Single Handed Trailer Launching

[topcat0399]

We are going to splash again this weekend but - the Admiral has to work Friday night so I'm going to
try my hand at single handed trailer launching for the first time. She will drive out and join me at 1:30 am.
The launch we use is fairly steep, narrow, and very rustic.

I've read up on it - evaluated the options - and I have a plan.

Should be fun with a 25 ft boat and a door opener for even more chances at getting in the water.

Advise welcome - or not.

Happy sails.

[Tomfoolery]

I launch and haul solo virtually every time, and that's with an with all that freeboard.

Put long lines on bow and stern. At least the length of the boat, preferably longer.
Hang the fenders.
Remove the stern strap and safety chain to the bow eye.
Slacken the winch a bit.
Back it in 'till it's floating, or mostly floating, however far that is.
Depending on the dock arrangement, tie off one of the dock lines with a lot of slack (in case you lose control of the boat), or just take a turn around a post or cleat.
Cut the winch line loose.
Float the boat around to wherever you're going to tie it up. With no or little wind, it's easy to simply move it around by hand using lines - if it starts moving too fast, take a half turn around a post or cleat to gently slow/stop it.
Tie off one end very loose with a lighterman's hitch or some other simple, temporary hitch (or cleat hitch, if cleats on the dock).
Tie off the other end, but not super tight against the dock, and adjust the first dock line so it's not floating 6 feet from the dock.
Pull the rig out and park it.
Go have some fun on the boat.

[topcat0399]

I launch and haul solo virtually every time, and that's with an with all that freeboard.

Put long lines on bow and stern. At least the length of the boat, preferably longer.
Hang the fenders.
Remove the stern strap and safety chain to the bow eye.
Slacken the winch a bit.
Back it in 'till it's floating, or mostly floating, however far that is.
Depending on the dock arrangement, tie off one of the dock lines with a lot of slack (in case you lose control of the boat), or just take a turn around a post or cleat.
Cut the winch line loose.
Float the boat around to wherever you're going to tie it up. With no or little wind, it's easy to simply move it around by hand using lines - if it starts moving too fast, take a half turn around a post or cleat to gently slow/stop it.
Tie off one end very loose with a lighterman's hitch or some other simple, temporary hitch (or cleat hitch, if cleats on the dock).
Tie off the other end, but not super tight against the dock, and adjust the first dock line so it's not floating 6 feet from the dock.
Pull the rig out and park it.
Go have some fun on the boat.

Your advise is very close to the plan I have. Thank you for validating my thinking.

[Tomfoolery]

Until you get used to the particular quirks of your own boat and trailer, I would suggest you always keep one line tied to something, even the trailer. If nothing else, you won't be worrying about the boat getting away. As long as there's a line on it, it's not going anywhere. That's why I suggested very long lines for launching/hauling.

I sometimes use one of the two very long lines for the dock line once it's at the dock - the stern cleat to two dock cleats or posts, run it forward to another dock cleat or post near the bow, and then to the bow cleat on the boat. The two legs from the stern cleat to the dock cleats act as spring lines and they keep the stern from moving away from the dock, and the bow line only has to keep the bow the right distance from the dock or wall. If I use one or two dock lines, this is usually how I secure it against a wall. In a slip, the arrangement is different, as needed.

For launching/hauling lines, you can use lower grade dock lines, or old halyards for that matter, or whatever you have laying around that is easy on the hands, but I prefer 3-strand as it's easy to make eye splices in both ends.

[CampCook]

I also singe-hand launch and retrieve on most days. Almost identically to the way Tkanzier does it with a couple of minor exceptions. I tie the line from the stern cleat to the line from the bow cleat so I always have both lines in hand. I tie a third line looped around the bow/stern line forward to the truck hand hold in the back seat. When I back in the boat floats free and I can manage to get up on the dock with out getting wet and still have a secure hold on the boat. With a bit of practice you will be able to amaze others at the dock.

[pmmcderm]

I also tie my bow and stern lines together. I loosen the winch, but keep it connected, and tie off the dock lines to the trailer next to the winch. Still gotta get my feet wet, but I'm comfortable with this method.

Landing with an off-setting wind is still interesting. Haven't embarrassed myself (yet), but it's still kinda tense.

[topcat0399]

Awesome.

You guys have changed my thinking from "I'm pretty sure I can" to "I know I can".

Unfortunately the ramp we use is shallow and the boat doesn't float off the trailer so
I will either use brake taps or just muscle it off as usual.

I go truck rear tires to the water and stop. Backing down more - not going there again.
All the clowns er ah fisherman power load their 300 pound 120 HP aluminum boats
at this ramp and there's a big hole at the ramp end.

We never power load and I can't understand why they all insist on doing it in such light weight boats.

Wet legs never bothered me much so I'm good.

Thanks everyone.

[pmcco]

i try to use the wind to help keep the boat pinned to the dock.

[Québec 1]

I hang the fenders only once the boat is off the trailer as they have already ripped off the top of my black plastic tube guide poles.

Q1

[mastreb]

At the MUCK about I saw a number of people who use a single 50' dockline cleated at the bow and at the stern. This way, you can control the entire boat off the trailer both bow and stern without worry about the other end of the boat. It's similar to tying the bow and stern docklines together. You just cleat the bow and stern on the dock and have the line laying across the dock between the cleats when you're done. Much easier to manage for a single person than two docklines. I'll be going to that when I'm back home.

[DanInCanton]

I single launch my 25 all the time. If I can't float the boat off the trailer, I pay out about 6 feet of slack on the winch cable, tie the stern to the far end of the dock with an appropriate amount of slack and power brake at the end of the ramp to break the boat free. The winch line keeps the boat from floating too far away and the stern line keeps it fairly close to the dock. Then just unclip the winch cable and use a bow line and the stern line to walk the boat clear of the trailer. If you do this close enough to the dock (and your arms are long enough) you can sometimes unhook the bow eye from the dock, but don't count on it.

[csm]

With 40 - 50 of line tied stern and bow you have good control of the hull. Like Q1 said, don't deploy fenders that have to pass by your guide posts, as they will likely hang up Take it slow and you should have no problem launching. Retrieving single handed is a bit more complicated, but if weather conditions are fair and the ramp isn' t crazy buzy, that too is very managable.

[Tomfoolery]

Here's another thing that may help you - a bridle between the goal posts and the pipe vee at the bow.



Extended goal post with wire eye bolt to hold bridle:



Rolling hitch at the bow, though a trucker's hitch would work fine, too:



Some folks have also added additional goal posts at or forward of the axles, which I may do in the future. But so far, the bridle has been very helpful.

[windypatrick]

Here's another thing that may help you - a bridle between the goal posts and the pipe vee at the bow.

I borrowed this bridle Idea three weeks ago, just before an outing. $10 of hardware and spare line and you are done. It is simple and works well!

[Tomfoolery]