I just have a spool of line I bought at walmart with a hook on the end. Connect the hook to a cleat and set the spool up on the front of the boat by the tm. Back the boat in with the winch locked the strap attached to the bow eye and about 2 foot of slack in the winch strap. When the boat floats off the trailer and hits the end of the slack get out step on the trailer and un latch the winch strap and grab the spool from next to the trolling motor and walk over to the dock and tie up the boat.

This is how I do it!

http://vid153.photobucket.com/albums/s206/Rudy960/Video/launchtest_zpssdr7dsjh.mp4

I just leave mine hooked up, back it in until it starts to float, unhook it and shove it off or back it off with the motor, no rope needed. 

Carl, I launch my boat by myself all the time.

 

I have two 12-foot marine ropes that I tied together.

 

I use the boat's cleat to tie one end of the ropes to it and then get out of the car and take the other end and tie it to the dock or pier.

 

I then back up the trailer further into the water, double checking that the ropes tied to the pier or dock are still secure, and gently launch the boat.

 

Only failed once and I had to swim out to retrieve the boat in the Pamunkey River a few years ago. Learned a lot from that experience about making sure the rope tied to the dock or pier is very, very secure.

 

You will not have any problems launching your boat by yourself if you tie two 12-foot marine ropes together and use then when launching the boat.

 

Just be sure you can swim if necessary!!!

Carl, I launch my boat by myself all the time.

 

I have two 12-foot marine ropes that I tied together.

 

I use the boat's cleat to tie one end of the ropes to it and then get out of the car and take the other end and tie it to the dock or pier.

 

I then back up the trailer further into the water, double checking that the ropes tied to the pier or dock are still secure, and gently launch the boat.

 

Only failed once and I had to swim out to retrieve the boat in the Pamunkey River a few years ago. Learned a lot from that experience about making sure the rope tied to the dock or pier is very, very secure.

 

You will not have any problems launching your boat by yourself if you tie two 12-foot marine ropes together and use then when launching the boat.

 

Just be sure you can swim if necessary!!!

That is what I do.

I launch my boat solo 90% of the time.   In the warmer months, I wear water sandals or water shoes and shorts.  I have a 15' dock line on one of the bow cleats.  I back in 'till the stern's floating, then wade in, grab the line and push the boat off the trailer and lead it over to the dock and tie it up.  To load it, I back the trailer all the way in and lead the boat up onto it with the bow line, wade in hook up the winch strap.  I never have to go in past my knees.

 

In the cooler months, I use a longer line on the bow and "walk the plank" down the trailer tongue to push the boat off.  To recover it, I drive the boat up on the trailer and either walk the trailer tongue or put the trailer in close enough to the dock so I can just hop out of the boat onto the dock after hooking up the winch strap from inside the boat.

 

Tight lines,

Bob