Newbie boater needs help

[dirttrackphenom]

I need some help on how to properly launch and retrieve my boat. This is my first trailered boat, a 16 foot aluminum Fisher. It has a 9.9 HP motor and front and rear trolling motors. My biggest problem is most of the lakes I fish limit me to a trolling motor. I have taken it out once, with a helper, and I like to never got it back on the trailer. The rear trolling motor just doesn't have the power to push the boat up on trailer.

I have never run the outboard, nor have I operated a boat from the cockpit. I would like to get to the point where I could take this boat out on the lake by myself. I would also like to go out on the Ohio River.

Thanks in advance for any help or tips.

[JayDub]

  After you dock your boat, you can roll the winch strap out and hang it onto the back of the trailer (where the boat will meet it) then back your trailer to the water, park it, get the boat and drive it to the tailer, hook the winch strap on then walk on the trailer to the shore.  Crank 'er up and go.  I don't like going out by myself anyways so i would have a partner help me. To make the walking-on-trailer easier you can install step plates that you can make yourslef or buy from Bass Pro i think. Good luck  

[SavannahFisher]

It's almost a must to practice the "trailer walk". I have a 50 foot mooring rope, and after I get my trailer in the water, I walk the boat from the dock to the ramp like a lazy Great Dane, and then pull like hell. I can always get it close to the rachet strap with no problem.

[fishinfool]

get used to driving the outboard and get to the point where you can handle it good. then back the trailor into the water only enough so you can drive the boat onto it w/ the outboard. then hook the winch and let it do the rest. i hardly ever go by myself anymore just b/c i'm lazy i guess. its so much easier for someone to drive the truck while i drive the boat onto the trailor and take off. me and all my buddies have gotten pretty good at doing this so it only takes like 1 minute if that.

[dirttrackphenom]

  After you dock your boat, you can roll the winch strap out and hang it onto the back of the trailer (where the boat will meet it) then back your trailer to the water, park it, get the boat and drive it to the tailer, hook the winch strap on then walk on the trailer to the shore.  Crank 'er up and go.  I don't like going out by myself anyways so i would have a partner help me. To make the walking-on-trailer easier you can install step plates that you can make yourslef or buy from Bass Pro i think. Good luck  

Thanks, but how far do you back the trailer into the water? It seems like there wouldn't be enough dry trailer to walk on.

[cabela10]

Most boat/trailers only need to back in to where the wheel fenders steps are just above or just under the water level.  Another idea is to just soak half the trailer and you should be just fine.

[flechero]

I I like to never got it back on the trailer. The rear trolling motor just doesn't have the power to push the boat up on trailer.

Sounds like you need to back in a little further.  The other option is to tie off and move it when you get off the ramp.  My old boat was light enough for me to reposition it by myself, even with a 9.9hp on it.  Get it straight and winch it up tight.

One other (easier and better) suggestion for light weight boats is a "Boat Buddy" and guide boards for the trailer.  The boat buddy is a spring loaded attachment device so when you pull on the trailer, as soon as the boat gets all the way on, a little metal bolt is pushed through the bow eye... you need the guide rails to get the boat lined up for the Boat Buddy".  I used this system on a 15' aluminum boat for years.  It was about the only way to keep the boat from relaunching on the trailer rollers.