Launching Tips

[urbanskij]

Hi All,

I'm new to Seadoo boats and new to trailer boats. I'm going to launch my boat for the first time next weekend and could do with some do's and don'ts!

I'll have somebody to help me. What procedure do you guys go through?

Do you start the engines up on the trailer or wait until you're in the water?

Thanks

John

 

[seadoo GTS 1993]

Start it once ur in the water

 

[Lee]

Welcome John, I start mine on the trailer before I back in the water to make sure it will start. Nothing worse than launching in a busy marina only to float helplessly away while cranking on the starter After it starts I shut it off,check to see if the rear straps are unhooked,check to see if the drain plugs are in,un hook the trailer plug(electrical) and back her in.
Remember,if you have to use reverse on the boat it turns opposite of backing a vehicle. Takes some getting used to:cheers:

 

[imnothot02]

my best advise is to go to a slow ramp, nothing gets people more irate than a ramp hog! This way you can try different techniques and get it all figured out! my .02

 

[sporsterjoel]

if you have someone with you its easyer. I back the boat in till the back is floating then i start it up un hook the winch and then get a friend to back the trailer in and the boat floats right off and i go dock the boat while my friend parks the truck. To take it out of the water get your friend to back the trailer in so part of the bunks are out of the water and just drive the boat right on the trailer hook up the winch and drive out. You can do this all by yourself just takes more time. Also make sure you prep the boat befor you back up to the ramp, get everything ready to go so all you have to is back up unload and drive out.

 

[renomaan]

Couple of thangs

Relatively new to it myself here is what Ive learned:

Prep your boat before you get to the ramp, while in the parking lot by
1 release the rear hold down straps boat to trailer
2 put the butt plug in
3 turn the batt switch on
4 put your key on the steering wheel so you can get to it quick
5 hang your bumpers on the opposite side of the boat so you can move it to the non buisy side of the dock and free up the drop in side
6 hang your ropes front and back off the cleates and throw the extra in so you can get to them quick

Back it in till the boat tail is floating
release the hook from yourtrailer to the under bow hook
unwind the wench so she floats back
walk up on the trailer and jump in-start her and move her to the non buisy side of the dock

DONT HAVE SOME ONE PULL YOUR TRAILER OUT WHILE THE WENCH IS FREE WHEELING-THE CRANK ARM CAN BREAK YOUR FORARM IN THE SPINOUT!!

Be alert-look around -watch a few people launch to get the lay of the land

 

[rdradu]

Hi Urb,
Very new to the seadoo world too but I was given the following advice by rookie101 and I hope that he does not mind my sharing this as it has helped me out a TON! It works great for when you only have two people.

"Pull up in the Que for the launch, remove cover and store in truck. Remove rear straps on boat. Check that the plugs are in (there are two of them). Put the key in the ignition and the lanyard on. Turn battery switch on. Turn blower on. Check that the drain plugs are in (yes I meant to say that twice). Put all coolers and such in the boat.

Now I back the boat about half way into the water. Then I unhook the bow strap and get in the boat. Have the wife ease the boat back the last few feet. Don't shove it back with the truck, just let it float. Start the boat and back off the trailer. Signal the wife to pull ahead and go park the truck and trailer. When you see the wife coming down the dock just nose up and let her jump on and put it in reverse.

To get the boat off the lake I park at the dock and get my wife to hold the boat ( put ropes on it, just get the wife to keep the boat from rubbing against the dock). Now go back the trailer in the water (bunks JUST under the water), and run back to the boat and drive it on the trailer while the wife gets behind the wheel of the truck. Climb over the bow onto the truck. Winch the boat up the last foot or so and climb in to the box of the truck and have your wife pull out and go find a place to park to put the cover, straps ect.. back on.

Don't use too much power trying to force the boat on the trailer as in that shallow of water you will suck every rock off the bottom. And don't let any one tell you any different, because you will get people telling you to just gun it, but they probably don't have jet boats."

Cheers,
Richard

 

[hydro_37]

If backing up is a problem then go to a big parking lot when it's not busy and practice backing there first.
Also make sure everything is IN the boat before you get to the ramp. Other boaters don't like to wait for people to load their boats on the ramp.

 

[RobertV]

Few things to add:

All good advise above.
1) Don't start the boat in shallow water under two feet because you will suck up everything under the boat - including rocks that damage the impellers and wear rings - don't ask me how I know
2) I do recommend practice with the trailer. This might help: while in reverse if you put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel if you move the wheel left the trailer will go left - if you move your hand right the trailer will go right. Take your time and don't try to over-correct. Small slow input is always better.
3) Wear you life vest and be sure to attach the lanyard to it.

