New-ish boater, don't want to be "that guy"..

[Rocko]

So...fairly new to boating. Had a 24' VIP a few years ago, didn't use it much, being a trucker on the road all the time. Sold it...regrets.

Just got a 22' Sport-Craft. I have my boating cert, and know the basics, of course...but I really don't want to be "that guy" at the ramp (plan on using Meredith primarily). Is there anyone that is willing, out of the goodness of their heart, to help a fellow out with how to not be "that guy"?.

Mostly I'd like some input/help with proper way to launch/retrieve, especially if I'm by myself. And how to dock without being labelled "captain bonehead". Or hitting anyone elses craft and/or damaging my own boat on the dock.

So....how about it people? Anyone with advice that I can use, or even better, willing to help with "hands on" training?

TIA

[burgerunh]

Originally Posted by Rocko

So...fairly new to boating. Had a 24' VIP a few years ago, didn't use it much, being a trucker on the road all the time. Sold it...regrets.

Just got a 22' Sport-Craft. I have my boating cert, and know the basics, of course...but I really don't want to be "that guy" at the ramp (plan on using Meredith primarily). Is there anyone that is willing, out of the goodness of their heart, to help a fellow out with how to not be "that guy"?.

Mostly I'd like some input/help with proper way to launch/retrieve, especially if I'm by myself. And how to dock without being labelled "captain bonehead". Or hitting anyone elses craft and/or damaging my own boat on the dock.

So....how about it people? Anyone with advice that I can use, or even better, willing to help with "hands on" training?

TIA

If you are talking about using the town docks in Meredith, I would recommend that you pick another launch for your 22 foot boat. That launch is very tight. I believe that there is a sign there about not launching any boats over 18 feet in length or something like that. Center Harbor and Shep Browns have better launches.

[Rocko]

Originally Posted by burgerunh

If you are talking about using the town docks in Meredith, I would recommend that you pick another launch for your 22 foot boat. That launch is very tight. I believe that there is a sign there about not launching any boats over 18 feet in length or something like that. Center Harbor and Shep Browns have better launches.

Oh, I don't recall seeing that sign? I used to launch the VIP from there. I'll look into additional options, thanks.

[AC2717]

Have used that launch many times, do not ever recall a sign and also marinas use that launch to get cruisers in and out and multiple boats over 18 feet

I would be more than willing to help but I am done for the season unfortunatly.

I am not a great fan ouf the ramp due to the poorly sized pull in staging area. When I use it I go very early and I swing into the street and back down straight into it (same way marinas use it). Trying to get anything in that ramp that is over 16 feet on the back of a truck is very difficult even for seasoned rampers if you try to use that staging area, it is too short and not wide enough to swing without multiple forward and reverse shifts

[Denny Crane]

I've been trailering in Meredith for 15 years and both ramps create anxiety and are borderline disastrous at times, so it's not you. Pick your poison! I try to go to Shep Brown's early enough to beat the traffic, however have plan b for parking because the lots are full and there are no spaces for both vehicle and attached trailers. Most I see are trailers unhooked with vehicle parked next to it. One time I parked my truck and trailer on the side of the road and got a $35 ticket. My wife will now drive our trailer back to the house after we launch. At Shep's there has never been anyone to give direction to boaters where to or how to launch, however from word of mouth I was told the left ramp is for the public and the right for Shep Brown's to launch their boats. To this day I'm not sure. As you come down the street approaching the ramp you must take a left into the parking lot, navigate the parked cars and pull around onto the ramp to back up. The parking lot has its' challenges but it's not as tight as the town docks parking lot. After taking a left into the lot, then a right, I pull up and unhook my trailer straps before taking the last 2 rights and onto the ramp. This is where my help gets out of my truck and meet me at the top of the ramp to tend the lines. At the top of the ramp I unhook my boat from the winch and my help pulls the boat over to the dock and as far back away from the ramp not to impede the next launch.
My last trip, however was a disaster. It was a quiet Saturday morning with no boats launching in front of me, however one boat was docked right at the bottom of the ramp with no owner in sight. I couldn't float my boat off the trailer and pull my boat over to the dock, so I decided with no other boats approaching to launch I would use the right ramp. Unfortunately there was a drop-off that my trailer got hung up on and had to gun my truck to pull it out, bending one of the 2 axels. I've never had a problem like this on the left side.
I like town docks better more because of the parking lot across from Bootleggers. We can launch(22' boat) and while I park my truck my daughter will drive the boat over to pick me up at the Lago's dock. However, to be honest in 15 years I've had only about 3 perfect launches there! If you could see my banged up license plate and scuffed front truck tires you would understand! Expect the unexpected and don't get hung up when something doesn't go perfectly. Just regroup. Some people are helpful, others are there to take care of themselves, jump the line, etc.

