Solo loading/unloading suggestions

[Winnie]

I just got my first boat, an Alumacraft Dominator, last summer and am still pretty inexperienced at loading and unloading, especially by myself. It's on a roller trailer, so whenever it's backed down the ramp and into the water it will automatically roll off the trailer if not attatched. the only way I've figured out how to load or unload it by myself is to keep the motor in gear and revved so that it stays up against the winch until I can lean over the bow and attach the strap and/or the safety chain. this makes me a little nervous everytime I do it, so does anyone have any suggestions or other ideas that might be safer and/or easier?

[yarcraft91]

I load and unload a boat on a roller trailer often.

- Get a cheap pair of slip-on knee boots and use them.
- Launching- reverse the winch, crank the winch to control the rate the boat rolls off the trailer.
- Loading- Use the winch to crank the boat onto the trailer. Takes a little longer and a little muscle, but very non-dramatic.

[Drifty4]

Just winch it on. That is how I do mine. Once you find the right depth to put the trailer in to so you can step onto the hitch and still get it to slide on right you don't even get wet doing it.

Mine is a bunk trailer and it still works fine this way. Your rollers will make it that much easier.

Make sure that you don't unhook the winch until you are in the water going in or you will loose it on the ramp.

[eye-hunter]

When launching alone with rollers if it's not busy and other boats aren't around... I back down to the proper depth for my boat/trailer. I jump on the hitch and climb into the boat. I go to the back and start the motor but don't engage anything. I go to the front and lean over and back the boat off with the winch about 3-4 inches. Then I hold onto the post that holds the winch (to keep the boat from moving) and back the winch a little more to get some slack. I unclip and let go. Weee! If other boats are around, I normally just winch it all the way down. It's slower, but less dramatic (as mentioned above).

When loading alone, I never use the motor. I don't back the trailer in nearly as far to make it easier to get the boat on straight, and I use the winch to load it on. Slower than power loading, but much safer when you are alone.

[Dave C]

The only solution that I found was to winch the boat on. Tried the "keeping the motor in gear" thing and I did not like it at all. I fish rivers half the time, and I could vision the current taking the boat away from the trailer and who knows where in gear. I tried everything, but winching was the only solution I was comfortable with. Not really hard, though. with a roller trailer. At a local outdoor show a few weeks back, a guy from MN was demonstrating a contraption that had ropes coming from the side guides to the winch that automatically locked on and pulled the boat up. Sorry I cannot remember the name of it, but maybe someone here can give more info about it. Total cost was about $900. He said the guy who invented it, did so for the very reason you are describing. After fighting it for 10 years, my new boat has a bunk tailer.

[Jimmy Jig]

I do this all the time. Back in with, hold the boat with one hand if you can, if not loop the rope around the winch stand, hung hook the snap and let it roll off the trailer. Hold rope when doing it ( make sure you have a long enough rope) tie the boat to dock..... When loading back the trailer into water, get in boat and drive it on, leave the motor in gear and running to hold it on the trailer, walk up front lean over the bow and hook the safety chain, walk to the back and shut off motor and go out over the front, drive out..... The boat will not go any place while running if you are not in too deep or if you have side pipes or bunks to hold it straight on the trailer.

[rebs]

one other suggestion that makes loading easy is a boat buddy II, It bolts on your winch stand and is spring loaded. When you drive your boat on the bow eye hits the release and pushes a bolt through the bow eye hole and the boat is in place. You don't even have to leave the drivers seat til after you shut off the motor and trim it up

[perchjerker]

I do like yarcraft.

hip waders, winch it on. No worries about the motor running in gear etc. No climbing back in the boat with the motor running to shut it off etc, no balancing on a wet trailer

also helpful for wading over and helping the guy at the next ramp that doesnt know what he is doing and needs a hand

I dont know how many times people have commented on the boots "man, thats a good idea"

I buy a larger set of hip waders that my feet so I can slip them on and off easily

[TomP.]

I have an all roller trailer. What I did was took my farthest forward center keel roller and pulled the pin out of it and replaced it with a bolt, tightened it down enough so the roller turns a little hard. Now on all of but the steepest ramps I drive on and the boat stays put. Unloading I usually have to push her back a little until she clears that front roller. Or get in start the engine and back off.

[blueranger61]

Think about an electric winch. With a roller trailer it would be a piece of cake. Get one with a wireless remote. It is about the size of your car fob. I use one on a 621 with a bunk trailer. Has been a life saver for me. BP has a pretty good one for about $170.00. Just replace the cable with a strap.