Solo launching and retrieving

[Kimtown]

I'll state by saying I know how to perfectly launch and retrieve a boat WHEN I'm with someone else, whether it's backing the trailer or driving the boat on... no probs.

Never had any experience solo though as I've always fished with someone else, but this weekend is looming as my first time which makes me a little nervous knowing how busy Corinella ramp can get with some good weekend weather coming up.

What's the easiest and quickest way of doing it?

I'm thinking something a long the lines of...

Launching:
1. Take off all safety straps, ratchets and chain etc.
2. Tie on bow rope
3. Back down ramp until at proper water level
4. Push boat off by hand (rather hard braking it off with 1 person in the car and 1 in boat, or reversing it off)
5. Tie boat to jetty
6. Jump back in car and drive it to car park


Retrieving:
1. Tie boat up to jetty
2. Get car and reverse down ramp
The next stage I have no idea what's best to do.
3. Get back in boat and drive it up? Or walk boat up to trailer by bow rope and winch up?
4. Lean over bow and tie it up by winch if drive up?
5. Drive out and tie up properly with ratchets etc.


Is this the best and most effective process? Is there any little tips and tricks to make it quicker when solo launching and retrieving?

[Nude up]

Do not take your safety chain off till the boat is in the water and the same before you pull the boat out do not rely on the winch strap or cable. I often launch by myself and like to get the ramp next to the jetty so I can hop in and out without climbing over the bow rail. My boat is on bunks so it will not roll off the trailer, I back it in undo everything jump in and big fist of throttle and she slips off the trailer. On the retrieve I just drive right up to the the winch post and the boat will just stay where it is so I just hop out and attach the strap and safety chain.
My last trailer was a fully rollered if you undid the strap and safety chain it was only going one way off the trailer so I fitted a recovereasy which made it easy to do by myself. Before that I had to climb in start the engine put it in gear climb out undo everything the climb back in and drive off very messy and time consuming.
After a few goes by yourself you will find what works best for you and your boat, watch other people and see how they do it.

[Fishtofish]

get yourself a boat retrieve and launch unit.
boat catchy comes ti mind but theres plenty of options out there.
it simplify the steps needed for solo.

[Mattblack]

I'm still very green and have 3 stages:

Pre-Launch (in the 'waiting bay'):
1/. Turn off headlights
2/. Take off ratchets
3/. Check bung
4/. Turn battery on
5/. Lift motor
6/. Check bung again
7/. tie on bow rope

Launch:
1/. Back down ramp until at proper water level
2/. Tie bow rope to winch trailer
3/. Undo safety chain
4/. Push boat off by hand
5/. Undo winch strap when it's loose (I use the bow rope to take the strain so the boat isn't 1/2 way down the trailer before the strap goes slack)
6/. Tie boat to jetty
7/. Jump back in car and drive it to car park

Retrieve:
1/. Tie boat to jetty
2/. Lift motor
3/. Get car & back down ramp until at proper water level (do not turn on headlights)
4/. Pull boat to trailer using bow rope (so much easier if your parked next to jetty)
5/. Winch up boat
6/. attach safety chain
7/. Drive off and park to get ready for the journey home (straps, ariels, un-do bungs, motor bracket down, quick clean, etc, etc)

*don't get flustered or try to rush...you'll stuff up if your nervous (& if people are impatient behind you, they can help you out or shut the f-up)
**A lot easier with recovereasy/boat-catch/boat-latch apparently

[smile0784]

I launch and retrieved solo with my old boat and new boat.
Both instance prep the boat like take ratchet strap off and bungs and pump fuel bulb in a slip lane befor you get to reversing down ramp.

With old boat i reverse the trailer down so i could still keep dry feet and stand at back of car and release safety chain ans cable and boat would sit there.
Then climb up over the bow and walk down the side of the cabin and drive off.
Then tie boat up and go move the car.
Do the opposite in reverse for driving boat on.
Always keeping dry feet.

With the new boat i have a boat catch so practically same thing.
I been around boats for 20 years and noticed that if you dont mess around while launching alone and waste time people are pretty patient.

My pa use use to rope on and.off all the time and takes just as much time as driving on and off if you dont mess around

[barra mick]

Ive been doing it by myself for years.

I just drove it on


Leave it in gear....walk up the front and put the chain on and winch strap.
Jump in..turn the motor off...jump out and drive off.

After a while you will be as quick as a flash.

Cheers bn

[rb85]

Corinella is going to be packed.

[frozenpod]

Do not take your safety chain off till the boat is in the water and the same before you pull the boat out do not rely on the winch strap or cable.

X1000000000 chain doesn't come off until the boat is in the water and goes on before you pull it up the ramp.

[spudtrans]

some good advice here, thank you

[ango]

I don't know the set up at Corinella, but what I do is back the boat in right next to the pontoon, then I unhook safety chain & strap & push the boat, it rolls off the trailer easily now that I have replaced all the rollers. I tie it up, then park the trailer & I am ready to go. When retrieving I rope it to the trailer then hook up the winch strap & wind it on, it is very helpful to have a walkway on the trailer. I generally launch & retrieve as quick or quicker than other boats at the ramp. After a few goes you will get in a routine and be calm & methodical so you will not get flustered if the ramp is busy. Probably a good idea is to get to the ramp when it's not so busy and do a "dry run" to work out exactly how to go about it.