Self load on to roller trailer
 

Anybody have any tricks or secrets for solo loading onto a roller trailer?

I can launch the boat in 15 seconds without any problem by myself, but loading is a little more tricky.

I don't like to power up and on, it isn't allowed at many ramps anyway.

I have a method, but it is awkward, and a little nervewracking. I drive in unil I am centered and on the second set of rollers. I leave the boat in gear just above idle to hold the boat there. I run up, climb over the bow, scurry up the trailer, grab the strap, pull to bow eye, clip, engage winch, and pull till tight, jump back on boat, shut down, trim up, scurry back over bow and winch up til sung.

All I need is some way to be able to grab the strap and clip on without scurrying down. then i can trim up, shut down, and hop off and winch her up.

Any ideas? How do you guys do it? Have you seen any cool solutions? There is the product called rope-a-boat, but it is sparsely available, and is $1700+. I would like to find a solution that is either free at least very cheap... if it exists.

My boat rolled off running into green harbor, that was embarrassing. Thank god for the prevailing SW wind. I always thought of having a stick/pole and rope that is attached to tow vehicle angled out toward boat I could tie to a bow cleat, but never got around to it. thankfully sold the boat and now live as a boat ho.
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I power off and on.
Back down, let out 4 to 5' strap, stand on pick up tail gate - from there across winch onto boat,,, power up just enough to loosen strap,,, reach over bow,, take off strap,, tie up,,, park it...

Reverse for loading with the added use of gaff to grab the strap and wack the winch handle a couple times to tighten strap.

I remember seeing a remote control winch on one of the web sites,,, not cheap.. 500? Or so.
That and a telescopic boat hook to grab the strap would be slick,,, :uhuh:

i've thought about something similar. Still involves leaving the helm with the engine running while half way up the rollers, but at least you aren't jumping off the boat. i don't currently carry a gaff or boathook, but that would be easy and cheap.

Any other unique solutions from anyone?

I do almost just as you describe. I do however pull enough strap/cable out when I grab the truck vs. at the ramp itself to reach the bow eye. Once cranked in and safety chain attached I jump back in and kill the engine and tilt, then drive away. Saves me a trip going over the bow twice.

Like my BUNKS, thank you!

Are you talking about having a dock that runs along the ramp or no dock? The ramps I use have a dock entire length of the ramp so it is really simple to get boat on and off the trailer. In fact I prefer to do it myself when people offer to help. I just make sure I don't back too far into water. Once the hook is on, it's good. No dock I got nutin for you.

wondering the same thing

Yes,,, power launch, tie up, park the truck
Return
Tie up, dunk trailer, power on, connect strap, shut down, climb over bow to truck, go have a couple beers! :uhuh:

Always alone, Gup

i bought a small electric winch to get my boat back in....
it has a tethered controller so you can stand there (on the side)
and help guide the boat then press a button to bring her up.
it hooks up to a trolling motor battery.

Very carefully

use to power wrinc my 20 foot lund....replace the hand wrinch with the power wrinch...also run a string from power wrinch down to trailer lights this way U can stand anyplace on trailer and operate wrinch....could run from truck battery or buy deepcell battery back of truck and recharge when needed


http://www.promarkoffroad.com/15-000...FYOe4Aodt04AtQ

an aluminum "cat walk" down the middle of the trailer makes walking down easier... I also have a romote control power winch... I only need to back in a enough to get the tires wet... I back down close to the dock .. using a long bow line I manuver the boat inbetween the rear rollers.. climb onto the cat walk with the bow tight enough to grab the winch cable ... which I have laid out on the cat walk... I clip it on while maintaing pressre with the bow line... hit the remote... it doesn't get any easier than that... I do maintain a grip on the bow line until the boat is snubbed up tight and the saftey chain is in place

no dock. Well no dock running along the ramp.

the majority of places i launch don't have a dock next to the ramp. A couple do, like barn island in CT, and that is a breeze.

but most don't, like my main three, Galilee RI, East Greenwich RI & Wickford RI. they have docks, but they are extended out, and away. no help in launch/retrieve. Just somewhere to tie the boat when you go get the truck.

unfortunately out of stock
got mine at Cabelas

The link provided is for launching your boat but if you could use a similar set up with the line to the winch post to hold the boat at the point you are holding it with the engine then you wouldn't have to leave the boat while its in gear. You could reach over the bow and attach the line and then take the boat out of gear and shut down and boat would not roll off the trailer as it would only roll back till any slack was out of the line. Then you could get out of the boat and winch to the bow stop.

http://newenglandboating.com/fishing...-yourself.html

Mike

launching is easy.

i use pretty much same method to launch, although with roller I never unhook the winch until I am down the ramp. 99% of the time it still has friction and doesn't roll, but i wouldn't take the chance. Once the bow line is tied to post, just unhook winch, give a little push, and it rolls down. Super easy and fast. and the bow line keeps her in close enough to hop on.

for retrieval, it would probably just be easier to carry a boat hook or gaff and grab the winch strap and snap it in, as suggested above. I am still going to try to find/engineer a better solution.

Use to leave mine running also, But I use to pull the winch cable out and hook on fender of trailer, this way I can reach the cable from in it side the boat. Lean over bow hook to eye, get out and winch on. For the motor had a strong string attached to the key kill switch, just yanked it from ramp, the motor shut off and good to go.

I have a bunk trailer and how i launch in Falmouth Inner harbor is the following. Undo transom straps, tie rope from bow cleat to winch stand, back down the ramp, get boat mostly in water, undo winch strap and chain, back up a few feet hit brakes. Boat floats off but doesnt get past the bottom 1/3 of trailer due to being tied on winch stand, then I can grab ropes and secure at dock.

Loading I back down have a bunch of strap out, drive boat on until it is secure, try not to use more than dead idle, turn off motor climb off front and juggle the strap and boat and winch her up. Loading is a PIA, if I didi it again I would get one of those trailers that you drive on and it catches the bow eye, so you can safely winch it one without the fear of the boat sliding back off the trailer on loading.

Zac,
My brother has a roller trailer. He runs a line from the winch stand to one of the guide posts. When he returns, he gets onto the trailer like you, keeps it in gear, removes the line from the guide post and attaches it to the bow cleat.

Once cleated, he turns off the motor, hops out, attaches the winch strap and cranks it up.

He reverses the process when he launches.

so simple... this will work. not the ideal situation but gives me a good idea. i normally use my bow line as my "launch line." but if i have a dedicated launch/retrieve line that is long enough i can do as you say. then just have a mark on it for where to cleat it when launching. good stuff, thanks. i was hoping for something a little more automated, but this will def help the process.

ive had a time getting the boat aligned on my roll-on trailer. are the guide posts more than just for visiual alignment? i saw some with large rollers on them and was considering a pair.

even a hint of wind gets me out of whack

the KEY is to not back the trailer in to the water too far.

Critical key that took me a couple of years of actively trailering to learn.

this way as soon as you hit the rollers, they are guiding you up the middle, and you are not floating side to side. for my boat i back until just the first rollers (farthest back) are under water... this is equal to the bottom of my fenders just touching the water, which is the cue I look for when backing the trailer, or giving instruction to someone else that will back it down while I wait on the boat.

once once you roll up those rollers if you hit them centered, you are good. then we come to the end game which is discussed above. i don't even have guide posts. i will leave the load/launch line on my fender once backed down, and i can lean over and grab it, then cleat as described. can't wait to try this new method.

ill be trailering once they close out the docks and before it gets too cold and cruddy. i really wish the slips etc. would be avail further into the year. october is just too soon.