By Frank Sargeant, Boating Editor

Okay, I’ll admit it. I have been among those who enjoy sitting on a beach chair, sipping a cool one and laughing at the boat ramp follies that take place at most ramps throughout the summer. It’s amazing how many ways boaters can find to bollix up the simple process of launching or loading their boats.

On the other hand, I’ll also admit to having been the bollixee more than a few times over a long boating career. And just when you think you know it all, that’s the day you’ll pull the worst bonehead stunt ever. Can you spell d-r-a-i-n-p-l-u-g?

Avoiding problems at the ramp is a matter of having a mental checklist, and at the head of that list should be that you will not interfere with other boaters, particularly during times when the ramps are busy and the lines are long. Second is taking an organized, methodical approach; do everything the same way, every time, and problems will be rare. And third, if you’re new to launching your own rig, put in a bit of practice time at home in backing up your rig. Or, take advantage of the extra couple hours of summer daylight and sneak out to a local ramp on a weekday afternoon to get accustomed to it.

Launching is pretty straightforward. Basically, before you approach the ramp:

1. Attach the bow line.
2. Make sure the key is in the ignition.
3. Make sure the drain plug is in place.
4. Make sure the tie-downs are off the stern.
5. Transfer gear from truck to boat as needed. Now and only now you are ready to back down the ramp. Remember, the boat trailer goes the direction you turn the bottom of your tow vehicle steering wheel.
6. Back down the ramp until the transom floats.
7. Put the car in park and set the emergency brake. ALWAYS!
8. Release the winch clip.
9. Either push the boat free while a helper holds the bow line, or fire up and back off. Tie up the boat at the dock.
10. Promptly pull the truck and trailer out of the ramp far enough so that others may launch. Only then should you return to the boat to finish preparations.

When you make the return trip, you basically reverse the procedure, but with a few changes. First, do no harm, as the physicians like to say (except when it comes to the patient’s wallet). When there are a lot of people wanting to use a ramp at the same time, as there surely will be late on a Saturday afternoon as supper time approaches, you have to do your part to keep the whole army creeping forward.

To start, both the skipper and the first mate are going to have to forgo the pleasures of the barley in order to handle the loading procedures efficiently and calmly. Probably more problems result from tired and intoxicated boaters than from any other single source at the ramps. (Just as a tiny aside, you are not supposed to be driving the boat, or the tow vehicle, if you’ve had more than a tiny whisper of the sauce, in any case. DWI or BWI, it’s all the same to the courts.)

Second, you approach the ramp locked and loaded. (No, not your Glock!) That means tackle and gear are in some semblance of order so that you can easily move around the boat. You know where your bow and stern lines are; best is to have them already attached to the cleats, and of course all knots and tangles should be cleared. It’s a good idea to have a couple of fenders at the ready, too, to cushion your boat from the dock, or from other boats in areas where the boats have to raft up waiting to load.

Get your tow rig into the line for the ramp, leaving a driver in the boat if possible. When it’s your turn, you put your trailer in the water promptly, and the boat driver brings the boat around. This works a whole lot better than waiting until you’ve worked through the lineup of boats before you go to get your tow vehicle—although, if you’re boating alone, you won’t have much choice, of course.

Success in loading the boat depends a lot on getting the trailer in the right depth of water. I like to back down far enough to wet the bunks, then pull forward until the front of these supports are several inches out of the water; wetting the bunks first makes the boat slide on easier. For my bay boat, I want a couple feet of the bunks exposed on most ramps. Other boat designs with deeper or shallower vees may take a slightly different approach, but this is something you can learn in a few trials, then repeat in the future. Note that different ramp angles can also require a slight adjustment in how far you put the trailer in—a long, shallow ramp may require you to back in farther.

Getting the boat on the trailer is sort of like backing the trailer; unless you’re fairly expert, it will work a lot better if you start with the boat completely lined up with the trailer bunks. Use the wind and the tide to help you get aligned, remembering that the bow of the boat will always swing faster than the stern.

Once you’re lined up, power ahead slowly but steadily, with enough authority to push the boat right up the bunks, across the bow rollers and snugged into the bow stop. Then your driver clips the bow strap and safety chain into place, tightens it down and flips the ratchet lock so it can’t get away, and pulls you out. (Make sure to shut off the outboard before this happens; particularly with quiet four-stroke motors, it’s not hard to forget they’re running.) Sometimes, if the boat comes an inch or two short of the stop, you can clip on, set the anti-reverse ratchet, and then go ahead and pull the trailer up the ramp and out of the way. Then stop and winch it that last inch—once the boat is level, it will be easier to winch it forward against the stop.

If the boat won’t ride up on the trailer, that means you don’t have the trailer in far enough; back it up a foot or two and all will be well. If it goes on but floats sideways off the bunks, that means the trailer is in too deep; get the boat off, pull the trailer forward a foot or two, and try again. With the bunks properly adjusted to the shape of your hull, the boat will “want” to load down the center, provided you get the trailer in to the right depth. (Note that flat-bottom rigs have to be encouraged to center by hand, since they have no keel to self-center them.)

As soon as you’re loaded, you pull out and drive well clear of the ramp so that the next boater can put his trailer in. Don’t stop to put on the tie-downs, pull the drain plug or stow tackle until you get completely clear of the ramp.

Once you’re out of the way, now is the time to recheck the winch and ratchet, perhaps a stern strap, and secure anything aboard that may blow out on the drive home. If you have a long drive, you may want to give the trailer bearings a shot of grease, as well. With a little luck, you won’t be the bollixee this time around. And remember, me and my buddies will be watching! SWA

Loading Under Tricky Conditions

When you have to deal with a lot of wind or strong currents at the ramp, getting your boat corralled can be a challenge. One approach is to start well clear and then “crab” the boat onto the bunks, steering slightly upwind or upcurrent so that it sideslips into the right position to load. You have to keep some way on to make this work in a strong current, but you also have to be quick to get off the throttle as soon as the boat slides onto the bunks.

Another approach is to simply nudge the bow in between the bunks, even though your stern is blown downcurrent by the flow, and then turn the wheel and ease forward until the boat comes straight with the center rollers or supports. The force of the engine turning at idle speed pins the bow in place against the bunks and allows you to adjust your position with this approach. Once you’re lined up, you add some power and slide into place. If you have a helper, it can be beneficial to get the winch strap hook on the bow eye and have him put some pressure on with the winch to assure that you come in straight. Note that if he puts too much pressure on the strap, though, it may pull the bow sideways off the bunks and you’ll have to start over; he basically just helps you pin the bow, rather than actually doing any hard cranking, until the boat is aligned straight with the bunks.