Beneath the Surface

Boat Launching 101

Twenty fi ve trailer boating tips to remember at the boat ramp.

Trailerable boats have a couple of big pros going for them. For one, you aren’t limited by how far you can cruise in a certain amount of time. Instead, you can simply drive to your chosen destination, splash your boat, and get down to the business of having fun on the water.

You also don’t need to shell out big bucks for marina slips and winter storage. Simply park your boat and trailer on your own property.

Of course, trailer boating does have its own set of unique challenges. So we talked to industry experts and longtime boaters — and combed through our own personal misadventures — to compile our favorite tips for a more hassle-free boating season.

Prep time 1. Practice before you hit the ramp. Watching new boaters attempt to launch is a popular recreational activity, and all those eyes can be stressful. “Use a parking lot,” advises Doyle Vander Pol of Cadillac, Michigan-based Four Winns. “It has lines, so you can see what happens when you back up.” Every trailer backs up differently, so even if you’re experienced, you might need a few trial runs with a new boat-trailer combo. 2. Purchase good all-terrain tires for your tow vehicle. An algae-covered or icy ramp could result in an unscheduled swim. 3. Repack trailer bearings on a regular maintenance schedule. “I’ve seen too many trailers broken down at the side of the road,” Vander Pol says. “At that point, you’re replacing axles.” 4. Tie down all loose objects. The last things you’ll want to see in the rearview mirror are flapping carpet, airborne cushions and a Bimini top that’s doing its best parachute impression.

5. Speaking of straps, securely fasten your boat to the bow stop with the winch strap and a second ratchet strap to the bow eye and the trailer frame. “This will minimize the movement the boat may have,” says Hayden Hall of Hall’s Sport Center, which has locations in Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, and Muskegon, Michigan. “Also, two rear straps should be on every boat, no matter the model, size or weight.” 6. Double-check your hitch, including tie-downs and safety chains. Even experienced boaters can forget to latch the trailer ball. And, if you do have a hitch issue while you’re driving, don’t slam on your brakes. “Instead, just take your foot off the gas,” Vander Pol says. “Otherwise, your boat will be in the back of your tow vehicle.” 7. “Check all turn signals, brakes and running lights,” Hall adds. “Making sure your equipment is fully functional is essential for safe travel not just for yourself, but also for other motorists sharing the road.” 8. Load your gear at home, not on the launch ramp. That includes navigational aids, safety gear, extra tools, coolers, water toys, towels and all the other fun stuff. You also can use prepping lanes or the parking lot. 9. Likewise, don’t formulate your launch plan while you’re already taking up ramp space. Park and walk over to check it out. 10. Go over the game plan with your crew in advance, including some simple hand signals for easy communication. Shouting does not work, and it ruins the experience for everyone — except for those looky-loos. 11. Likewise, make sure any dockside helpers know what they need to do. “I was launching a 16-foot fishing boat by myself in Egg Harbor (Wisconsin), and I asked a guy at the dock if he could hold the line when it rolled off the trailer,” says boater Matt Normann. “He said no problem, and I assumed he had it covered, but then he just set the line on the dock and didn’t hold onto it. When the boat rolled off, it just floated out. I swam out, grabbed the line, and swam it back in. I guess he’d never launched, or seen a boat launched, before.”

At the ramp 12. Make sure your drain plug is in. Anyone can forget to do this. Vander Pol says he carries extra plugs in his tow vehicle,

TOP PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDA FISH & WILDLIFE; RIGHT PHOTO COURTESY OF FOUR WINNS because without that plug, you’re going to ruin your day. You’ll either be driving to the nearest marine service center, or you’ll be on the water and suddenly realize you have a very big problem. 13. Engage your parking brake on the ramp. Some boaters even recommend blocking the front wheels, just to be safe. 14. Take off all straps that secure your boat to the trailer. “A couple years back, I was hurrying to launch my boat so the line could keep moving,” remembers boater Steven Knaus. “I forgot to remove the rear straps. When I put the boat in reverse, it wouldn’t move; then I noticed that my trailer was floating in the water. I had to pull back out, remove the straps, and try again.” 15. Related tip: Don’t rush. 16. If your boat is not sliding off the trailer, don’t force it. Investigate immediately, or haul out and investigate in the parking lot. Boater Kevin Livermore recalls seeing a gentleman attempt to launch his boat with an RV. “The boat wouldn’t come off the bunks, so he decided to go fast in reverse and jam on the brakes to get the boat to slide off,” Livermore says. “When he hit the brakes on the ramp, which was covered with moss and seaweed, the whole rig went in. The motorhome was submerged, and all the stuff inside was floating out the windows. The worst part was that he’d borrowed the motorhome from a friend! They had to lift it out with a huge crane, and the launch ramp was useless for 24 hours.” 17. Be prepared for handling the boat once it has floated off the trailer. “Have two docklines on the boat, so when the driver is backing in, the first mate is ready to fend off the boat from the dock,” Hall says. “Leave the fenders in the boat; you don’t need to have them out for the short time you’re at the launch.”

Hauling out 18. Be quick about retrieving your tow vehicle, and never leave your boat at the ramp while you head off to do something else. Knaus remembers one memorable day when a storm was brewing. “It was a mad rush to get off the water,” he says. “Some yahoo decided he wanted to get out of there but leave his boat, so he tied up and left. Now one side of the dock was completely blocked.” 19. If you’re having trouble loading as a crowd piles up on the lake behind you, head off to the side, drop the hook, and wait for a lull before making another attempt. You’ll likely find that the boaters who have loaded their boats will come back to help you. 20. Launching isn’t the only time you need a plan. Before you return to the ramp, make sure everyone knows what is expected of them. “When I was about 10 years old, we’d go up to northern Wisconsin every summer,” says boater Jamie Zehren. “My mom and dad were docking the boat one time at Three Lakes, near Rhinelander. My dad told my mom to catch the rope and pull it in. Instead she threw the rope back to him, and she fell in the water.” 21. Remember that a boat is not a car. “I see people coming into the dock too fast, throwing the boat into reverse, smacking it into forward, and oversteering,” Vander Pol says. “Instead, line up as best you can, and then put the boat in neutral. Feel what the wind and current are doing to you. Then move toward the dock no faster than you’d want to walk into it.” 22. Don’t accidentally lock your car door while it’s on the ramp. Not only will that shut down the ramp, it will take time to get a spare key from home. Or time and money, if you need to get professional assistance. 23. When loading, secure your boat to its trailer correctly. If the water is deep enough, you might not need the winch strap, but connect it anyway. Wet carpeted bunks and a slippery hull are an accident waiting to happen. 24. “Keep extra tie-down straps onboard or in your tow vehicle,” Vander Pol says. “If your winch strap goes, then at least you can get the boat out of the water and off the ramp.” 25. Finally, don’t unload, rinse or wipe down your boat at the ramp. Save that for the parking lot. Other boaters will thank you for it. ★

HEATHER STEINBERGER is an award-winning writer/editor who has specialized in boating, travel and outdoor adventure for more than 20 years.