A Horrible Thought

[Sam]

I swapped pickup trucks a few days ago. I traded my regular 4WD truck for an extended cab 4WD truck - the back doors open backwards and they can't be opened unless the front door is opened first.

Don't know what I was thinking, but I just realized it's going to be tough to launch by myself with that truck. I fish by myself a lot, and my normal drill is to undo the straps on the back of the boat leaving the front hook attached. Then I back down the ramp, get the boat floating, climb over the pickup bed and unhook the front of the boat. Then I get in the boat, get it started, and beach it or tie up to a dock. Then I climb up over the hood of the truck, drop down into the driver's seat, and park the truck and trailer. I can do that about as fast as two guys can launch a boat, and I just do it in reverse order to take the boat out.

HOW IN THE WORLD can I do that with an extended cab pickup? To launch I guess I could tie a long rope between the truck and the front of the boat, get the boat floating, then pull it to the bank. But, that doesn't help when taking the boat out.

The only thing I can think of is to park on the ramp with both the front and back doors on the driver's side open, then maybe I could get in and out of the truck from the top of the cab. Maybe - it wouldn't be easy.

This is kind of a serious problem for me and I'm not crazy about wading and having wet shoes and pants all day. Any suggestions will be appreciated - thanks.

[jace]

Have you tried it yet? I drive an extended cab chevy and sometimes do this when I fish by myself. Your truck might not go as far into the water as you think.

[crappiefisherman]

Unhook boat from winch, have a long rope , approx 10 feet longer then boat tied to boat and looped around winch tower, leave coiled rope on top of boat bow, back into water to float boat, pull out of water letting coiled rope feed. when you get end of trailer out of water boat should be floating behind trailer in water and you can pull to shore,bring dry shoes and pants, wind some times will effect, leave cell phone in boat so wont get wet, watchboat float off as rope breaks and realize cell phone is in boat, laugh uncontrolably as rain starts and see you are only vehicle on ramp, accidently lock keys in truck,have great day

[RSBreth]

Just a thought...

[Gilly]

Slider window?...........'course with a belt size like mine that ain't happening anymore.

[taxidermist]

I have a crew cab and do launch the boats by myself all the time. Just get a longer rope.

You might want to get some nerf bars that go the length from the rear wheels forward.

A step on the trailer tongue will help a lot!

[jdmidwest]

Launching is never a problem, I use the rope thing. Recovery is my problem, my trailer has a short tube rail and the back door on the 4 runner is always in the water. I wear waders or muck boots if cold, otherwise, crocs and shorts.

[Sam]

It's OK. Coming back from town just now I parked the truck in our driveway, which has a slope like a launch ramp. From the inside I opened the front and back doors on the driver's side, sat on the top of the cab, swung my legs over the back door, and dropped into the bed. I can do it the opposite way for taking the boat out, it's just a little harder than with a 2-door truck.

Crappiefisherman, I appreciate the suggestion about the lost boat and cell phone, the wet pants, and the key locked in the truck on the ramp. That sounds about right for me - and the next time you try it I hope one of those harmless little brown water snakes swims up your knickers, too.

taxidermist, that's what I need - I'll put a step on my trailer tongue. I've been doing a balancing act on that thing for years, I guess I'm a slow learner.

[Al Agnew]

I think I'd still use the rope trick for launching even though it won't work for taking out. That's what I do...seems a lot easier than climbing around to get in the boat, start the motor, and take it back to shore.

It depends on the launch ramp, but when I had a pickup I almost never had to back it far enough into the water to have any danger of getting my feet wet, at worst I had to climb into the bed of the truck and jump down to dry ramp from there. Now, with a SUV, it's a little iffier, and occasionally I'll get a foot wet, but most of the time I can slide around the end of the vehicle from the back bumper, put a foot on top of the rear tire, and step off from there.

[gotmuddy]

man that sounds complicated, climbing over the cab!

I have a crew cab long wheelbase truck and I have yet to get my feet wet launching. If I am by myself with my big boat(16x48 jon with a 50hp) I attach the rope to it. I keep a rope tied to the back roller of the trailer all the time and have it strung up to the front. if I fish by myself I hook the rope to the front of the boat, back it into the water with enough force to get the boat floating away from the trailer, then **gently** drive forward to pull the boat to the bank. easy cheesy lemon squeezy.

btw, when you load the boat back up you dont need the trailer as far in the water as you do launching.