I need your advice about boat launching

[tylerdan]

Lake Palestine gets lower every week. Last trip 10 days ago I had to use lots of power to get the boat off the trailer. Had the wheels right to the end of the ramp, another inch and they would go over the edge. Boat is too heavy to push off by hand.

I was out of town most of this past week and did not go fishing. By the time I get there on Tuesday, I may not get the boat off the trailer.

I have never dropped the tires off the end of a ramp.

Can anyone tell me if it will come back over the edge if I drop the tires off the end. I know there is a hole at the end of the ramp so the trailer will sit down on the frame.

Give me some advice before I go get in trouble.

[JonW]

Don't do it. I watched a guy basically demolish the back end of his pontoon boat trailer when his back wheels went off the end of the ramp at Lake Houston Marina. He destroyed a rim and warped his axle and frame. Besides the fact that we had to wade down the ramp for an hour trying to get the trailer back up. Let's just say he said some bad words (very loudly)!

I snagged the trailer with my trolling motor and bent the shaft trying to pick his trailer up.

[Randy]

Speaking of launching a boat. Well, we all know Piper, and I have even a further Admiration for his tenacity. Donnie, backed his van down that ramp today and I had to admire him. Not only unload and load the boat down the ramp, with out hesitation, he put them wheels in 4 wheel drive across the mud and we loaded him into the boat.
Donnie, you are an inspiration to us all.

Sorry to get side tracked ya'll.

[Gentleben]

Td i did that once and I had to undo the trailer from my truck, pull the truck up take the winch rope and tie it to the truck , then you get in teh water with the trailer jack it up while some one cranks on the winch, other wise you do have the possibility of tearing off your axle..
Another avenue is to put some teflon pads on your runners and your boat will slip right off without much effort and trouble and you will not have to back in that far..:icon_rolleyes:

[reedlv]

If your trailer tires get below the halfway point. You will not pull it backout.

[dwaynez]

Randy

I second that statement

[dwaynez]

Dan,

I would not put yourself in a " what if " situation, play it safe

[PlanoTracker]

It's not easy to apply "not worth the risk" when it comes to fishing, but risking tearing up a boat, motor, and/or trailer at a boat ramp for a days fishing falls into that category for me. I worked in an automotive machine shop after highschool and all the way through college, can't tell you how many boat trailers were "dragged" in with missing or bent axles at the end of summers (low water conditions).
Free tip : you mentioned you know there is a hole at the end of the ramp. As most are aware, these washouts at the end of a boat ramp are caused by prop wash currents from loading and unloading boats over the years ... What most over look is old, abandoned, or seldom used boat ramps (paved or not) will have these same underwater holes/washouts ... and can hold some really nice size Cat's. :)

[tylerdan]

I got the picture and will not try it. We had 2.3 inches of rain yesterday. That should raise the lake at least 2.3 inches, maybe a little more because it fell fast enough to create some runoff. If I can't get the Blue Wave off the trailer, I will just have to start fishing out of the 14 foot Jon.

Thanks for the good advice.