[Hillcountry]

Probably stick to Squam or Winisquam…nice Fish and Game ramps there…also Newfound! Winni ramps can be challenging at best…

[radioman]

Having spent the past 22 yrs at sheps, let me address some misconceptions.

Both bays of the ramp are owned and maintained by the town.
If you ask any employee of goodhue they will say that they own the right side because they want to keep that bay clear for their growing rental fleet.
The number of rental boats has grown from 10 in 2002 to 36 as of two days ago!!
Parking is a grownig problem each year in spite of numerous studies by both the town and private associations which have gone nowhere.

Hesky park is difficult because it is so short and there is a sign there regarding boat length.
Goodhue does offer a one on one boat training service.

People with boats over 18 feet need to stay away from heskey and get to sheps early as has already been noted.

[Descant]

Steve St. Onge is a licensed professional captain who can give great hands on experience about navigating and docking. Contac t "Steve on Mark" through this Forum. Not free but excellent reviews. Many videos on YouTube about launching and retrieving. Some helpful, some amusing, some disastrous.
This is a good time of year, no crowds. Have fun.

[icg56]

Moultonborough Ramp at Lee's Mills is quiet and wide to hone your skills without an audience.

[rick35]

One of our neighbors used to sit at the Shep Brown's launch just to watch. He said that if you watch long enough someone would make it worthwhile. You try to not be that guy. I've been that guy. It happens and all you can do is learn from it and do better next time.

[Blyblvrd]

Goodhue and/or Center Harbor are great places to launch IMO so long as you don’t go when everyone does. My son is a commercial boating captain and is an instructor and I taught him. Steve on Mark sounds like ideal choice number one but we may be able to help as a friendly back-up. When are you thinking?


Sent from my iPad using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[DPatnaude]

Originally Posted by Denny Crane

At Shep's there has never been anyone to give direction to boaters where to or how to launch, however from word of mouth I was told the left ramp is for the public and the right for Shep Brown's to launch their boats. To this day I'm not sure. As you come down the street approaching the ramp you must take a left into the parking lot, navigate the parked cars and pull around onto the ramp to back up.

I worked at Shep Brown's 1986-1990. At the beginning of my first year, the trailer route was coming straight down the hill to turn left across the ramp and then back in to the ramp with a 90 degree turn. One day, Butch (the head mechanic) decided it should the run the other direction and spray painted plywood signs with arrows to route the trailer traffic as described above around the parking area. Queuing was out of the way of the fork truck and the move to back in the trailer was straight back.

It has now run this way almost 40 years, so it must be working okay.

[Patofnaud]

Don't discount vacant parking lots to practice backing up your trailer.

Also when you do get to a ramp, do not be the guy who undies all the tie-downs while parked on the ramp. Check your drain plug, and remove all but the bow wench before you approach the ramp. )

Oh and please do not power load (gun it in the water to get onto your trailer) as it messes up the ramp.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Patofnaud

Don't discount vacant parking lots to practice backing up your trailer.

Also when you do get to a ramp, do not be the guy who undies all the tie-downs while parked on the ramp. Check your drain plug, and remove all but the bow wench before you approach the ramp.

Oh and please do not power load (gun it in the water to get onto your trailer) as it messes up the ramp.

Even in this less-than-chivalrous age, all wenches needn't be present.

[tis]

Originally Posted by ApS

Even in this less-than-chivalrous age, all wenches needn't be present.

Sometimes typos are just too funny.....

[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by ApS

Even in this less-than-chivalrous age, all wenches needn't be present.

I've always found that when I wind up a bow wench, she turns into a stern wench...

[tis]

Originally Posted by steve-on-mark

I've always found that when I wind up a bow wench, she turns into a stern wench...

Have to love the humor here.

[mcguirej]

I was docked at Center Harbor for a couple hours on Tuesday and was the only boat there. The ramp is wide and a great place to practice without an audience.

[Rocko]

Originally Posted by mcguirej

I was docked at Center Harbor for a couple hours on Tuesday and was the only boat there. The ramp is wide and a great place to practice without an audience.

I don’t mind an audience. If one laughs without offering help, it just shows their character. I just need someone to teach me a practical way to launch/retrieve if I happen to by myself.

[Rocko]

Originally Posted by Patofnaud

Don't discount vacant parking lots to practice backing up your trailer.

Also when you do get to a ramp, do not be the guy who undies all the tie-downs while parked on the ramp. Check your drain plug, and remove all but the bow wench before you approach the ramp. )

Oh and please do not power load (gun it in the water to get onto your trailer) as it messes up the ramp.

