Need some loading advice

[slipperyrockTKE300]

get a Boat Buddy.

If your off line at first, the roller pads will align you properly, then give it some throttle and you will be locked onto the trailer.

I back the truck down the ramp, my wife drives the boat onto the trailer. I never have to get out of the truck to see what's going on.

[Ironcross25]

what i do is come in slow, get her straight and the pull in neutral and coast in. give her a little tap to get the nose on the roller, hook up and crank the rest of the 6 inches or so it needs. a boat buddy is on my list though.

[Machine]

Some great advice..thanks all. This might be the best of them all..lol

"First do not worry about everyone else. Second if you get out of the ramp in a timely manner and without a screaming match with your other half you are doing a great job. "- courtesy of jester..

[Ian Brantford]

I simply use the winch to get it on. Powering on wrecks the gravel ramp. It takes a couple of experiments to find the correct amount to back in, but after that it works like a charm.

[Machine]

what i do is come in slow, get her straight and the pull in neutral and coast in. give her a little tap to get the nose on the roller, hook up and crank the rest of the 6 inches or so it needs. a boat buddy is on my list though.

I wish my trailer had rollers, it might be a lot easier to trailer it.

[brad460]

Roller trailers suck because the boat will roll right back off the trailer...you literally need to keep the prop engaged- thankfully wakeboard boats don't come with roller trailers.

Anyways, my wife always drives the boat on the trailer. I find that keeping the trailer a bit shallow (top of the fender even with the water) allows for her to come in fast enough that the boat stays straight and quickly slow down as the boat heads up the trailer. Once on, I hook up the winch rope and have her give it a bit of gas to drive it all the way up.

Every time we load the boat people stand around in amazement that we get out in 30 seconds. She always gets "wow- that's how you load a boat" comments as we drive out ....

Also, when we launch the boat I have everyone get in the boat while waiting, when it's my turn I'll back in and she will fire up the boat, back out into the bay, wait for me to park, and then pick me up on a dock around the corner..we are in and out in seconds..unlike 90% of boaters who have no respect for others ...

[REDFIVE48]

Roller trailers suck because the boat will roll right back off the trailer...you literally need to keep the prop engaged- thankfully wakeboard boats don't come with roller trailers.

Anyways, my wife always drives the boat on the trailer. I find that keeping the trailer a bit shallow (top of the fender even with the water) allows for her to come in fast enough that the boat stays straight and quickly slow down as the boat heads up the trailer. Once on, I hook up the winch rope and have her give it a bit of gas to drive it all the way up.

Every time we load the boat people stand around in amazement that we get out in 30 seconds. She always gets "wow- that's how you load a boat" comments as we drive out ....

Also, when we launch the boat I have everyone get in the boat while waiting, when it's my turn I'll back in and she will fire up the boat, back out into the bay, wait for me to park, and then pick me up on a dock around the corner..we are in and out in seconds..unlike 90% of boaters who have no respect for others ...

This describes my system with my wife, except she drives the truck. I hate the other boaters that can't engage anyone one of the other 8 people with them to either drive the boat or the truck and instead take up space at the ramp. Even worse if they pull all the way forward or launch all the way forward on the ramp and sit there blocking the whole damn thing like they own it because they are stupid. I sometimes lose the plot and will start yelling at them to move their damn boats back on the ramp, if the person left standing with the boat is too stupid to comprehend, I end up moving it for them so I can do my business. The boat ramp on a crowded weekend is not good for my blood pressure with all the idiots who don't have any common sense or courtesy.

[Machine]

No one has mentioned the speed that they come in approaching the trailer. Is this a factor when it comes to bouncing off of things? I find if i go too slow it starts to go sideways. I looked at my front rails and there is really not much margin for error getting that front ridge between them. I think that's whats kicking me sideways.

[moombadaze]

back trailer in fully, pull out till fenders are at water level, wife drives on-as long as the nose goes between the guides were good, go to nutral, let boat settle, she then will give a little power forwards , hook bow strap and winch up with a little power assist and pull out, usually about a minute or so,

as long as the nose gets between the guides it no big deal, as after first contact ou can idle forward and steer and get it centered

[brad460]

This describes my system with my wife, except she drives the truck. I hate the other boaters that can't engage anyone one of the other 8 people with them to either drive the boat or the truck and instead take up space at the ramp. Even worse if they pull all the way forward or launch all the way forward on the ramp and sit there blocking the whole damn thing like they own it because they are stupid. I sometimes lose the plot and will start yelling at them to move their damn boats back on the ramp, if the person left standing with the boat is too stupid to comprehend, I end up moving it for them so I can do my business. The boat ramp on a crowded weekend is not good for my blood pressure with all the idiots who don't have any common sense or courtesy.

We would get along great at the boat landing! I've been known to back boats in for people who are struggling..

Funny story- the Vice President of my dept was loading up his boat after a day on the lake and I just happen to be waiting to load right behind him...well after 20-25 minutes he finally manages to get his trailer backed in...he was having major issues backing up the trailer! People were pointing and laughing at him and I was pretending not to watch, but he totally knew I was witnessing the whole thing! Anyways, he is a cool guy so I kept it our secret...