My wife was talking to my fishing partner and got me a Trick Step for the boat.  I’ve officially entered the “old man” club at 67. 😂 I’ve always said that if I ever get to the point I can’t launch, retrieve or get in and out of my 21ft boat by myself, I’d hang it up.  My fishing partner is 7 years younger than me and he has a Trick Step on his Ranger and really likes it.  We will see…..pic is pre install.  I’ll post the after in a bit.  

It doesn’t matter how old you are. Why not make things a littler easier for yourself? 

Well, went out to install Trick Step and noticed it would interfere with me replacing my winch strap which was in bad shape.  So, first things first, ordered a new winch strap and mounting bolt.  Works out good since it’s the original and hopefully I won’t need to replace it for a good long while. 

@looking45 exactly! I wish I’d follow this wisdom though lol I am terrible for jumping right off the gunwale onto the ground. One day it will bite me in the butt.

I did quit doing that a while back.  Good thing the Ranger trailer has plenty of foot holes on both ends and the middle of the fenders but they aren’t the easiest to find doing the ape hang off the gunnel.  It also has a big step on the front starboard side of the trailer to help when winching up but it’s a pain to crawl back onto the deck when finished, especially over graphs and rods.  

My buddies all laughed at me when I first showed up at the ramp with the old Home Depot step stool I use in the garage.

The next week they all had them.

 

 

They make a 3-step if you don't like the $25 2-step.

Work smarter not harder  

 

2 hours ago, Susky River Rat said:

@looking45 exactly! I wish I’d follow this wisdom though lol I am terrible for jumping right off the gunwale onto the ground.

Guilty!  

Welcome to the club Gumpy . . . 

I'm not as nimble as I once was, but I'm not exactly feeble either.

I like my steps and am glad I have them.

I'm betting you will too.

Don't forget, measure twice, cut/mount once.

Good Luck

A-Jay

@A-Jay I’m glad to hear you like your steps.  I was kinda tongue in cheek about the old part.  I’m still able to navigate in the boat.  The Trick Step is supposedly no drill, no cut.  Easy application.  I’ll post up my install when done.  

Ha, Ha, my pontoon trailer came with one built in.

If you consider yourself old at 67, I must be ancient.

What's the yellow cord for, so when you can't get in with the steps, you can hook it to you an have someone winch you in?

 

43 minutes ago, Way2slow said:

 

What's the yellow cord for, so when you can get in with the steps, you can hook it to you an have someone winch you in?

 

That's Ajays tackle box gantry crane.  We both are on a first name basis with the bait monkey. 🙂

1 hour ago, Way2slow said:

What's the yellow cord for, so when you can get in with the steps, you can hook it to you an have someone winch you in?

 

That's called an E L E C T R I C A L   E X T E N T I O N   C O R D .

In this case it's how I am able to use the electrical current in the garage to transfer electricity to the battery charger to recharge my starter and trolling motor batteries in my boat. 

It's very helpful.

Hope that helps you. 

A-Jay

Steps and a two speed winch are your friends !!!

Yea, I saw it was an extension cord but just couldn't resist pulling your chain.

1 hour ago, Way2slow said:

Yea, I saw it was an extension cord but just couldn't resist pulling your chain.

Me too . . .

btw- you're probably gonna need some help pulling my chain.

A-Jay

Well it’s on and secure.  Pays to look at instructions.  I was trying to fit the squeeze block that goes between the winch posts, to the wrong posts and it wouldn’t fit.  Re-read the instructions and it fits like a glove.  Boat is bundled up because it is here at the house while my daughter piles hay in the barn.  Double covered.  

Well done  

Does that thing get in the way when you turn sharp? I feel like it might.

@gim I’ve been towing long distances for so long, I always have enough forethought to not get into situations where I come close to Jack knifing the trailer.  I’ll keep an eye on it to be sure though.  

If you fish where I fish, and back trailers in places I do, you will cut that bottom step off, or move it back.  Perspective could be off in the pic, but looks like accident waiting to happen.

 

BTW, I'll be 79 this year.  Fish 90% of the time by myself.  184 days in 2024.  1 in 2025, so far.  Never had steps until I bought new boat in 2020.  Never be without them.  Mine came on the Skeeter trailer.  Different design than those. 

Well, my daughter is loading hay in the storage barn where I normally keep the boat so it’s going to have to ride out the predicted 4 to 8 inches of snow coming in this weekend.  With the grab pole and the power poles and an extra big tarp over my factory cover, we’ll see if it can shed the snow.  

I think you’ll be fine.

 

This sits out all winter long and has made it through plenty of snow events

@Jigfishn10 while I’m no stranger to tarping over my factory cover, yours looks to be shrink wrapped which is 100% better.  This is only temporary until I can get the boat back in the barn.  

It is shrink wrapped, but why 100% better? You have a tarp over a factory cover. Twice the protection. Maybe stand a piece of 2x wood in the middle and create more of a tee pee?

 

My biggest winter boat issue is the mice that like to reside and not pay rent for the winter  

 

Sorry man, I'm sure you have it all figured out. I'll stop posting here now  

10 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

It is shrink wrapped, but why 100% better? You have a tarp over a factory cover. Twice the protection. Maybe stand a piece of 2x wood in the middle and create more of a tee pee?

 

My biggest winter boat issue is the mice that like to reside and not pay rent for the winter  

 

Sorry man, I'm sure you have it all figured out. I'll stop posting here now  

I know a guy that can catch mice…….

 

i can’t make them pay cash for rent but I can make them pay the ultimate price