How much walleye boat can one man easily handle?

[Overwatchmike]

Lots of great info here for all of us to learn from...

The most enjoyable Memorial Day that you can ever have is to head to a busy boat ramp with a lawn chair and a cooler of adult beverages and just sit back and watch! I guarantee you will walk away with tears rolling down your eyes and your cheeks will hurt from laughing so much!!!!


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[Daddybigfins]

I agree with those that mention the wind makes a difference, pushing a 16' away from the dock or shoreline is easier than a 22'. Or pulling your stern into the dock after you nose the bow in to tie off against the wind. There are just a few moves that you can't use a mechanical advantage to assist on where the lighter boat with less surface area to catch the wind is easier by oneself.

[oldlund]

I launch alone a lot. Having a relatively steep ramp next to a dock makes all the difference. There are great YouTube videos on it that helped me. It’s worth paying a few bucks, if needed to find a wind protected ramp. Keeping the boat moored while parking or loading the empty trailer back in can be a pain.

You’ve likely seen the Minnkota commercial where they guy backs in and deploys the ulterra.

https://youtu.be/y5ejwRj9t1Q


I’ve done this a half a dozen times and works like a charm, but my blood pressure doesn’t like it. The range on the remote is darn impressive.


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[jbrown78]

For me, it’s all about making life easier. For example I have side bunks to keep the boat on the trailer for easier loading. A good winch even electric for cranking the boat. Steps in front of the trailer for easy climbing on and off. With things like that a guy can easily handle any size walleye boat.

[Hammer Tyme]

I am almost 60, 5-9, 170 and very active and still agile. I have a 18.5' Lund Fisherman that I routinely launch and land by myself. The hard part is that I have to usually take my shoes off and wade into the water to enter my boat and than I have to hang over the bow to unhook the front strap.

There is technology that you can put on your boat to launch and land it easier without help. Like the auto deploy trolling motors that you can use onshore to move to a safe spot and anchor after unloading from the trailer and will return after you park and an automatic hook at the bow position. As I get older I may invest in these 2 items. I like the the auto trolling motors since I could drop that motor without having to go up front in bad weather (windy/rainy) that means I can keep my bow covered.

So when you buy a boat it's always a good idea to get as close to the max motor the boat can take. If anything you will be able to sell it a lot faster when its time. I have a 150 on a 18.5' walk through but you always see these boats with a 135hp or less. If I have 3 or 4 guys in there it becomes much harder to get on plane. BTW I usually run at about 60 to 70 % full throttle on bigger lakes.

So having said all that you first need to decide what style boat you want, tiller or steering wheel, walk through or not, and than size while taking into account your pocket book, and new or used. And that also means what type vehicle you have to tow with too.

At least this is how I would go about determining how I will replace my boat.

BTW when I'm at the boat ramp I will try to help people that seem to be having issues loading or unloading at the ramp. It can be intimidating when there is a line of boats waiting. I bet a lot of people would be happy to help you or give you pointers. My best tip to you is the rear-view mirror over your dash is useless when backing a larger trailer. The side-view mirrors are all you need, that's how truckers work. I try to work from my drivers side mirror as much as possible but of course when the turning to the passenger side I need the right mirror, just what works for me.

There is of course the crowd that feels it is fun to watch others struggle and laugh about it but I guess that's how they get off.

Good luck

[Ches]

Originally Posted by DerHornen

Get a Drotto on the trailer, it'll make launching and loading solo quite a bit easier regardless of whether it's a 17' aluminum or a 21' glass.

I have a 20' Lund tiller and am 65. The day will come when I can.t do it myself, but not yet. I do have a bunk trailer with a Drotto. I power load but it's more like a glide on and click. You need to figure out how deep to launch the trailer. If I go too deep I don't get the boat centered as well, if to shallow, I need to use the engine more. When I have a helper, they don't pay attention to how deep I tell them and it turns out almost easier to do it myself. My sweet spot is 1/3 of the side guide ones submerged. Guide ones are also a must. My boat does not touch them but gives me a reference for how deep to launch and where I need to be to be centered.
Ches.

[Snapper]

Well, to make a long story short. I fish with my wife which she can still not back the boat down the ramp, so I’m like a one man show at the dock till she now backs the boat at the water to launch boat and parks truck and trailer. I had a Ranger 619DVS and wanted a bigger boat for big lake waves and decided to just go to the biggest Walleye boat, so I bought a Ranger 621VS. I thought it might be too big to handle but not. I’m glad I bought a 621 in lieu of the 620. I can handle the 621 just as easy if not easier than the 619. And it handles the waves like a dream. Go as big as you your garage can handle, you won’t be disappointed.

[hooli004]

If you can competently handle a 14' boat you should be good to go. Bigger doesn't mean more difficult. Assuming you're not landing on dirt ramps in the ditch of course.

[sbennett]

I use my Ulterra to launch my Reata 1850, it is awesome.
If little or no wind I also use it to load. I line it up on 5 or 6 power and hit the stow button just in time to miss the trailer.
My Reata and trailer are a perfect match for each other.
I’m in Utah and we have way too many people taking Daddys wake boat and lifted truck to the lake and making a mess of the ramps.
I would actually support a boat operators license requirement for nothing more than ramp etiqutte.
Please remember to load gear/friends at top of ramp and PLEASE turn off headlights while launching at night...

[oger]

I have a 17'10" tiller with eagle 4 bunk trailer. Loads and unloads great. Only issues was with current or side winds pushing it off course. Now have a set of side rollers that keeps it center. Works very well in all but the worst condition. Every piece of equipment has its limits. I will say silicone spry on the bunks a couple times a year makes a big difference. Spray it on dry bunks let it sit for an hour, then load up.