Loading/Unloading Porty

[Lunkaz]

This site rocks!! I haul my Frabill Predator around in the back of my pickup. I most often fish alone and it can be a beeatch loading and unloading. Just looking for creative ideas to help load and unload the porty without blowing a nut. For all of you comedians, I will not buy a different porty, and yes, I do unload all gear to lighten the weight.

[cam white]

I stand one end of my voyager on the end of my tailgate, lift up the end that's on the ground.

[Lunkaz]

That is what I have been doing, and I'm not as young as I used to be. Plus, it is sometimes hard to get good footing on ice. Maybe a pair of ice cleats for the boots would help with this. I was hoping someone out there has designed something simple and inexpensive to assist with this process?

[GrizzlyAdams]

Mount a winch in the bed of the truck and crank it in. use a couple 2 x 6's for a ramp and it should slide right in.

[dairyman]

I put a set of cross country skis on my commando and then set the tip of the skis on the tail gate and lift and push

[silverbulletguy]

+1 for what Grizzly said. Or hook a simple pulley in side the front of the box and tug it in.

[toughguy]

I stand one end of my voyager on the end of my tailgate, lift up the end that's on the ground.

This is what I do with my Otter. I usually have a second sled underneath my portable sled too. I'm a big guy but I must admit it's a pain.

[kerryd15]

I use a single 4 wheeler ramp. set ramp on tailgate and push it in or pull from the top. i am not a large person and I load a yukon with all my gear in it this way, including 20# tank.

[h8go4s]

Unhook the tailgate cables so it drops down for a better angle to ramp the sled up into the bed. Run a chain between the front tie-downs in the bed with a pulley in the middle of the chain. Run a rope through the pulley with a snap on it to hook onto the sled. Lift the front of the sled onto the tailgate then pull on the rope with one hand and lift the rear of the sled at the same time. It's not real easy, but it sure helps.

[candiru]

I have a 2x8 that is about 7ft long - cut one so it fits in the bed. One end on the ground, the other on the tailgate and use it as a ramp. It works like a charm. I spent too many years trying to lift things like an 1D10T.

[Esox_Magnum]

I have a 3 man Eskimo, like others just lift one end up and slide it in, I don't unload mine though and not really a problem for my 145 pounds to load.

[PerchJerker]

I use my atv ramps with my fully loaded and modified Otter Lodge. It's a heavy house but very easy to load and unload by sliding it up and down the ramps.

[Lunkaz]

Might have to get me some ramps. Do you find your feet slipping when you do this?

[tsande00]

I use a Suburban to haul all my ice gear around and I use pretty mcuh the same tactic. Lift one of edge of the porty into the bed of the vehicle, then lift and push on the other end to slide it into the truck.

I use a 3 man Eskimo and it's easier said then done, especially after you build up some ice and snow on the bottom or in the tub and add even more weight. Every year I tell myself I"m going to pick up a 2"x8" or two and use them as ramps but I haven't done that that. I would think that adding some hyfax to the ramp would make it even easier to slide up and into the back of a vehicle.

[iafish4fun]

So I am not the only one that bench presses their shack into the back of the truck. Good. I have been doing exactly what you have been doing and thinking the same thing. There has to be a better way. I may have to look into some sort of ramp setup. I have a lead on some plastic that would make nice runners for the ramps.

[herefish101]

I clearcoated my 2x6 ramp, that made it pretty slippery so sliding it up and down is easy. I also made a metal bracket that is bent and bolted to one end of the 2x6 so it sits on the tailgate better. I always leave my porty fully loaded, it's just easier that way....

[grasshopper]

You're bigger and younger than me and I have no problem loading mine.