Do any of you use a Drotto Boat Latch or something similar? If so what boat do have? Your thoughts, pro's and con's? Anyone else that had one and did away with it? I'm getting old and I thought it might simplify launching and loading, especially when I'm by myself. Thanks

I used one for years on my old 18.5' Nitro and it worked very well. After 10 years or so the bolt that shoots thru the eye was worn almost in half though but it still worked. I haven't seen that brand made anymore but it was similar to the current ones. I liked it enough that I am thinking about putting one on my current boat.

Just like anything else on the trailer ...... Do not depend on it to always work. They are a great thing to have, but I won't rely on it to retain the boat on the trailer without the winch strap. You still have to get out of the boat, so just hook up the strap as you exit. It is a great device for temporarily holding the boat on the roller until you can secure it properly before you pull up the ramp.

EDIT: I just watched the videos on the DROTTO latch and it appears to be fairly safe if used as they are showing. But I still wouldn't trust it on any type of incline.

Exactly, I always attach winch strap and a chain on mine before heading down the road.

Yes, I use one on my ZX190 and I love it!

It helps a ton since I fish by myself most often.

1. I can back the boat in until I see it float off the trailer, hop on the boat, start the engine to make sure there are no problems there, pull the release lever, and I'm off the trailer without having to rev the motor in reverse to get off.

2. When I load I just power up to it and you can hear it click/lock.

3. With a partner backing me down, they do not have to get out of the truck to unhook the boat and I don't have to get off to unhook the winch. I just pull the lever and I'm off.

4. When loading with a partner, I just power it up until I hear the latch click and partner just pulls me right out.

5. I don't depend on it when I'm trailering so I still attach my winch strap when traveling.

Lake levels fluctuate and every ramp is different so it's not always the same when positioning the trailer where you think it should be and sometimes I would back it in too far or not far enough. It was always a pain playing the game by myself of having to get back in the truck to reposition the trailer so I could get the boat on and the worst was when I had the trailer in too far and when I walked up the deck to latch the boat it would slide back off the roller.

I don't have to worry about this any longer and launching by myself is a breeze and I can launch and load very fast.

I have not done this yet but I will be in need of new bunk boards soon so for the next set I'm going to add some slip pads so that's effortless powering up to latch and load because I don't have to worry about the boat sliding off the trailer before I can latch it.

I have one. It works pretty well.

Gutter down spout cut in half works great on bunk boards, mine are two years old, much cheaper and zero carpet to deal with if you put them on new boards, you will have to router the boards to fit.

I use a drotto latch also but mine has the roller on the front. I installed a spring from the back of the drotto to the trailer so it hangs down until my bow pushes the roller into place, prior to that if I was shallow and the drotto was at the wrong angle I damaged my bow.

Jeff, the spring idea is good. Usually when I drop off the trailer the boat pushes the drotto down like you're stating, if not I always check that as I'm walking up to the trailer to back it down to the water to load.

I don't understand the "gutter down spout" trick you're talking about. Do you have pics?