[quote=Jim Ford]You will develop a routine when you launch and recover the boat alone. It will work well. Then one day a well-meaning companion will attempt to assist you. You will overlook one or more procedures because your routine was broken.

Do what works for you, but do it the same every time; tell the well-meaning assistants to back off and let you do it alone.

This is excellent advice or warning or headsup.

I actually took a page from the flying crowd. I have a laminated check list for loading and unloading. Starts at hooking trailer to truck- chains, straps, lights, jack up, tires checked, etc...
I really don't want to ever forget the plug or something that will get me on youtube's "boat ramp follies".

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Been doing it this way since before most boaters I see out there were even born.

Seen that happen once--------------------or twice:)

I keep rubber boats in my truck just for loading and u loading my boat for when the water gets cooler. I fish all year long mostly solo.

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Agreed with others. Do what feels right and don't let other helpers ruin your routine. They can help with loading the boat but I always do the straps, motor wedge and plug myself. Highlight the plug... I launch my 24 foot bay boat alone often and tie a rope to the bow cleat and leave about 6 feet of slack with a loop around trailer post. Back in until it floats. Because my boat is a bit on the heavy side I don't undo the winch strap and safety chain until the trailer is in the water, but I never get wet! I can launch and recover faster than most duos but just don't be in a hurry. Once you get a system it's second nature.

I suggest you consider not disconnecting the winch strap until you are comfortable with the boat coming off the trailer. I've seen several boats do so before the trailer got to the water with it, and it wasn't pretty. The driver can't react instantly to bring the vehicle to a stop. The boat ends up getting pushed on the ramp surface with a very nasty grinding sound. I may adjust mine with some slack before I back down, but I never flat-out disconnect it because of seeing boats slide or tip off the trailer before reaching the water.

I hate doing it by myself but long rope strung to cab and float it and tie off.Park start go.I always carry water boots for shallow incline ramp for loading.

K.D.Remember me?You sold me a Tan Venture Outdoors one man pontoon that I caught a lot of Crappie with until I purchased a bigger boat.Thanks again for getting me off the banks. I use to have that same issue until I saw a video of a Guy on Youtube use a 10'Rope/ Cord with a carabina clip on each end.He would unstrap his boat before he backed down the ramp and attach one Carabina clip to the Bow strap hitch on the boat and the other end on the Trailer front post. When he backed his vehicle down to the water the momentum would cause the boat to disengage and float. He would then pull his vehicle up the ramp enough to get the trailer out of the water,with the cord attached,gather the cord and pull the boat back to the ramp,PowerPole it,go park then come back and board his boat without ever getting his feet wet.I saw the Z-Launch cord video and made a version myself with a little help from Home Depot.

If I'm alone, I only launch where a dock is close by. I'm too old to monkey climb from the tailgate and jump over my boat railing.

I launch and fish solo often.

My additional suggestion for this thread is to start the outboard before disconnecting the winch strap and floating or driving the boat off the trailer.

More than once I've seen a surprise dead cranking battery/no gas/etc. that has or could have messed up launching with winch strap unhooked or boat already floating off trailer.

I agree, its risky putting it in the water without knowing 100% your motor will start. My little jon i would push it off and beach it by hand, when i came back, would use the trolling motor to get me off the ramp then start pulling away until the old '71 evinrude would start. This technique was very fast.

I like beaching it on the ramp because it saves time versus driving it off the trailer and having to go park it somewhere but you are able to start the motor before your off the trailer.

I think i will recruit the wife to come help me a few times to see what technique feels better. I can tell right now i'd be nervous about roughing up the boat using the trailer rope technique.

Steps and a boarding pole are very nice for this very topic.

I hook a rope to my bow and hook the other end to the eyelets in the back of my trk. The boat is not going anywhere but off the trl. and then I tie it up to the ramp fix'ins. Front and back....Getting it out of the water is rougher for me.