Then... why with those 40K boats and fully dressed trailers do they still have a winch on them.

This is like vehicles. All of them come with blinkers from the 10K price to 100K, the curteous drivers use them.

No disrespect but I know a guy with a 19-20ft boat that uses his winch all the time on this ramp. I have owned 4 bass boats with the biggest being a 19ft skeeter. It loaded just fine with the winch. In fact it was easier than the deep v boat I have now.

I know that when your trailer isnt deep enough that you cant winch it up. I also know that if it's too deep your front hook will be too low and wont go over the front roller on your trailer. Most guys that load all the time know the exact position they need there trailer at according to the slope of the ramp. Most everyone loads too shallow then forces there boat up the trailer. Oh well, cant say I didnt try to convince some people to not do this on CC right now.
I give Fishermans Wharf another 2-3 weeks unless we get some rain. I heard on the radio station today that the KCKL tourny had been cancelled for CC due the low lake. I am sure that upset some folks.

The washout of a ramp is a great area to fish.I have caught lots of bass prinarily using a rattl trap thrown right in the middle of the area.Seems to work best in the winter after the sun has warmed the concrete.

I hate to butt in, but it almost sounds like you all need to start using a different ramp if there is another one to use.
What we all really need is some much needed rain to get all of our lakes back up to normal pool.

But I understand his back wash issue. I myself can't see any one doing it though. They are not going to take a risk of doing any damage to their own props.

I know that when your trailer isnt deep enough that you cant winch it up. I also know that if it's too deep your front hook will be too low and wont go over the front roller on your trailer. Most guys that load all the time know the exact position they need there trailer at according to the slope of the ramp.

Said it better than I could. However, my exact position is described above takes a little help from the mercury to get her up to the bow stop, back in it any further and the back of the boat will still be floating when it hits the winch stop, and basically it's a 50/50 shot if it will sit right on the trailer when you pull out.


Like I said earlier, the ramp is either usable or it's not.

I know what depth my trailer has to be to "GLIDE" my boat on the bow stop without having to shoot a roostertail to load! If you learn your rig's little "quirks" of what works & what don't, then you can simply coast your big, fancy smancy boats all the way to the bow stop! I've been doing it that way for years, all the way from a 18 ft Stratos to a 14 ft Lone Star! Ya jist gotta scratch your head & think, instead of scratch your arse & stink!

You have a point TL. There are more than a few steep ramps that if I put my trailer in deep enough to "glide" on I can't get the nose over the bow stop. In that case the only way to load it is to pull the trailer out a touch and goose the motor. I have a 17.5 ft boat that must weigh 1500lbs and getting it up with just the winch on a steep ramp is more than a workout for the winch, strap and me. All ramps are different and prop wash will happen.

Everyone is all worked up over power loading but power unloading does the same thing by digging a hole. We need more rain and the problem goes away.

In my opinion this is a bad post and I disagree with it.

The prop wash at our local lakes has been there since the lake was first used.

Might as well put a post out there and ask everyone not to use so much water, and ask them to do a Rain Dance everyday.

I hope some guy (new to boating) doesn't read this post and try to get out his bass boat / CC boat and hurt himself in the process.

I disagree with the orignial poster.......

who cares

May be an old topic but power loading has already been banned in many states because of this issue.

To view a good example of what occurs to the ramps when we power load please look at the following link.

http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mrbis/

Great annimation of the affects

I guess I don't understand something.

If using your "big motor" to get the boat ON TO the trailer creates a sand bar behind it...wouldn't getting the boat OFF OF the trailer (using the big motor) cause the opposite effect and bring the sand back to it's original location?

Also - you're not going to catch me trying to winch up my 22' Blue Wave bay boat...sorry...it's just not going to happen. Then again I don't really need to over-power it up either. It glides on pretty smooth on it's own when my approach is right.

would roller trailers with walkways and electric winches help?

seems some innovation in trailer design would help the matter.

Quacktastic

Good example. Never thought about what happens.

Great advice thanks for the post.