Here are a few tips to get your new pride and joy into the water, and at the and of the day recover it safely without any hassle.

Br Prepared & Avoid Ramp Rage:
Before you even approach the ramp make sure the boat is ready to go into the water in the car park first. There is nothing worse, or inconsiderate, than someone who lines up on the ramp and is not ready to launch. Not only does it hold other people up waiting to launch their boats but, sadly, it can create ‘ramp rage’.

1. Remove the tie downs
2. Place all your gear, coolers, bags and other equipment for the day in the boat,
3. Check the fuel and oil
4. Fix the radio aerial in the upright position
5. Don’t forget the bungs.
6. If the trailer has override brakes make sure the reverse lever is in the right position
7. Take the outboard off the towing lock.
8. Check the “U” bolt on the safety chain is ready to be removed.

TIP: Have some WD40 on hand just in case.


Now the tricky bit – backing the rig down the ramp.
It is not as easy as it looks and many people tend to get crossed up with the trailer going one way and the vehicle the other.

In may cases dealers are at fault here for not making sure that new boat owners are shown how to launch and retrieve their boat correctly before handing it over. On some ramps the approaches are not easy, but the better ones have room to get the whole rig in a straight line before reversing down the ramp.

TIP: A technique I find helpful is to turn your body to the left in the driver’s seat, pace your left arm across the top of the seat and your hand on top of the steering wheel, then look out the rear window.

This way it is easier to control the trailer. Turn the wheel to the left and the trailer will track to the left and vice versa.

TIP: Turn the wing mirrors down so that you can see where the trailer wheels are and make sure they are not about to go over the edge of the ramp.

Make all movements small ones and reverse the rig slowly. Don’t be in a hurry. Overcorrect or back up too fast and you will be chasing the rig all over the car park.

TIP: Give the technique a go a few times in a shopping centre car park after hours when there is plenty of room and no audience. Then when it comes time to back down the ramp you will look as if you have been doing it for years.

Depending on the ramp, most trailers need to be backed into the water to at least where the axles are covered.

Undo the safety chain and take the strain on the winch cable or strap, take up the strain first on the winch handle and control the cable as the tension comes off.

Don’t let the winch handle fly loose, there have been some nasty accidents when people have not taken care and copped the handle in the face.

Some experts suggest letting the boat slide off the trailer under control of the winch cable. Others prefer to take the cable off completely and control the boat with a rope from the bow. 

TIP: Both techniques work, but if you are using a bow rope don’t use a piece of ‘string’ or a bit of old frayed rope you found in the back of the garage. Murphy’s law says it will break at the wrong time. A length of 10mm braid or silver rope from the local chandlery will do fine.

If there are just the two of you and a couple of kids, mum or one of the kids can hold the boat on the pontoon, if there is one, or on the beach while you park the rig. More experienced people will probably have one drive the boat off the trailer while the other parks it.


Retrieving your Rig:
Similarly, driving the boat back onto the trailer saves time, however the technique comes with experience and confidence, so until you have a few hours under your belt it is wise to stick with the conventional way to retrieve a boat, even if means getting the bottoms of your shorts wet.

1. Tilt the outboard up and lock it in place
2. Using the bow line, position the bow of the boat on the first roller and attach the winch cable. (Again be careful the winch handle is not attached as the cable is unwound off the winch)
3. The boat should float well onto the trailer before any effort is needed to winch it up. (Have a helper standing at the side holding it straight.) 

TIP: Another method is to tie a line to the stern cleat and have the helper pull the back straight. This works well where there is a pontoon at the ramp.

4. Wind the winch until the boat is up against the winch post (try to avoid getting any folds in your winch strap)
5. Attach the safety chain,
6. Change the reverse brake lever over
7. and don’t forget to take the winch handle off the winch (Leave it on and chances are it won’t be there when you get home.)


Getting Home:
Now you are ready to drive off the ramp and start getting the boat ready to take home.

1. Attach the safety chain,
2. Tie the boat down,
3. Remove the bungs
4. Secure the bimini (It’s amazing how many people are seen driving along the road with the bimini flapping in the breeze destroying itself.)
5. Before moving off from the car park, check the stop and indicator lights on the trailer,
6. Check that all the wheel nuts are still on your trailer. (There have been instances where light-fingered people have helped themselves to some else’s wheel nuts while the trailer has sat in the car park.)

TIP: A trailer anti-theft device is also a good idea. They come in various designs and price ranges, and while they won’t stop the professional thief they will stop the opportunist

The suggestions outlined here are basic and are designed to help new boat owners get their boat in and out of the water with a minimum of fuss.