 

[Lee]

:agree: Do the same when backing up the boat in the water

 

[Craigmri]

When retrieving your boat, dont back the trailer too far into the water. The bow will go under the bow roller on the trailer. Leave about a foot of bunk exposed out of the water.

Craig

 

[urbanskij]

Thanks

Thanks for all the advice guys. I think the first thing I need to do is practice backing up with the trailer on!

I'm going to try and get a day off so that I can launch for the first time on a hopefully quiet week day.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again.

John

 

[south texas]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I think the first thing I need to do is practice backing up with the trailer on!

I'm going to try and get a day off so that I can launch for the first time on a hopefully quiet week day.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again.

John

Don't get too stressed out with the knuckleheads waitingat the ramp. Everyone that is waiting gets very impatient and you will feel rushed. When it's your turn, relax and take your time. If you rush, you're more likely to make a mistake. Once you do it a few times, it'll be a piece of cake. In my house, everyone has a responsibility. It helps when you have a good "crew"!

 

[Craigmri]

One last comment I want to make. Early on in my boating experience I would occassionally lose my patience with my family either at the ramp or in the driveway cleaning up the boat. Please dont make the same mistake I did. I've learned that there is no such thing as a bad crew....only a bad captain.

Craig

 

[CypherAZ]

Hi All,

I'm new to Seadoo boats and new to trailer boats. I'm going to launch my boat for the first time next weekend and could do with some do's and don'ts!

I'll have somebody to help me. What procedure do you guys go through?

Do you start the engines up on the trailer or wait until you're in the water?

Thanks

John

Best advice I can give is teach your boating partners how to do everything you do. My wife can't back the trailer down to save her life but she can launch and trailer the boat. I hate when someone has to back their trailer in, get out, go back to the boat, trailer the boat.........SOMETIMES DRAG IT ONTO THE TRAILER!!!!! Then get back in their tow vechile and pull it out. Most of the time the entire family is just sitting in the boat.

 

[south texas]

One last comment I want to make. Early on in my boating experience I would occassionally lose my patience with my family either at the ramp or in the driveway cleaning up the boat. Please dont make the same mistake I did. I've learned that there is no such thing as a bad crew....only a bad captain.

Craig

You are totally spot on with your comment! We started boating about 10 years ago and I also would "snap" while approaching a dock, or loading/unloading. I learned to chill a bit and noticed that everyone is willing to help, they just need some direction in advance. It's more fun when your crew is smiling!!

 

[MooF]

All good advise above.
1) Don't start the boat in shallow water under two feet because you will suck up everything under the boat - including rocks that damage the impellers and wear rings - don't ask me how I know
2) I do recommend practice with the trailer. This might help: while in reverse if you put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel if you move the wheel left the trailer will go left - if you move your hand right the trailer will go right. Take your time and don't try to over-correct. Small slow input is always better.
3) Wear you life vest and be sure to attach the lanyard to it.

This is by far the most valuable piece of advice here for backing up a trailer:
"I do recommend practice with the trailer. This might help: while in reverse if you put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel if you move the wheel left the trailer will go left - if you move your hand right the trailer will go right. Take your time and don't try to over-correct. Small slow input is always better."
Excellent point and practice makes perfect.
Also, if you have a car, it may help to: open the trunk, fold down the seats, in order to get a better view of the launch ramp.
A van: open the tailgate,
truck: bring down the tailgate.. All these help with visibility. I'm really blind in my SAAB, but I turn down the mirrors to get a better view.

 

[dhlairbus]

Retrieving the Doo

OK, I used to own the competition... a Yamaha LS210. Nice boat!
First time with a Doo, so here is my question.
When retrieving the Yamaha boat on the trailer, I would blow out the water from the exhaust system of the engines, just a quick rev or two, thats all...
I have read the manual for the Challenger 180 (2008) and it only address's using the garden hose to flush with motor running if you have been in salt or braakish water. If only in fresh water, is there anything else required? Do most peoply blow out the water in the exhaust, or just leave it?
Thanks in advance....

 

[MooF]

OK, I used to own the competition... a Yamaha LS210. Nice boat!
First time with a Doo, so here is my question.
When retrieving the Yamaha boat on the trailer, I would blow out the water from the exhaust system of the engines, just a quick rev or two, thats all...
I have read the manual for the Challenger 180 (2008) and it only address's using the garden hose to flush with motor running if you have been in salt or braakish water. If only in fresh water, is there anything else required? Do most peoply blow out the water in the exhaust, or just leave it?
Thanks in advance....

No need for it. You can run it onshore for a few seconds and any remaining water will come out - otherwise, nothing to do except keep it clean once your off the water