Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Just wondering how many folks besides myself have to motor off the trailer in order to launch their pontoon and why exactly this might be a bad thing? My small pontoon will not float off and takes some effort getting off the trailer even with the motor. I back up until the back tires of the vehicle are touching water. It's not ramp specific as I have to do this at the four different ramps I've launched from. I have no issues getting on the trailer (still need to use the motor though).

what do you tow with?

We have a full size dodge van, not much of a rear overhang. I have a similar problem. was thinking of adding a tounge extension to get it down deeper, with out submerging the rear wheels
-bb

I've never heard anyone complaining about people powering off the trailer. Usually you hear more complaints about power loading back onto the trailer.

As for launching if you don't want to power off the trailer, you'll just have to get deeper with the trailer till the boat floats off the trailer. It would have to be a pretty steep ramp in order to get really deep without getting the rear wheels of the tow vehicle into the water. I usually have my back tires on my truck in the water -- almost to the point the tail pipe is below water.

sounds like you JUST need to back in more....should be no problem?

One trick we use is to dip it all the way in first to the trucks back tires getting the bunks wet. Pull up halfway out, back it in and give the brakes a good TAP she normally slides right off!

Your Truck of car was built to get wet on a daily basis. It can go thru standing water and rain at high speeds without damage. You probably have noticed what happens when the brakes get wet. Dunking the wheels in several inches of fresh water will have no ill effects. I back my trailer down until the front 18 inches of the bunks are sticking out of the water. The rear of pontoon should be starting to float.

Thanks for the replies!

I don't mind powering off. I've just read a few threads concerning people modifying their bunks, technique, etc. in order to avoid powering off/on. My only problem with it is goosing the motor so soon after I fire it up (not properly warmed up).

I will try backing in a little further. My fiance gets nervous once the back tires hit the water though I'm just trying to keep the peace

My tow vehicle is a '05 Honda Pilot. No complaints there. It does a great job.

After reading your post, I am concerned that you are not backing your trailer in far enough. If you are only backing in until your truck tires are touching the water you are using the wrong reference point. Use a point about 3/4 way up the trailer or until you boat is just barely floating in the rear. Personally I use a point where my bunks tips are just visible above the water line and the boat will float almost on/off the trailer by itself. I much prefer to power load/unload but some states don't allow you to do it. Also I back down until the front of the boat is about equal with the water level, stop, and then unhook the bow hook and safety strap. After you find the "sweet spot" it will work on almost any lake. Good Luck

just back up more into the water, what could possibly go wrong?

Here's a tip I use when backing my bass boat or PWC trailer in: back in until the wheel wells of the trailer are covered with water. That's the rule of thumb I've always used and unless the water is really down and you don't want to get your vehicle off the concrete of the ramp it should work okay.

You could try installing those plastic bunk caps which makes the pontoons slide better than carpet bunk covers.

A 4x4 truck works for me when I hear the exhaust gurgle I am good to go.

bassn386 wrote:Here's a tip I use when backing my bass boat or PWC trailer in: back in until the wheel wells of the trailer are covered with water. That's the rule of thumb I've always used and unless the water is really down and you don't want to get your vehicle off the concrete of the ramp it should work okay.

Same here, As soon as the fenders of the trailer are covered with water...good to go!

When i launch i always loosen the trailer winch until i have 10-12" slack, but still leave the hook connected. I then back in until i see the back of the boat lift up. From there i'll back in slowly and tap the brakes every few inches until the boat will start to try to float off the trailer, but still has resistance against the bunks. I'll then hop on board, crank her up, and then unhook the trailer strap from the bow. Usually i can just put the boat in reverse and it'll idle off the trailer. If not i'll throttle up to about 1000 rpm and it will come right off.

I pull the toon with a f150 and when i launch the tailpipe is usually about half in the water and the water is up to the rims on the back tires. I usually have about 1' of trailer bunk showing. Hope this helps.

First thing I think is you really need to back down a bit further......we normally do pretty much like curtispack said... we back down, get the bunks wet, pull forward again.. then unhook the strap... then my wife will back up and just taps the brake kind of hard to "shove" the boat off the trailer.... on occasion I will still have to use the motor to help pull off the trailer,but not usually...