Don't need to know the pro's and Con's of Powerloading or winching, but just wonder what ya'll do.

SportFisher

Normally I powerload, but Sunday the engine on our Chaparral ski boat decided to give up the ghost (well it apparently had a rear seal failure and lost all the oil) so we winched it on...Never a fun thing...

I powerload

Powerload.

Powerload primarily unless the ramp is too shallow then may resort to a combination of both.

Powerload.

Powerload... but if you have your trailer set up right, and know how deep to set the trailer in the water, it really isn't "powerloading." You don't have to ram the bow eye into the bow stop. All you have to do is ease it up and make contact. Trust me, I repair plenty of boats with bow damage from owners ramming it into the bow stop.

The only time I will winch it on the trailer is if it is a really steep ramp.

power

powerload

I agree with Bristow. Just ease up and bump the throttle a tiny bit for the last foot. Leave it in gear, walk to the bow, lean over, hook the winch, give it one good tightening to snug it, kill the engine, trim it up and tell my driver to pull me out.

since my bullet was setup to run surface piercing with the prop.
i run the boat onto the trailer, then winch it tight.

NEVER, powerload a boat that's setup like mine or you'll BREAK prop after prop after prop.

after LOT's of research, i've found that power loading WILL cause pre-mature propeller breakage!!! Even on typical bass boats.

the worst thing you can do to a prop, is keeping it in gear and moving forward while the truck driver pulls the boat out of the water! although it looks cool, it's VERY hard on props and prop shafts.

steve.

You mean like when you are towing the boat down the road and the prop is still turning, or leaving it in neutral when fishing and having the prop spin? Why is that bad?

I hit my trailer at around 50 m.p.h. while my partner pulls his foot off the brake in the truck while in neutral, saves on truck gas from the strain of pulling the boat up the ramp.

Powerload...marina/ramp owners are keeping an eye on this...it's tearing out the bottom of their ramps, if they're short enough...

LOL.

not quite.

you power load the boat onto the trailer. keeping the engine running in gear, giving it some gas while the truck pulls off the ramp! blowing a bunch of water backwards. That surfaces the prop instantly and will eventually break a blade!

they are called drive on trailers..........drive it on

Okay, if that's how power loading is defined, I don't do that...I drive my boat on the trailer, give it a bit of gas to get the bow up over the bow guard and winch it tight...

Powerload....but am very careful after nailing the bow stop a few times when I first bought the boat. If I bang it anymore, I will be taking a trip to Mr. Bristow.

on the money oldfrog

I wanted to be like everyone else when I got my very first boat and powerloaded my bow eye back into my hull. That was a long time ago and several boats ago though.

I winched on for several years after that. But, now I semi-powerload. I drive on, give it gas until I am almost at the bow stop. Then I go to the front hook up the strap, and winch it tight the last foot or so.

Its got to be better on the boat to winch it up than to plow into the bow stop over and over.

I drive on but there is not much power to it. Like Michael said, if the trailer is in the water where it should be it will drive up nice and easy to the bow stop. I will then put it in neutral, if the boat stays put I turn off the motor and trim it up. If the boat slides back then I will put it back in gear while I hook up the bow strap and crank it tight. Also, I back my trailer in far enough to get all of the bunks wet, then pull it back up to the right depth. The boat will load easier if you do this.

The biggest thing we see damage the bow's of boats are the rollers being on the trailer too tight. They should "ROLL" without any force. Make sure your bow roller isn't locked up. It is doesn't spin, then you need to loosen it.

Power load.

I power load and in combination with my Boat Buddy II, loading is a breeze.

I powerload and it works just fine when you know how much of your trailer needs to be in the water for your boat to go right on..