Solved the problem of newbies on the boat ramp!

[Blazerman]

I was launching at Redhorse on the Meramec last Oct by myself and backed down the ramp until I saw the boat start to float. Which is what I usually do. I put it in park, opened the door and saw the boat floating away downstream. I ran down the ramp and looked at the trailer and the strap had broken and the hook was still attached to the front of the boat as it floated away.  

I was jumping up and down and looking around and there was not a soul around and I was thinking holly sh-t what do I do now. Well I really only had one option and just like TrophyFishR I stripped down to my skivvies and went in after it. And it was cold!! I made it to the boat and pulled the boat from the front over to a shallower area where I could get in. Then I fired it up and pulled back to the boat ramp. I did have a towel in my truck so I was able to dry off and get dressed to head out after parking the truck.

Also, made a note to myself to have a life jacket in the truck from now on when I launch since they were all in the boat.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Blazerman said:

I was launching at Redhorse on the Meramec last Oct by myself and backed down the ramp until I saw the boat start to float. Which is what I usually do. I put it in park, opened the door and saw the boat floating away downstream. I ran down the ramp and looked at the trailer and the strap had broken and the hook was still attached to the front of the boat as it floated away.  

I was jumping up and down and looking around and there was not a soul around and I was thinking holly sh-t what do I do now. Well I really only had one option and just like TrophyFishR I stripped down to my skivvies and went in after it. And it was cold!! I made it to the boat and pulled the boat from the front over to a shallower area where I could get in. Then I fired it up and pulled back to the boat ramp. I did have a towel in my truck so I was able to dry off and get dressed to head out after parking the truck.

Also, made a note to myself to have a life jacket in the truck from now on when I launch since they were all in the boat.

This might sound crazy, but I put my life jacket on before backing down the ramp. I get funny looks from people at the ramp. Its better to wear it than need it & not have it. there's no way I couldve swam to my boat AND climbed up the transom without a life jacket. Im a poor swimmer anyway. 

[dtrs5kprs]

17 minutes ago, TrophyFishR said:

This might sound crazy, but I put my life jacket on before backing down the ramp. I get funny looks from people at the ramp. Its better to wear it than need it & not have it. there's no way I couldve swam to my boat AND climbed up the transom without a life jacket. Im a poor swimmer anyway. 

Not the worst idea ever. Plenty of folks have slipped off a trailer, dock, etc.

[Jim Elam]

On February 3, 2016 at 8:19 AM, Flippin said:

Champ,

When I am launching  alone I just keep the boat hooked to trailer wench, let out a bunch of rope, engage the lever so it will not let out any more rope and then back it in like the video shows.  I then unclip the boat and crank up the line with the wench.  

I am not understanding the advantages of a seperate rope that it shows in the video.

I like a separate rope with a little stretch to it rather than the winch strap.  Reason is I can easily keep the boat on the rope and lead it away from the launch area and tie off, which can be handy when the ramp is busy or when the wind is an issue with the launch.  That is the only advantage I have found.  

 

Disadvantage is tangle, rope break, etc.

 

Sure is nice to have a fishin buddy though...clearly faster and better

 

[Donna G]

On 2/2/2016 at 3:50 PM, TrophyFishR said:

This reminds me of the time I had to swim after the boat. I was at Bella Vista early one morning in April, water was upper 50's. I launched the boat no problem. Tied it off to the courtesy dock & went to park the truck. Came back & my boat was drifting out to the mainlake slowly. Nobody was on the lake that day (it was the middle of the week) I didn't have a change of clothes, so I stripped down to my boxers & donned my life jacket. I swam out to the boat & crawled up the transom (no boat ladder) Well, 55 degree water doesn't seem that cold until you swim 50 yards. At least I was able to get back to the truck & put on dry clothes. Now, I carry extra change of clothes & knee boots in case the ramp is so flat that you gotta back the truck down to the tailpipe. 

Good thing that crabby guy that used to do BV lake patrol wasn't there.  You might have been issued a citation for indecent exposure.  lol  Nice save and glad everything worked out.  Got paired with Jim Eakins in a Central Pro-Am at TR one year and he shared with me why he carries a second rain suit sealed in a waterproof bag.  I forget where he was fishing - probably on big water like Champlain, but the water was extremely rough and he took a huge wave that engulfed the boat.  He needed a rain suit that day, but his was soaked inside and out from being "submerged."  After that day, he started carrying a spare in the waterproof bag (all his boxes flooded, as well).  It was an interesting story.

[Quillback]

On Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 1:40 PM, dtrs5kprs said:

Not the worst idea ever. Plenty of folks have slipped off a trailer, dock, etc.

Saw a guy do both one day at the Big M ramp.  The walkway to the dock was under water, water there was about knee deep.  The poor guy launched his boat, tied it up to the dock, then as he reached the part of the walkway that was under water, he slipped and fell sideways into a foot of water.  He got up, wet and madder than heck, decided he was going to go home (it was a chilly fall morning), backed his trailer into the water, put the boat on the trailer, tried to exit the boat by going over the front side, but somehow tripped and fell sideways into about 6" of water on the concrete ramp.

That one hurt.

For the record, I did offer to help (twice), but he insisted on doing it himself.  But, it could happen to any of us, really pays to be careful when loading/unloading the boat.

And also for the record, I did a face plant myself once back when I had my 17' G3.  Parked it on the gravel next to the ramp, tried to exit over the bow, one foot caught hung up on the railing, down I went, just barely had time to get my hands under my chest, but still went down hard.  One of those things where I did an inventory for about 30 seconds before I decided to get up.  Fortunately nothing was broken.

[MOPanfisher]

A few years ago jumping from the boat onto whatever surface was available, never any thought about it.  Now a few years, bone marrow transplant and some really stiff joints and I don't even jump off a the tailgate of the truck.

[Guest]

Getting in & out of the front of your boat on the ramp, is the most dangerous part of boating. A buddy of mine bought a boat that had a death certificate with the title. He asked about the death & turns out the boat was owned by an elderly gentleman. The old man slipped & fell trying to get out of the boat. He landed on his head & it killed him right there on the ramp. Sad sad story. I don't want to go out like that.

We all need to be more careful when loading & unloading. My dad's G3 doesn't have a step on the fender well of the trailer, so we're going to have on welded on there. The tongue of the trailer needs a non skip step & an ohshit handle added. These are projects I'm currently working on in preparation of spring fishing. 

[Smalls21]

5 minutes ago, TrophyFishR said:

 

We all need to be more careful when loading & unloading. My dad's G3 doesn't have a step on the fender well of the trailer, so we're going to have on welded on there. The tongue of the trailer needs a non skip step & an ohshit handle added. These are projects I'm currently working on in preparation of spring fishing. 

Harbor Freight Tools has non-skid rubber pads super cheap, works great on boat trailer tongue

[Ham]

On Wednesday, February 03, 2016 at 11:39 AM, Blazerman said:

Well I really only had one option and just like TrophyFishR I stripped down to my skivvies and went in after it. And it was cold!! I made it to the boat and pulled the boat from the front over to a shallower area where I could get in. Then I fired it up and pulled back to the boat ramp. I did have a towel in my truck so I was able to dry off and get dressed to head out after parking the truck.

 

Please be careful. Think hard about water temp and air temp. There have been multiple people get hypothermic and drown trying that deal. Including a young man on Bull Shoals recently (last few years) and one of the Float N Fly innovators. You always have options. It would be better to lose the boat than to lose you life.