Boat launches - the other side

[wkngmomof2]

I have a pet peeve about the boat launches as well, we try to stay out of the way and have avoided busy lakes, with just myself and the boys it's more of a comedy show than anything, but it doesn't help when people have powerloaded their boats and dug a big hole at the bottom of the ramp, with our boat we have had problems with the drop offs created by those that powerload - either our boat is floating when we load it or our trailer is too far out of the water to load. This means it take us more time to get the boat loaded..... Keep this in mind when you don't want to get your feet wet when loading your boat.....

[TruthWalleyes]

Bad ramps and Powerloading causing deep holes is pretty much unavoidable at this point. I would suggest adding some side guards or "easy loaders" for your trailer so your trailer doesn't have to be level or at the perfect depth to load easily. The easy loaders will keep your boat centered on the trailer whether your boat is floating or your trailer is uneven.

Here's some suggestions:

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubb...tio#Post2579123

[Down Deep]

There is a down side to holes cause by powerloading, but on busy ramps it sure speeds up the loading process which benefits almost everybody.

[Northlander]

Almost all our ramps around here have no powerloading signs at them and on the docks now. Is it enforced? Not yet that I have seen.

[JohnMickish]

I understand people stance on powerloading but has anybody winched a Ranger 620 onto a trailer? It aint happening. A guy can float some of those bigger boats onto the trailer if the ramp is at the PERFECT angle but we all know that is far from reality. Just sayin'

[Sonicrunch]

I hit my trailer moving at a good clip. I roll right up into place.

[ozzie]

I can drive my boat on the trailer and get it close enough with out gunning the motor to get out and only have to winch the last 5ft or less and I am sure most people could do that rather than hit the throtle to get the boat up the trailer that last 5 ft!!

[traveler]

Same here...I have a 20 glass CC, not a light boat. I drive it right onto the trailer, within 1-2 feet with no problem, and NO gunning the engine. There must be a reson others need to gun them up??

When I see the "no powerloading" signs...I honestly don't know if I'm breaking the rules by doing what I do. I do know I'm not digging any holes.

[reinhard1]

i dont drive up the trailer and it's fine if you do. i'm sure you have the trailer in a proper position to accomidate you driving up. the "gunning" the motor thing is not knowing how to place the trailer in the proper water level in my opinion and just a "macho" behaviour to impress knowone but the person doing it. good luck.

[Koepper08]

As far as having to powerload due to a big boat...Get a smaller boat. C'mon, what a lame excuse. Powerloading is terrible and wrecks accesses really quick. Have some courtesy for everybody who utilizes this amazing public resource.

[JohnMickish]

All I'm saying is that if the landings where the right angle and there was the right amount of water in the lake there would be no powerloading. We all know that there are to many variables to make every ramp perfect for everybody. Example, when I put my boat on the trailer last Sunday I had all four wheels of the truck in the water and the trailer was not deep enough yet. It was close and I powerloaded the last foot or so.

Now, with powerloading, there is a difference between driving it up under power and scooting the boat up the trailer the last little bit and sitting there with the motor screaming and shooting a monster rooster tail.

Another case where loading with the motor is almost needed is loading by yourself in high wind or with high current.

Cranking up a smaller boat on a roller trailer by hand is a pretty easy job, but not all boats are so easy to do.

I suppose I could sit there for an hour and crank it up if that makes everyone happy, or I can load with a little use of the motor and be out of there in well under a minute.

[harvey lee]

I have always and will always powerload my boat.

95% of the time I am by myself and I can back the trailer in, get back in the boat and then crack the throttle about 1/3 maybe and when the boat is on the trailer I have already been off the throttle.

My trailer centers the boat perfectly without the guides and I am sure I leave no holes as I do not use that much throttle.

Powerloading can be done with the correct set up with very little throttle if you have the trailer in the water the correct height.

I leave no rroster tails and I never get wet feet when I do it myself and I load as fast as anyone by myself.

Just takes some pratice and trailer setting. What bothers me at times is when there is a boat with 2-4 people and they take 5 minutes longer than myself getting thier boat in and ready.

[TruthWalleyes]

I'm guessing that trailer guide on's just dont look "cool" enough to use on the 20' fiberglass boats

But i think it would help you guys out if you could just dump your trailer in deeper and putz right up onto your trailer, with the trailer guide on's keeping you centered while you pull out...Though i know that many landings you cannot get deep enought - My back tires are always in the water, and too often so are my front Such is Life!

[wkngmomof2]

It's the folks that manage to get part way onto their trailers and then gun it that I am talking about, Yes, I could add the guide on's for our boat, don't know how much they will help though if the trailer is crooked because of a deep hole at the end of the ramp, I'd probably just wind up with a roller on a rib or something and the boat lopsided on my trailer, I could just as easily say, that maybe you should buy an electric winch - for us right now the $70 for cheap guide ons is a lot of money Just try to be respectful of others. Some of the landings are not DNR owned, one at a lake we like to fish at is managed by a gun club, so I don't know who would enforce it if there was a sign posted.

[SkunkedAgain]

All I'm saying is that if the landings where the right angle and there was the right amount of water in the lake there would be no powerloading.

All we're saying is it's not the landing, or the lake, it's you. It's you and you're boat. If your boat is too big for the lake and conditions, DON'T RUIN THE RAMP and blame everything else.

I boat solo more than half the time and never powerload. Then again, I knew that when buying my boat so I made sure that I got a roller trailer and a boat that I can handle. If you can't handle it then you have the wrong boat. To be clear, that is your problem and not the lake's problem.