Backing up isn’t a problem. After all, I back up trailers for a living, albeit a bit larger. Never had any problem backing my 24’ when I had it.

And I shall release the rest of the wenches, but tell the bow wench she must remain.

[mcguirej]

Originally Posted by Rocko

I don’t mind an audience. If one laughs without offering help, it just shows their character. I just need someone to teach me a practical way to launch/retrieve if I happen to by myself.

Haha in that case maybe try Meredith? I believe a few inland marinas pull boats there for winter storage. The guys I spoke with when docking next to the ramp were super friendly and knowledgeable. Though in my experience that’s been the norm on the lake!

[Descant]

Originally Posted by Rocko

I don’t mind an audience. If one laughs without offering help, it just shows their character. I just need someone to teach me a practical way to launch/retrieve if I happen to by myself.

I used to keep long bow and stern lines, push the boat off the trailer and pull it back in and secure it while I parked the car. That was on a beach on Half Moon Lake. In the other direction I used Glendale. Everybody there was experienced and willing to hold the lines to assist me. Asking for help in advance pretty much guarantees no embarrassment and a quicker launch/retrieve. Much easier than asking for help getting you out of a SNAFU after the fact. If the boat ahead of you in line has just one wench, offering assistance is mandatory.

[8gv]

I solo launch my 17' center console using this method:

Up on the hard...

Using a dedicated prepared line about 10' long, I first put the loop end through the bow cleat and then bend the other end of the line to the other bow cleat.

Next I pull the center of the line over the trailer winch post which leans away from the boat.

At the ramp...

Once the trailer wheels are in the water I remove the winch hook and safety chain hook from the boat.

I then back the boat in deep enough to just barely float off the trailer.

That allows me access to the trailer tongue without getting my feet wet.
For more shallow ramps I wear 20" boots.

The line from the bow cleats to the winch post holds the boat close enough for me to climb into the boat.

I thought I might need some sort of ladder for this but using the tongue, winch post and spare tire, it works without one.

Once inside, I start the motor, pull the line off the winch post and motor over to tie up at the dock.

A few times guys have suggested that I am taking too long.

I tell them that I am launching solo and they may park my car and trailer for me if they wish.

So far only one guy did that and nobody has stolen my car!



To collect the boat onto the trailer I do the reverse but have added a plank like walking surface on the trailer frame.

It gives me a bigger target when I slide off the bow onto the trailer.

[rick35]

Most times you'll find someone to help. I offer whenever I can and I find a lot of other people do too. We were loading the boat a few weeks ago at Sheps and a guy with new fishing boat was untying to put it on the trailer. He made a comment about being nervous about getting it on the trailer. The next time I looked over someone had gone over to his trailer to help. That's how most people are. As long as you can back the trailer in you won't have any trouble. And you can practice that in a parking lot.

[Descant]

I am totally impressed by how easily everybody on this thread readily will ask for and offer help to fellow yachtsmen. Good for us.

[rick35]

And what impresses me further is that it's rubbing off on the next generation. A couple of times I docked at the cattle landing this summer with its usual chop and kids about 13 came over and asked if they could help with the lines. I thanked them and then commented to the adults with them about how impressed I was with their helpfulness.

[NH.Solar]

1. As soon as the slope of the ramp can help, put your transmission in neutral and let gravity do the work rather than having your brakes fighting with the transmission in reverse. This is especially true with front wheel cars.
2. Don't submerge the trailer too deeply or you will never get the boat to line up squarely on the pads/rollers. It depends on the slope of ramp, but often the proper spot is when the trailer wheels just begin to submerge. It does make sense however when loading to initially back in a bit too deep to get the bunks fully wettened and then pull back out to the depth you want load at
3. Don't pull the boat out until you have two lines securing it. The winch strap/rope is your primary, but you do want to have a secondary justin case the primary lets go. I often used my boweye rope and just loosely secured it to the winch upright ...just in case.
4. As soon as the boat is out of the water, secure the stern with tie-downs
5. If you are having a hard time figuring out which way to turn your vehicle steering wheel while backing up, just put your hand at bottom dead center of your auto's wheel and turn the wheel in the direction you want the trailer to go.

[TiltonBB]

Depending upon the slope of the ramp I let about 2 feet of winch strap out and re-lock the winch before backing down a ramp. When I reach the desired launch point I stop a little abruptly so that the boat slides back using that two feet of slack. This will break any adhesion to the trailer and get the boat into deeper water enabling it to float off the trailer more easily.

Also, if a straight back ramp approach is not available, when possible, the preferred approach to backing a trailer is backing the trailer to the left. Your visibility in the mirror and out the drivers side window is better than when the trailer is to the right.