Launching on your own a 5.4m Glass boat

[locodave]

Hi Guys,

I will be purchasing a glass boat shortly with a bit of luck and was just wondering how I would launch it on my own. I often go alone fishing and my previous boat was a 4.1 tinnie. No problems at all

But this is a lot bigger and just wondering what is the best way to do it? Launching and Retrieving.

When I used to launch my tinnie I could hold the boat while I untied the boat from the winch. Don't know how I would do this bit alone now.

Any help will be good, thanks!

[onearmedfisho]

Hi Guys,

I will be purchasing a glass boat shortly with a bit of luck and was just wondering how I would launch it on my own. I often go alone fishing and my previous boat was a 4.1 tinnie. No problems at all

But this is a lot bigger and just wondering what is the best way to do it? Launching and Retrieving.

When I used to launch my tinnie I could hold the boat while I untied the boat from the winch. Don't know how I would do this bit alone now.

Any help will be good, thanks!

Hey Mate, Interested in what is said here myself???

[musty]

BJ whats going on mate you another one with a full time sling?

I got a guy near me who broke his arm and was put in a sling, that was like 5 years ago! really???

Check out "launch and retrieve boat latch". Just what your after.

You can also do a few other things. I used to borrow my mates 5, fibreglass boat sometimes and i would roll back, hit the brakes so it would come off the trailer with a long bow rope attached to the rear ladder rack on my Ute, then i would stop the car once its off, get out, undo the rope, walk the boat around to the pontoon tie off and go park the car and trailer. On retrieving i would simply drive the boat hard up onto the trailer, keep in in gear thrusting forward while i got on the nose hung over the front and hooked the strap up. Might have looked a bit like organised chaos but it worked and faster than two man crews sometimes!

For now just with a kayak i just dump it in where ever i want

Musty

[bucko48]

Hi Guys,

I will be purchasing a glass boat shortly with a bit of luck and was just wondering how I would launch it on my own. I often go alone fishing and my previous boat was a 4.1 tinnie. No problems at all

But this is a lot bigger and just wondering what is the best way to do it? Launching and Retrieving.

When I used to launch my tinnie I could hold the boat while I untied the boat from the winch. Don't know how I would do this bit alone now.

Any help will be good, thanks!

Hi A good multi roller trailer makes things a lot easier both launching & retreiving. I had a 6m haines that I launched by myself & it was easy once I got the hang of things.You can drive on & off. Main problem will be the wind.

regards bucko48

[Zdenk01]

Hi locodave,

check this video

cheers

zed

[Dfishin]

Locodave

I launch a 6.2 m fiberglass half cab often on my own. As said in other replys it really depends on your trailer set up. Like musty said if your trailer allows it you should be able to drive your boat straight up to the front roller on your trailer, leave your motor in forward gear with enough revs to hold it there while you go and latch it up at the winch, Go back to your controls turn motor off, tilt motor up, then pull pull the boat out. Most new fiberglass boats are set up to be put on this way. Now if you drive your boat on your trailer you can drive your boat off the trailer aswell, on your own too. So, back the boat down the ramp and into the water as normal. Jump into the boat over the bow, start motor and put in forward gear with enough revs to hold it there. jump back out to the winch and un-hook the hook,jump back in the boat and put into neutral, the boat should start to roll/float off trailer, as you knock it into neutral and start moving backwards i always start to lift the motor with the trim button. Tie to warf or pull up to bank and go park your car.

Trailers

As said most trailers for new fiberglass boats are set up to launch and retrieve in this way. Most new boat/trailer set ups these days are also set up in the way that if your boat and trailer is on the ramp and you undo the hook at the front your boat WILL roll off the trailer. This is why it is necessary to have the motor in forward gear while un hooking and hooking the winch cable up. For this reason i never undo the safety chain at the winch until the boat is in the water and never pull the boat out without having the safety chain attached.

You might find that when you un hook your boat at the winch it may sit there and not roll off. This is ok, you can use a bit of reverse to drive the boat off the trailer.

Alot of people use this method of launch and retrieve but have one person in the boat and one person driving the car and working the winch. but no reason you cant do it alone. i do it alot.

Go to some good fishing ground boat ramps such as. Shellharbour, Kiama,Port Kembla, or for syd silverwater cooks river. and you will see alot of peaple using this method and see how its done. And go with a mate for the first few trips to try it with some help.

Too long ? Sorry Dave

[jimg1au]

hi

i just bought a 5.2 seafarer viking it has a 2009 sales trailer under it it comes up easy and goes off with little effort.i had my 4.7mtr v-sea set up the same with a sales trailer both multi roller can drive them off and on with no problems

jim

[oz_brett]

As Dfishin said I have heard that similar way is to have a rope tied loosely across your bow rail so that when thrown over the front of the boat it catches the winch post, drop the rope over the winch post roll your boat back against this rope. climb into boat drive forward to the winch post leaving the boat in gear with enough revs to hold it while you bring your rope back in to the boat (dont need to get out of the boat to do this.

Similar with retreiving.

Drive on to trailer to winch post leaving in gear with revs to hold the boat against the winch post, throw rope over winch post then let boat roll back so that the rope holds boat steady while you climb out and winch boat up tight.

