Anyone using a Drotto Boat Latch

Not seen that product before,


I can't always get the trailer down into the water quite enough to float the boat on that far. We don't power the boat up as the energy exerted at the contact point is just begging to hurt something or someone. We float it on and winch it in. Nice boots make it comfortable and I do have to stand on the trailer occasionally at odd launch locations.

Greg
 
Forfun1960":3h5513e9 said:
I can't get my Dory up on the bunk trailer without getting on the tongue and winching her up to stay put against the roller.

Wondering if anyone is using or see one of these in use?

This looks like it can be the fix.

https://www.boat2trailerhookup.com/
Click to expand...

If the boat does not get fully on the trailer without winching, how is the boat2trailer thing going to help? You have to get the boat up to the stop to get it to engage.

Usually we can get the boat off the trailer without getting out of the truck. One person stands on the dock with the lines and the trailer is back in until the boat floats. Sometimes a tug on the lines is needed or the roll it backwards/apply brakes method works.

Retrieving usually requires winching. I can make my way through my vehicle to the trailer winch without getting wet though. In the areas we boat, powerloading is very frowned upon.
 
I too am tired of wading into cold water or perching myself onto the trailer to hook the boat up. Not a good idea to keep doing this as I get older, so I am going to be installing a Drotto latch this boating season. I talked with guys who have them, and have checked with the manufacturer if a fiberglass boat is appropriate for their device.

The folks at Drotto told me that their unit will handle boats up to 7,000 lbs. Probably OK for CD's up to a 23. I believe that the rubbage against the fiberglass will need to be to be checked with some kind of a guard so that the gel coat or paint is not damaged.

Other users say that the latch doesn't always catch, but that only matters while at the ramp. Once you are ready to pull the boat out of the water, you hook up the boat to the winch anyway.
 
I looked at similar gadgets a few years ago. One of the complaints was that users kept torquing the catch by not judging the right amount of speed required. I think that's common with all "motor on" situations.

Another problem for me is that I often launch solo and not at the dock (if there is one) because it is so busy. If I clicked into a catch gadget and then don't have somebody to pull the rig out, I then have to climb over the bow rail and jump down off of the bow into thigh deep water. Even worse is the "Flying Wallenda" tight rope act up the tongue of the trailer. Both are way more inconvenient/dangerous than wading in knee deep water.

For me, it is easier to just put on wading pants, maneuver the boat onto the trailer, and winch it up. Simple for a CD 16, anyway. My DIY wading pants are in my photo album. Even fancy GorTex waders are probably cheaper than the catch system.

The most difficult part is what to do with salty wet wading pants and crocks. I rusted out the bed of a pickup by throwing stuff like that in the back. Maybe I need to carry a dish pan.

Mark

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I just bought taller fishing boots.
With our steep local ramp I want both the winch strap and the safety chain on as my trailer has rollers. If a mechanical device failed it would be a disaster.
 
It would depend on the ramp--but it would be unusual for us to have the geometry correct to get the latch properly caught, while the stern is still floating....
 
Most of the concrete ramps on the upper Mississippi River have finite ends. If low water conditions are present, I see power loading to be a potential for damage to the leg by striking concrete. This would be an especially easy mistake to make when the water is muddy which it frequently is.
 
I'd have some concerns about stepping off a moving boat to the dock, wind, wakes, and current with no Life jacket. What picture comes to mind ?

Before we got our C-dory I made sure my gal has long enough legs for my hip boots, so she deals with the boat launch and retrieval on the winch end while I guide and secure the boat from the dock, while both of us are wearing life jackets.

I back the trailer in till the boat floats or I hear bubbling sounds. (pickup exhaust)
 
Good idea for some people but I would not trust it past they top of the ramp with out a safety chain. I think its a great idea for smaller boats but not for my 27. or a 22 dory. The wench strap is for far more then just pulling the boat up the trailer . its for getting that boat good and tight to the trailer. I do not see how this will do that. maybe used to secure the boat for the trip up the ramp or to pull forward enough to attach the wench and tighten it from dry land??/ I could see that as a use but not as an replacement for a wench.

If you are looking to not get your feet wet the maybe this is the ticket. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDAy4ZFhpv4
 
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