boat loading made easier

[PrimoWi]

Just a tip to make boat loading easier. Spray bunk rails with silicone spray. Just make sure you are connected when you back in next time.

[Mike Roy]

Something a little more environmentally friendly to try is, rubbing a bar of soap like ivory, over the bunks works pretty good too.

[jimstolpa]

I agree with the Ivory option. When my fiance remebers we carry an old soap bottle of Ivory soap and water. When I park the trailer I squirt the solution over the bunks. It lasts for a couple of launches and then I have to repeat the process.

[Chad]

Just curious, Why would you want your bunk's to be slippery?

We use a bunk and have never had a problem. Just back er in till she floats. For loading just back it in far enough that you have about 2' of the bunk left out of the water and she fits like a glove.

[Eyez]

A lot of the time there's no need to make the bunks slicker, but if you're launching alone or on a crappy ramp, or both, it gives you a little more room for error when backing the trailer in, you don't have to have it in just the right spot. It also makes loading much easier. You get the best of both a bunk and roller trailer that way.


Dusty

[jehtro]

siliconing or soaping your bunks? sounds like armouralling a motorcycle seat. i lose a lot of women that way. oops! there goes another one. :o)

[Eyez]

You must be forgetting to hook the safety chain... :)

[jimstolpa]

I'm sure other boats may be a little easier, but mine weighs a ton and I usually have to hit the gas pretty hard to get it all the way on, therefore i need to soap the bunks. As for winching... I can only winch it about an inch. Sounds like a personal problem. ha ha.

[gord]

try putting upright plastic loading guides at the back of your trailer. back the trailer in deeper so the boat mostly floats onto the trailer. the guides,when adjusted right, will keep the boat centered over the trailer. if you are dealing with shallow launching ramps a low rider trailer is very helpful. if you want your bunks a little slippryer, just back the trailer in deeper and wet them. then pull the trailer ahead to the loading depth you desire. perhaps your bunks need adjusting, might be too much incline or they could be set too high. if you have to use a lubricant...just use it on the part of bunk that needs it up near the winch. you don't want to take a chance on the boat sliding off the trailer when you don't want it to, like stories you often hear about roller trailers.

[PrimoWi]

The reasons for making bunks slippery is two fold, very low water. This makes it impossible to back in far enough to float on or off. The second reason is torn rotator cuff surgery. Arm is good enough for fishing but not good enough to wench boat on. At least it got me a couple more weeks of fishing.

[gord]

a few well positioned load bearing rollers and 12 volt electric winch might be worth considering. other guys in your area must be having the same problems at your shallow launch facility. the local dealers would probably know how to correct this. talk to the local tournament guys, they see a lot in their travels. a longer trailer tongue would get the boat out deeper. i have heard of temporary tongue extensions that can be put on at the ramp, but i've never seen any.

[Pops]

As to the environment, I use a silicone spray that is USDA approved for use in the meat packing industry. At the rate I put it on it is way lower than what is alowed for use in the packing plants. Works just as good as the standard spray.
Keep your rod bent!!
Grand Pops :-)

[Jarrod]

adding soap to the water is NOT environmentally friendly. Many soaps contain, amoung other things, phosphates, which will act as a fertilizer for the weeds and algae.

[Eyez]

Man, I hope you never pee over the side of the boat. Every time we launch a boat, we inadvertently put some chemicals in the water, a little bit of soap isn't going to hurt anything, especially when all the people who live on the shore of the lake are fertilizing their lawns 3 times a year, and pumping their drain fields straight into the lake. If you don't like the soap idea, use a little bit of vegetable oil, that's organic.


Dusty

[Burt the squirt]

SAFETY FIRST! Never pee over the side of a boat. Too many guys drown with their flies open. Stand in the middle of the boat and pee in a container, then dump it.

[Bob]

I spray Lemon Pledge on my bunks twice a year, makes wenching the boat on the trailer a breeze. Try it, it works great!

[Rick]

The bail bucket in our boat is now known as the "pee bucket." We found out the hard way that kneeling while peeing when fishing on choppy water is a much better option. :)

[Flick]

Try replacing front bunks with plastic 2x6's used in deck construction. Works great.

[eyewinder]

Let's see if I've got this right. . .I want to soap my fly and back onto the trailer with my boat?