Backing your trailer down the ramp..??

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Originally Posted by 314joey

Yes, if you look closely where his wheels are, the wheels are right up next to a concrete head wall and the fork lift can sissor down all the way down to set the boat into the water and the boat just floats off the forks, I wish I had a better picture, I know it's different, out West everybody trailers, but down here a lot of bigger boats have boats shipped and dropped in the water like this, it's not cheap.

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Is there a specific reason why you don't use the trailer?

I find this fascinating!

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Originally Posted by Eli

Is there a specific reason why you don't use the trailer?

I find this fascinating!

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Eli, these are my reasons, when I bought the boat it was staying at LOTO fullitme, so it sat on my lift all the time back behind the house, we didn't need a trailer, when we bought a house down here we talked about buying a trailer or just having it shipped when we wanted it moved back and forth from LOTO to Florida.
Our Formula is a big heavy boat, it weighs over 11K lbs so not only would you need to buy a trailer, you would need at least a F-250 truck to pull it, we decided that since I hate to drive to just have someone drag the boat for us, if you have a trailer and truck what do you do with them when you're not using them, all the insurance and pita maintenance, easy decision for us.
One more thing, even though we have brackish water up by our house in Florida, when you dip a trailer in saltwater it's not good for them and you either sling the boat off like I did or get all the saltwater washed off the trailer which is a bitch.

Glad to answer any questions, the boat floats off the lift really easy.

I put one hand on the steering wheel, turn my entire torso around and look out the back window. I know it sounds weird, but it works for me. Mirrors when I'm in the water and watching for hand signals.

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Originally Posted by Wendi

I put one hand on the steering wheel, turn my entire torso around and look out the back window. I know it sounds weird, but it works for me. Mirrors when I'm in the water and watching for hand signals.

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This is the way I do it. Except for the hand signals. We have 2 way radios and it makes it so much easier to talk then guess what the person in the boat is saying. Especially in Havasu and there is a wait. You can talk to each other to know where you are at.

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Originally Posted by Bobby V

This is the way I do it. Except for the hand signals. We have 2 way radios and it makes it so much easier to talk then guess what the person in the boat is saying. Especially in Havasu and there is a wait. You can talk to each other to know where you are at.

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That works! It's funny because poor WMC had to do everything for years. Than one time I said no one is hear why don't you teach me. I learned so quickly and now I do it for friends too. It's made his life so much easier. I do it even better buzzed LOL!!

I've always done it Wendi's way with no problem, however, it has been impossible to teach anyone else to successfully do it that way. The best way I was informed worked magic for my lady friend who could never get the hang of it and it involved the side mirrors. Simply put, I told her whatever mirror the boat or trailer appears in, point the steering wheel at it till it starts to go away. Instantly it clicked for her and never had a problem again. The different ways we all work...

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Originally Posted by Wendi

That works! It's funny because poor WMC had to do everything for years. Than one time I said no one is hear why don't you teach me. I learned so quickly and now I do it for friends too. It's made his life so much easier. I do it even better buzzed LOL!!

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I have an image of you backing the trailer at 20 mph, big splash when it hits the water, and yelling com'n WMC get the fucker on the trailer, lets go! :D

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Originally Posted by Wendi

I put one hand on the steering wheel, turn my entire torso around and look out the back window. I know it sounds weird, but it works for me. Mirrors when I'm in the water and watching for hand signals.

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Haha... I don't that's weird at all, cause that's how I do it too! NRI is always telling me to use my mirrors... which I do once I have the trailer pretty much in the water and watching for his hand signals.

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Originally Posted by Carbon

I have an image of you backing the trailer at 20 mph, big splash when it hits the water, and yelling com'n WMC get the fucker on the trailer, lets go! :D

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LMAO!!! :LMAOsmiley:

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Originally Posted by 314joey

Eli, these are my reasons, when I bought the boat it was staying at LOTO fullitme, so it sat on my lift all the time back behind the house, we didn't need a trailer, when we bought a house down here we talked about buying a trailer or just having it shipped when we wanted it moved back and forth from LOTO to Florida.
Our Formula is a big heavy boat, it weighs over 11K lbs so not only would you need to buy a trailer, you would need at least a F-250 truck to pull it, we decided that since I hate to drive to just have someone drag the boat for us, if you have a trailer and truck what do you do with them when you're not using them, all the insurance and pita maintenance, easy decision for us.
One more thing, even though we have brackish water up by our house in Florida, when you dip a trailer in saltwater it's not good for them and you either sling the boat off like I did or get all the saltwater washed off the trailer which is a bitch.

Glad to answer any questions, the boat floats off the lift really easy.

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Thanks!

Basically it's a personal preference and not any thing to do with FL boating.

I hate towing a boat ...well being the passenger when a boat is being towed. So, I'd pick your option too. :)