I have a question for all the experienced boaters out there...I own a 18' Sweetwater Pontoon, and I sometimes pull it with my F-150 short bed , now when I go to put it in the water after the boat is off the trailer and I go to park the truck and trailer, my tires tend to have a hard time getting tractions in the wet ramps....go figure...any suggestions on what I could do to help the truck get traction and get out? I have thought of getting about ten large sand bags just for the weight in the back of the truck...would this help any? Please send any ideas/suggestions. I do have my wifes Expedition I could use, but like my truck for the added space in the bed....besides what are trucks for right...to pull stuff. Let me know what I could do. Thanks and happy fishing to everyone. P.S I am from San Antonio if anyone would like to hook up and go after some bass or cats...Always up for a fishing partner during the week.

I feel the key to getting out of the water and still get traction is to take it slow. Put the truck in low gear. See if it will pull without pushing the gas very hard. Just ease the gas pedal down until you get to rolling. Sand bags may help, but I think it's a waste of money. Another thought. Where are you launching? A lot of ramps are extremely low right now. The trailer may be getting bogged down in mud or rolling off the end of the ramp. Just a thought.

Nate- I have used my truck to launch at Calaveras lake in San Antonio, the ramp i use goes a good ways in and I have not hit any drop off. Also my truck is standard, I drop in 1st gear and ease off the clutch...Have talked to others and they say it is all about the weight. Once the boat is back on it comes out with no problems...it is just when I launch that I have a hard time getting out.

Good tires really help.......but I never understood why they did not put "pusitrack" rear end as standard equipment on all rear wheel drive pickups??? Especially when you order a towing package.

opps.....its early!........"Posi-trac". HA HA!

This isn't an answer to your question, Gonzo, but years ago I put too much wear on my clutch when I was driving a standard tranny to haul my boat out of the water. My mechanic told me to haul it with an automatic. And never in Overdrive, always "D."

The boat ramp at Decker Lake (here in Austin) is very steep and hard on clutches, fer sure.

Boatman, I have been told possi-trac would help, I wish i did have it as well as a good towing package, on the truck. Fishin'Steeler, yes I prefer to use my wifes expedition, but sometimes I get a wild hair and decide to go fishin after she has left for work, so now I am forced to take my truck...But thanks for the advice. May just have to take the Expedition away fom the wife..hehehe

The weight will definitely help. My father-n-law used to pull a pontoon boat with a Ranger and it almost always spun on the ramp. The solution was to get a couple of people on the bumper. Also, if you buy a new truck make sure that it has posi-trac (GM) or limited slip (Ford). All my trucks have had it and I rarely spin the tires.

Stump jumper----Thanks for the advice, as I mentioned prior I have considered getting a few sand bags just for the weight or some rather large rocks. For now that will have to do, since I can't afford to buy a new truck...even though I would really love to get me the truck of my dreams...But for now my f-150 or my wifes expedition will have to do...

FishnGonz,
A standard transmission changes the whole scenario. I don't know what to tell you. Mabye some weight will help.

Weight will help.

Gonzo,

I have an F-150 5 speed manual (Mazda Trans) with the 3.08 rear that I used to pull my boat with and it would always spin the tires (Michelin LTX M/S), especially at Canyon Lake where the ramp I use is very steep. Sometimes I would start out in 2nd and easy the gas and release the parking brake at the same time with success. One time I had to have about five guys get in the back just to get out, so added weight does help. There's nothing more frustrating than to have a bunch of young punks giving you dirty looks because you aren't getting out of the way fast enough so they can launch their Sea-Doos.

Now I use a GMC with auto trans and never have a problem.

Good luck.

-Matt

Lightly apply the parking brake to even out the power to both wheels. This will allow you pull out with less slippage of the tires. Kind of a "poor mans Posi-Track" if you will

I have a standard transmission as well, and sometimes experience the same problem especially on steep ramps. I have a large rubber wheel chock with a piece of rope tied to it (via an eyebolt). I put the chock behind my left front tire and hang on to the rope. With the chock preventing the truck from rolling backward it is much easier to wrok the parking brake release and ease the clutch out. his works pretty well but sometimes I wish for sandbags.

I use the chock snatching the boat out too. It is cheap insurance for "just in case something in the drive train breaks". Never had a problem but I breathe easie knowing the chock wioll keep me out of the drink.
My old 4 wheel drive ramcharger had an automatic. Sure miss it at the ramp...

Thanks to everyone thats has put in thier past experiences and suggestions... I think I will acquire me one of those heavy rubber wheel chocks as well as go with t he added weight in the bed of the truck. I am also looking into after market posi-track options for the truck. Thanks again!