How to trim engine on Boat Ramp? - Newbie-gctid807340

[mercthunder]

Hi all,

I am a boating beginner and was wondering how do i determine the level of trim at the boat ramp when reversing the boat off the trailer? I have a Tahoe Q4 Sport. Obviously i need to have the propeller and intake in the water so the engine does not overheat, but how do you determine whether it might be trimmed too low or too high to reverse the boat off? The engine is a Sterndrive 190HP Mercruiser V6.

Any help is appreciated.

[heedrix]

I'm somewhat new too, but I usually just back the trailer in until the boat is floating on it's own.

[2850Bounty]

Typically by the time the hull is floating, the water should be deep enough that "triming out" will not be necessary.

.

[richardson]

A good way to judge how far down you can bring the lower unit without hitting the ramp surface is to check it out while at home in the driveway. Generally when launching it is not necessary to need power to come off the trailer and once the boat is floating lower the drive all the way.

[CptCrunchie]

"mercthunder" post=807340 wrote:
Hi all,

I am a boating beginner and was wondering how do i determine the level of trim at the boat ramp when reversing the boat off the trailer? I have a Tahoe Q4 Sport. Obviously i need to have the propeller and intake in the water so the engine does not overheat, but how do you determine whether it might be trimmed too low or too high to reverse the boat off? The engine is a Sterndrive 190HP Mercruiser V6.

Any help is appreciated.

When your boat is on the trailer, can you put your outdrive down without the skeg hitting the ground? If so, once you are ready to back onto the ramp, lower it all the way. It's an inclined ramp. What are you concerned about hitting?

[CraigM]

As long as the intake is in the water, I would recommend keeping it trimmed up as high as possible until you have at least 3ft of water before lowering it down fully. Otherwise you risk hitting the skeg/prop and causing damage, depending on the bottom of the lake/ocean.

Like the others said, back in the trailer until the boat starts to float, then push it off the trailer, trimming down gradually until you're deep enough to lower it fully...

[builderdude]

IMO Float your Q4 off the trailer then trim down Fully. If your concerned with the depth then trim up till the limit stops the drive from continuing, running the drive above the set limit is not a great idea but can be done briefly and at low RPM only.

[aknurse]

There is no need to power on/off of a trailer. In fact doing so can ruin a boat ramp. When you "goose it" to get onto the trailer your prop/jet wash moves gravel and rocks and can deposit them into "sand bars" that are shallower than the surrounding waters. I've dinged my prop on my lake boat more than a couple of times at the ramp because of this.

[Ruffryder]

"aknurse" post=807405 wrote:
There is no need to power on/off of a trailer. In fact doing so can ruin a boat ramp. When you "goose it" to get onto the trailer your prop/jet wash moves gravel and rocks and can deposit them into "sand bars" that are shallower than the surrounding waters. I've dinged my prop on my lake boat more than a couple of times at the ramp because of this.

+1 ...very ignorant

[CptCrunchie]

I float mine off, and have an electric winch to retrieve it. I see no need to use the engine for any of it.

I have, however, saw a boat slam too far on the trailer and bent their prop on the bunk.

[mercthunder]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Based on what people are saying here i will continue to float it off. Can someone tell me how to tie rope to the winch hook when deploying with engine off? Is there a special knot that i need at the winch hook on the boat? I think it might be easier to buy some rope and tie it to a snap hook so i can hook it on and off easily at the ramp but im not sure of the type of knot required to even do this! Any help is appreciated.

[Patrevan]

Not sure I completely understand your last question. Here's what I do **caveat** some are not going to like this. **caveat** my trailer is all bunks. When we launch our 265, my wife drives the truck. I completely unhook the safety chain and winch cable and stern straps. Put plug in. Get on the boat, start bilge fan. Lower drive about 1/2. Deploy fenders and lines. Wife backs up until the stern just starts to lift. Start engine. When satisfied, I engage reverse (at this point, simply engaging reverse pulls me off the trailer). I step off transom and wait for the wife to return and we pull away. Depending on where my wife has to park, this is no more than 5 mins.

When we return. We have redeployed fenders and lines before arrival. Upon arrival at dock, wife jumps off and gets truck. Backs it in to the sweet spot which is determined by several years of experience. **another caveat** I have the bestest backer upper in the industry. seriously. I drive the boat onto the trailer. The drive is being raised in increments while the bow comes onto the trailer, tho no more than 1/2 way up. AGAIN, NO AMOUNT OF POWER IS USED HERE. This is enough to get me within 12"-18" of the trailer bumper. I scramble over the bow rail and onto the trailer (this is really the only clumsy part of this operation). Attach the winch cable to the bow hook and tighten her up. Attach the safety chain. I climb up into the back of the truck and we pull out. Again, maybe another 5 mins at best here. Neither of us get our feet wet, ever. We've never had a prop strike and again, I'll emphasize, no amount of power is used here. Its not about the power used, its finding that sweet spot where the trailer has to be in the water. I think the fact I'm running a B3 helps. Also, no one except me is on the boat during the actual launch and retrieval, thereby reducing weight. I realize this isn't an option for some, esp. with young kids or launches with no dock.

[Alaskanmutt]

Rope to winch hook?

You should have a front and rear mooring line attached to the front and rear cleat (on which ever side you are on)

Someone holds the mooring lines and pulls the boat to the dock when it floats off the trailer and walks it back to the end of the dock (or several people depending on how big your boat is)

[Alaskanmutt]

Captain Hook Winch works wonders...

[mercthunder]

"Alaskanmutt" post=807506 wrote:
Rope to winch hook?

You should have a front and rear mooring line attached to the front and rear cleat (on which ever side you are on)

Someone holds the mooring lines and pulls the boat to the dock when it floats off the trailer and walks it back to the end of the dock (or several people depending on how big your boat is)

Similar to what this guy uses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4bSrjOuVD4

He attaches the rope to the winch hook on the boat. I don't have a front cleat on my boat, or rear cleat hence why i was considering using the winch hook to move the boat to the dock using rope. Should i look into getting a front and rear cleat installed?

Thanks.