For a lot of people, the boat ramp is where they first have to back up a trailer, and it's not a gentle place to learn. The ramp is narrow, it slopes down into the water, there may be docks, pilings and other boats close by, and on a busy morning there's a line of trucks waiting behind you. The good news is that most of what makes a launch go smoothly happens before you ever start backing.
This article covers how to prepare, how to back down the ramp, how to launch and retrieve, and the etiquette that keeps everyone moving.
Prepare before you get in line
The biggest delays at a ramp come from people doing their preparation on the ramp itself. Most ramps have a staging or prep area off to the side for exactly this reason. Before you pull into line:
- Remove the transom straps that hold the back of the boat to the trailer.
- Put in the drain plug. This is the classic mistake. A boat launched without its plug starts filling with water immediately.
- Load your gear, coolers, life jackets and lines into the boat.
- Attach dock lines to the bow and stern so someone can hold the boat once it floats.
- Raise the outboard or sterndrive so it won't strike the ramp, if it isn't already raised for towing.
- Disconnect the trailer lights if your trailer's lights aren't waterproof. Hot bulbs can crack when dunked in cold water. Many modern trailers use sealed LED lights that don't need this.
- Leave the winch strap and safety chain on the bow for now. They keep the boat on the trailer until it's in the water.
- Talk through the plan with whoever is helping you: who drives, who handles the boat, and how you'll signal each other.
Setting up for the ramp
Just as in a parking lot, a good setup makes the back-up easy. Pull forward past the ramp and swing the truck so the trailer ends up lined up with the ramp, or angled slightly toward it, with the truck as straight as you can manage. The straighter the rig is at the top of the ramp, the less steering you'll need on the way down.
If you can, set up so you're backing toward your driver's side. You'll be able to see the trailer through your window and in your left mirror, which makes the first part of the turn much easier.
Backing down the ramp
- Roll down your windows so you can hear your helper.
- Go slowly. Idle speed is plenty. Gravity is helping you on the slope, so you may need to use the brake rather than the accelerator.
- Use your mirrors. Watch the trailer fenders or wheels in both mirrors. If you can see more of the trailer in one mirror, the back of the trailer is drifting toward that side.
- Make small corrections. With your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel, move your hand the way you want the trailer to go. Small inputs, then wait for the response.
- Pull up if needed. If the trailer is heading off the side of the ramp, stop and pull forward to straighten out. It's much faster than forcing a bad angle.
The basic backing technique is the same as anywhere else. See How to Back Up a Trailer for the full explanation.
How far to back in
How deep to put the trailer depends on the boat and trailer. A common starting point is to back in until the trailer's fenders, or the wheel hubs, are just at the waterline. Then adjust from there:
- Too shallow, and the boat won't float off the trailer.
- Too deep, and the boat may float off before you're ready, or drift sideways off the bunks. Going much deeper risks getting your truck's exhaust or rear wheels into the water.
Notice where the waterline sits on the trailer for a good launch with your boat. Next time, you'll know exactly where to stop. Ramp conditions change with tides and water levels, so watch the slope and the edge of the concrete too. Some ramps end abruptly, and backing a trailer wheel off the end of the pavement can leave you stuck.
Launching
- Stop, shift into park and set the parking brake. On a slippery ramp, this is important. Some drivers also chock a rear wheel.
- Have your helper hold the dock lines, or have someone in the boat ready to start the engine.
- Release the winch strap and safety chain from the bow.
- Float or back the boat off the trailer, keeping control with the lines.
- Pull the truck and trailer out promptly and park in the trailer parking area. Then come back to the boat.
Avoid "power loading" or using the boat's engine to blast it off or onto the trailer unless the ramp allows it. Many ramps prohibit it, because the prop wash digs a hole at the bottom of the ramp that can damage trailers later.
Retrieving the boat
Getting the boat back on the trailer is the same process in reverse, and it's usually harder because of wind and current.
- Bring the truck and trailer down only once the boat is ready to come out, so you don't hold up the ramp.
- Back the trailer in, usually a little less deep than for launching, so the boat settles onto the bunks or rollers and lines up with the center of the trailer.
- Guide or drive the boat slowly onto the trailer, then attach the winch strap and crank the boat snugly up to the bow stop.
- Attach the bow safety chain, then pull the rig slowly up the ramp and into the prep area.
- In the prep area, attach the transom straps, pull the drain plug, reconnect the lights and check them, and secure everything for the drive.
Many areas also require you to remove all plants and drain all water from the boat before leaving the ramp, to stop invasive species spreading between lakes. Clean, drain and dry is a good habit everywhere.
Ramp etiquette
- Prep away from the ramp, both before launching and after retrieving.
- Be ready when it's your turn. Have your plan sorted and your helper in position.
- Don't leave a vehicle or boat sitting on the ramp while you park, chat or load gear.
- Take turns. Some ramps run multiple lanes. Watch for others and don't cut in.
- Help others when you can, and be patient with beginners. Everyone was one once.
Practice somewhere quiet first
The best thing you can do before your first busy weekend at the ramp is to practice backing in an empty parking lot. Set up cones or use the painted lines as a "ramp" and practice backing straight into it, from a setup on both sides. Then visit the ramp on a quiet weekday to try it for real without an audience.
Practicing in The Trailer Parker
The Trailer Parker has a Boat Ramp lot: a launch ramp running down into the water between a curb and a courtesy dock, with posts at the top and rigs parked along the shore. You drive past the ramp, then back the trailer straight down it until the whole trailer is between the lines. Choose the Heavy trailer, which is a boat hauler, so you get used to managing a heavier rig with smooth throttle and early braking. Practice until you can back down with no more than one pull-up, using only the mirrors and the trailer's backup camera.