[Nitzey]

My friends have a 24' Sea Chaser and a GMC Sierra, rear wheel drive. Their closest boat ramp is Bayou Texar but they have tried several others, and everytime the truck spins like crazy trying to get the boat up the ramp. They have piled people in the back of the truck to no avail, and tires are good. Are there any boat ramps which are more forgiving? Otherwise, what could they do except buy a new vehicle?

 

[wld1985]

Go across to the other side, there not as steep..But its pretty much just as deep.. ""Bayview Park"" I dont really use that ramp due to the fact of spinning..

 

[dockmaster]

Make sure u have enough tounge weight on the trailer.....if the boat is sitting too far back, you could be lifting the back of the truck.

Billd

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

 

[X-Shark]

Also...."Good Tires" what's that? Still spinning with a lot of weight tells me they are straight tread street tires.

I always buy Mud & Snow just for the boat ramp. Truck never goes off road, but the trailer tongue weight issue really needs to be looked at too.

 

[Play'N Hooky Too]

Make sure u have enough tounge weight on the trailer.....if the boat is sitting too far back, you could be lifting the back of the truck.

Billd

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

This... and they may be trying to take off too fast up the ramp. Once the tires start spinning you're basically giving up what little bit of traction you would otherwise have (coefficient of static vs dynamic friction and such :nerd. Try backing off on the gas and just creep up the ramp. Remember it's not a race.

 

[Nitzey]

Some good suggestions. Tires are for sure street tires, and by good tires I meant they had good tread, i.e. not bald. So, they need to change the back tires. I do not think they tried the ramp at Bay View Park, and so that is a good suggestion too. About this tongue issue, the boat is a far up on the trailer as possible. What could be wrong?

 

[MULLET HUNTER]

I had to put my Titan In 4lo to pull my 24capehorn up texar, my buddy had a 38 fountain with tripple mercs we actually had to throttle up the engines to get him started up the ramp and he was driving a HD dually... Closest ramp to the pass is navy point unless you have access to the base. Navy point is a much easier ramp. I would make the drive from Milton to navy point because it's the best made ramp in Pensacola...

 

[florabamaboy]

We use Shoreline Park. There is a fee, but the ramps are very forgiving. We pull a 24' CC with a 2 wheel drive F150 with no probs.

 

[rbea1958]

I have a Dodge Ram 1500 with a 4.7 L and a 24ft CC that's heavy and I keep the tires out the water, put foot on the brake, push the gas pedal and when I feel the truck want to move take foot of the break and it pulls right out. Just a thought, it works for me!

 

[Tobiwan]

Navy point is under construction at the moment but yeah it has really low incline ramps, I doubt you'd have any trouble pulling it out at Navy Point.

It is under construction but 1/3 ramps is still open.

 

[Play'N Hooky Too]

Some good suggestions. Tires are for sure street tires, and by good tires I meant they had good tread, i.e. not bald. So, they need to change the back tires. I do not think they tried the ramp at Bay View Park, and so that is a good suggestion too. About this tongue issue, the boat is a far up on the trailer as possible. What could be wrong?

I could be possible that the trailer is set-up where the boat is positioned too far back to put enough weight on the tongue. This is made worse when the boat is sitting at an incline on the ramp because the center of gravity is shifted even further aft. It is possible, depending on the type and size of the trailer, that the boat could be positioned further forward by adjusting the winch post forward on the tongue (6" could make a big difference). You just have to make sure the hull is adequately supported by the bunks after the adjustment.

I would hesitate to do this unless it was clear that the position of the boat on the trailer was the problem. I would recommend trying a different ramp first.

 

[Boatgone]

I am with some others on the boat positioning, but also and foremost I recommend a much slower retrieval.

When I had my 27' Cape with twin 200's I would pull it out at the same ramp you speak of in 4 wheel drive. Not thinking about it I forgot to tell my buddy one time to put my Suburban in 4 wheel drive and he backed it in and pulled me out of the launch all while being in 2 wheel drive. The burb didn't think twice about it, he did however creep up the ramp.

On a different note when those awesome oaks down there drop their acorns,you can't hardly walk on the ramp much less try pulling out a big boat!

 

[Smarty]

my buddy had a 38 fountain with tripple mercs we actually had to throttle up the engines to get him started up the ramp

When you're not alone there's no reason not to use this method and save your trucks transmission if necessary :thumbsup:

 

[sealark]

Tongue weight and if there is enough weight on rear end and still spins throw a little sand under the tires and take it slow may help

 

[cuzmondo]

Have they tried the ramp over on Bayou Chico at the shipyard? It's been a long time since I used it, but I recall it was a nice set up.

 

[johnsonbeachbum]

If they are wide street tires or even wide tires of any type, they will be a detriment on a wet ramp.
That dually mentioned trying to pull out a 38' Fountain suffered from too much rubber on the ramp. Which means less weight per square inch on the ramp and less friction.

Cheapest option is start off in lowest gear.
Then go to a different ramp.
Then maybe get two strips of expanded steel for under the tires.

 

[blkwtr]

I have a 22' Dauntless that I pull out with a 1997 2 door Sport Explorer at the Bayou Texar ramp with no trouble. The Explorer is not that large but it does have a towing package and positraction, so I don't think there is a problem with the ramp.

 

[blkwtr]

I have a 22' Dauntless that I pull out with a 1997 2 door Sport Explorer at the Bayou Texar ramp with no trouble. The Explorer is not that large but it does have a towing package and positraction, so I don't think there is a problem with the ramp.

 

[Turtlebait]

I had the same problem with my 25ft SeaCat being pulled with my F-150 which doesn't have positraction. Ended up having to move the twin axles on the trailer back about 2ft to get enough tongue weight on the truck. Now, no problems. - Ric

 

[murfpcola]

As far as tongue weight, if you have a heavy duty scale you can put your tongue jack on it to check the tongue weight. That is where I would start. Unfortunatly a bathroom scale might not hold up to a boat this size.