[gregg52]

As far as having to powerload due to a big boat...Get a smaller boat. C'mon, what a lame excuse. Powerloading is terrible and wrecks accesses really quick. Have some courtesy for everybody who utilizes this amazing public resource.

please explain to me how power loading ruins the ramp

so theres a hole in the WATER i don't see how power loading effects any but power loaders if you are not power loading you should not be in the water that even even know the hole is there

i had a smaller power and power loaded for 20 yrs and never felt i was hurting anything...i'm in and out of the water faster than most 2 guys loading

i now have an even bigger boat 20ft glass and will continue to power load

i dont shoot rooster tails as someone stated above but i do give it a needed goose

when it is needed

dont tell me to buy a smaller boat

i bought a big boat for a reason

[minneman]

either our boat is floating when we load it or our trailer is too far out of the water to load. This means it take us more time to get the boat loaded..... Keep this in mind when you don't want to get your feet wet when loading your boat.....

obviously somwhere between being too deep and being too shalow to load there is that sweet spot. if your in the "hole" your too far in and your feet will get wet

[JimBuck]

I think one of the problems is when boaters pull up to a landing to launch and realize that the launch is very shallow and still insist upon launching their boat. This creates an interesting landing scenario because they are now forced to really powerload in order to get the boat back on the trailer. This scenario happening over and over causes not only monster holes but a giant mound of silt or sand behind the hole. Then the sweet spot that was once there for many boaters is now gone.

I load my boat by driving onto the trailer but don't really have a need to give her more than a bump to get settled on the trailer and then winch up the rest. People will argue until they are blue in the face as to what the definition of powerloading really is but with a little common sense and respect I think the launches could be in better shape.

[TruthWalleyes]

It's the folks that manage to get part way onto their trailers and then gun it that I am talking about, Yes, I could add the guide on's for our boat, don't know how much they will help though if the trailer is crooked because of a deep hole at the end of the ramp, I'd probably just wind up with a roller on a rib or something and the boat lopsided on my trailer, I could just as easily say, that maybe you should buy an electric winch - for us right now the $70 for cheap guide ons is a lot of money Just try to be respectful of others. Some of the landings are not DNR owned, one at a lake we like to fish at is managed by a gun club, so I don't know who would enforce it if there was a sign posted.

$70 for me would be about 3-4 trips to a lake. By the long discussion here, it is obvious that powerloading will take place, you will be on a uneven ramp at times, and the best thing you can do for yourself is to cut some cost out of something else (I.e. skip a few trips) to afford some trailer guide ons. It is simply not going to get fixed today, and likely never. So help yourself out and make your loading easier.

I also don't think you will have any problems with a roller on a rib. There are many experienced boaters here that have guide ons and with my experience, you will not have that problem. As you pull your trailer out of the water, the boat will stay centered. I'll let my trailer sit uneven as much as a foot without problems.

Your not going to fix the problem here, but there is something you can do to take some frusterations out of your loading.

OR TAke the year off of fishing so you can get yourself a hydraulic kit for your tailer like you might see on one of these cars:

[mknolls]

I didn't see a post on the physical ability of a person. Take in two consideration on weather or not one can even crank up a boat. I have seen many people of all ages with some kind of handy cap. Some may not have the ability to winch. There for driving on the trailer is much easier for them. Especially if they are alone. I know, (tell them to stay home.) Every one has the right to in joy the great outdoors. Fishing or hunting. Maybe instead of just being [PoorWordUsage] off about consider the bigger picture. I my self try to do what I can at every ramp when I can to ether offer help or pay close attention to what I may be doing. I personally can say I have help many people load and unload there boat. And have herd many jerk sit and FemaleDog rather then offer a helping hand. Like its there own lake. I load under power, meaning my motor is running. I do this for a couple of reason. To speed things up and get out of the way. And to not have to work so hard. Yes I can crank up my boat. But as I get older and the fact I have a bad back I do not care to over exert my self. No need to do more damage then what the last back surgery tried to take care of. I would also point out that if this is of a public lunch you should be complaining to you local DNR. They maintain these on a regular bases. They may not know your lake ramp needs some repair. If a county park then contact the county. Its all are responsibility to make ramps safe for all. Be safe and respectful to the next guy things will go much faster. Sorry stretched this out a bit.

[BartmanMN]

please explain to me how power loading ruins the ramp

so theres a hole in the WATER i don't see how power loading effects any but power loaders if you are not power loading you should not be in the water that even even know the hole is there

i had a smaller power and power loaded for 20 yrs and never felt i was hurting anything...i'm in and out of the water faster than most 2 guys loading

i now have an even bigger boat 20ft glass and will continue to power load

i dont shoot rooster tails as someone stated above but i do give it a needed goose

when it is needed

dont tell me to buy a smaller boat

i bought a big boat for a reason

Besides the hole that it digs, it pushes the sediment into a large pile beyond the hole. When the water levels decrease, then there becomes a large hump in the bottom of the lake, making it impossible for certain boats to draft over. That is the other concern beyond the 'big hole'.

[bobbymalone]

[reinhard1]

thanks for the picture. that right there is my major complaint with the whole issue. why does someone have to rooster-tail their boat on a trailer is beyond any reason in my opinion. i still crank mine in and take very little time doing it and i have a 18.50 crestliner with a bunk trailer. position the boat properly in the water and you should be fine cranking or driving it up without the macho show and tell at the landing. good luck.

[My_Key]

Cranking up a boat is hard physical work? My 5 yr old is able to crank my 16ft aluminum fish/ski up on the roller trailer(Shorelander). How it could hurt your back is totally another topic. Personally, I use my shoulders and arms. Being lazy is no excuse for ruining a landing.

[jwmiller33]

as you can see from the picture, when you have low water years, previous year's powerloading holes are the reason you have to get both your back AND front tires wet to launch/load

there is a clear difference between power loading and using momentum + a little added thrust to trailer. if you are rooster tailing, its power loading