Solo launching

[Fastdoc98]

So I would be very interested to hear anyone's technique on launching the boat by yourself.  I doubt my better half is going to want to join me every time I want to go out, so I'm realizing that I'm going to have to learn how to launch and retrieve by myself.  I've seen a bunch of videos of fishing guys launching and retrieving bass boats, but I feel like the Eclipse is a little different.  As deep as the trailer has to go in the water, most of the techniques for the fishing boats won't apply here, so what do others do?  Do you tie a line from the boat to a dock cleat before dunking the last little bit?  I would be afraid of the line possibly getting caught up on the trailer fenders, and my trailer has those big vertical guides.

[mikehennessy]

I sort of solo launch (my father stands there and watches) my Sunday Cat.

I run the stern like forward to the bow for easy retrieval when launching. Put on fenders on appropriate side. Tie bitter end of the bow line to the trailer.

Back in until trailer wheels are in the water.  Exit vehicle with parking brake on.  Secure the stern live to the cleat on the dock.

Continue backing in until proper depth.  Exit vehicle with parking brake on.  Unhook trailer winch line to boat, gentle push on boat gets her off trailer.  Then untie bow line from trailer and put on dock cleat. 

Drive the trailer to parking area.  I motor (trolling) out 50-100 years, point into wind and raise sail.

Return is same procedure in reverse.

Regards,
Mike

[Vectordirector]

Pretty much what he said.  Make sure your stern line is long enough to reach the front of your tow vehicle.  If you need to change sides when fighting current or wind, it helps with leverage.

  Your type of trailer indicates how your boat launches.  If you have rollers then it rolls off.  Most power boats have roller trailers these days.  Keel boats don't launch like bass boats.  Keel boats float off.  Once they are at the proper depth.  My boat never slid much on the 2X6 carpeted keel board.  Once it was lined up it just sat there without moving except up or down in the water on or off the trailer vertically.  Takes practice but once you get it right it just pops on or off. 

Recovery:  The trick is to start with the trailer at the right depth.  Most start with it in too far which can make it hard to control the bow and get the boat lined up straight on the trailer.  I start with it in just until the rear of the bunks are in the water, using them to get the bow straight, then pull the boat up as far as you can with bow and stern lines.  Tie lines tight to trailer and slowly back the trailer in another 2 ft.  Untie lines and pull boat up as far as you can. Continue this until you can hook up the trailer winch.  Pull winch line tight and then back trailer in as before 2 feet at a time and cranking until tight.  What you are doing is sliding the trailer under the boat until she comes out.  Don't need to crank too hard this way.  Once she is on tight at the bow roller then check if she's straight on the keel board.  If so, pull her out slowly out of way so someone else can use the ramp while you set up for the road.  If she is crooked, back her back in until she floats then repeat the above. 

The only way to get good at it is to practice.  Try doing it a few times on a slow day at the ramp.  Once you know how far in to start it gets easy.  Back her in until she floats.

Pull her out when she stops floating.  Every ramp is different.  Makes it fun. 

Good luck, 

Vectordirector

[slode]

One trick that has been mentioned on this forum before is to mark your driver side trailer guide post at the water depth needed to launch and retrieve so you can see it from the driver seat.  With this trick ramp angle doesn't really matter as the guide posts are typically positioned around the back of the keel.  Mine has two tape lines.  One for launching set where the boat starts to float.  The other for retrieval is a bit shallower cause the keel guides are too deep at the launch position to start out with.  Retrieval takes a few small steps to get her all the way on as others have stated.