I have not tryed this myself as yet but I do know of some one that has and said it was easier then it sounds.

Brett

[locodave]

Thanks for the replies guys and no answer is too long =)

I guess I will try the method where I leave the boat in forward gear as I go to tie up the winch. And vice versa when taking it off the trailer.

It's just a matter of finding the right revs to hold the boat in position I guess? Does it normally take a bit of effort or is it just a matter of touching the throttle into forward position?

Might have to take a day off to try this when the ramps are empty

[Dfishin]

The amount of revs needed is really dependent on your trailer and the ramp. Sometimes you might just have it idle in gear but on a steeper ramp with more water you might have the motor running at 2000-2500 revs. you will work it out and get more comfortable with it the more you do it.

But it really depends on your trailer set up whether you will be able to do this and sometimes on a very low tide on some ramps also wont allow it either.;

Dave

[helliconia]

Although my 4.75m is a tinnie I do the same as some here. I drive on the trailer to the winch post, leave it in gear (forward idle is usually enough) and then hang over the front and do up the safety chain and winch. After turning off the engine and tilting it up, my partner drives the car up the ramp and I jump out and tighten the winch.

I can do it all alone the same by just jumping over the side after securing it and driving the car myself. Theres a few mins wasted when I drive the car down the ramp and fetch the boat but noones yelled at me yet as I don't daudle on the ramp any longer than necessary.

Launching is similiar, although I undo the chain and winch, then climb up the side of the boat off the mudguard and drive it off with a little reverse. I don't launch it too deep when doing it this way so the boat doesn't slide off without me

[Brooker435]

I have a 14ft Fiberglass Boat but shes very heavy,

the way I launch and retrieve it can be done with only 1 person and I dont see any reason why you could not do it with any other vessle,

I have about 30 Metres of robe coiled on a handle, I have attached a d-link Shakel what-ever you want to call it at the beginning of the rope with a loop knot.

I clip the rope onto the boat before I un-do the whinch and guide the boat to the pontoon from the ramp, tie up the boat and go park the car and away you go.

The only problem is some people get impatient especially at the peak times but me I personally try to avoid crowds, obviously get a heavier duty rope for a larger vessel and check the rope before you use it as the last thing you want is to have the rope break on you then you will have to go for a swim,

Good Luck,

Regards,

Nathan

[spaners]

I have a 14ft Fiberglass Boat but shes very heavy,

the way I launch and retrieve it can be done with only 1 person and I dont see any reason why you could not do it with any other vessle,

I have about 30 Metres of robe coiled on a handle, I have attached a d-link Shakel what-ever you want to call it at the beginning of the rope with a loop knot.

I clip the rope onto the boat before I un-do the whinch and guide the boat to the pontoon from the ramp, tie up the boat and go park the car and away you go.

The only problem is some people get impatient especially at the peak times but me I personally try to avoid crowds, obviously get a heavier duty rope for a larger vessel and check the rope before you use it as the last thing you want is to have the rope break on you then you will have to go for a swim,

Good Luck,

Regards,

Nathan

I agree with beginner, just push her in on a long rope and tie her up.I cant be bothered with all the hassel doing it the other way...get in,back off,tie up,get out.Seems like a lot of hassel to me.

If its winter wear welli boots.

[Dfishin]

Yeh. just push it off.

We are talkin a big boat so like i said with my 6.2 glass boat pushing it off is not an option its more like un hook and it slides. therefore you need the motor goin in forward to actually un hook the winch. If you try and loosen the the winch to un hook at boat, The boat will keep sliding down the trailer and your not goin to hold it there. therefore the weight of the boat stays on the hook and you wont get it off.

Anyway as i said drive on and off is much quicker and easier if your set up allows it ( Even if alone ). Majority of people are doing it this way these days.

[REBSS]

I have a 6.5 mtr lump of glass and agree with beginner - by far the easiest way but in the end it depends on trailer set up. I would go to ramp whith a mate ( just in case ) and practise practise practise.

[onearmedfisho]

BJ whats going on mate you another one with a full time sling?

I got a guy near me who broke his arm and was put in a sling, that was like 5 years ago! really???

Check out "launch and retrieve boat latch". Just what your after.

You can also do a few other things. I used to borrow my mates 5, fibreglass boat sometimes and i would roll back, hit the brakes so it would come off the trailer with a long bow rope attached to the rear ladder rack on my Ute, then i would stop the car once its off, get out, undo the rope, walk the boat around to the pontoon tie off and go park the car and trailer. On retrieving i would simply drive the boat hard up onto the trailer, keep in in gear thrusting forward while i got on the nose hung over the front and hooked the strap up. Might have looked a bit like organised chaos but it worked and faster than two man crews sometimes!

For now just with a kayak i just dump it in where ever i want

Musty

Hey Musty! Yeah mate, thats why i changed to the one armed fisho as another raider suggested i should... Its been over 7 years now!!! Hows your yak goin anyway? You been gettn a few? Yeah there are a few suggestions on launching and retrieving a bigger boat by yourself. Problem with me is apart from the one arm thing ive got a walk around cuddy cabin set up so i got no idea how to get in or out of the boat while its all the way down the ramp She'll be right,i seem to work everything else out...

Take it easy...