used) boat in and out of the water! :-)

(Actually, we're usually the ones laughing. It's a real Keystone Cops
routine so far, but I'm getting better at it each time.)


You'll get it. Just go slow the first few times. It's those who try to set
speed records and show their 'expertise' that make most of the big
boo-boos!
--
A Harry Krause truism:

"It's not a *baby* kicking, beautiful bride, it's just a fetus!"
[A Narcissistic Hypocrite]

When you get to the ramp, there is usually a place to pull off and prep your
boat without being on the ramp itself. You can take all the time you need,
making sure everything is ready for launching.
Many beginners pull onto the ramp and then take up valuable time loading and
prepping the boat for the actual launch, and that is exasperating for other
boaters that may be waiting to use the ramp. When you are on the ramp and
launch your boat, the only thing that you should have to load into it is
people, and the bowline.