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my wife and i have or shoud i say had a perfect record of launching /docking our sante 50 + times.but on monday that all came to an end, she always waits outside the docking aera after i back in the trailer i guide her in and she does a near perfect job all the time,today however was a different story. as i backed in she entered the red zone i jumped out of the mohome to see her sideways in the zone and panice nervous backing towards the dock } in the next 2 seconds she powers in reverse hits the dock on the corner of bolth the boat and dock { at this point i entered the water to clean my shorts as i was sure of major damage to my sante holed and big scrachesso this point i swallowed hard and relaxed and said dont worry about it baby your ok and we can fix anything. i swam over to my boat spun it around to acess the damage only to find none not a scrach  thanks to the teflon lined rub rails i still have a happy wife and sante.
ive always watched the drama unfold fro my boat at the launch ramp now it was my turn, but only one person saw my demise, so now i have a great story to tell 4ever.
post your experence of launching} / docking
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Ha ha, I would always freak out when the wife first started backing it off of the trailer and pulling up to the dock and such. I was probably a real ••••• at times yelling and what not, but she's got the hang of it now. I just told her to take it real slow around docks, boats or the trailer cause if you're moving slow it's hard to do too much damage.
One time she was backing it off the trailer and there were boats everywhere. She was going back at a good pace toward this boat and this guy's face was like OH ••••• and at the last second she gives it a jump forward and makes a clean exit. It was a pretty smooth move on a crowded day and she was all stoked like "sit down fool I got it". That was the turning point.
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The worst experience I had was launching my boat for the first time after getting a new steering cable installed. There was a boat that launched right before I did. I backed up, then cranked the wheel to the left to steer out into the lake. The other boat was in front of me but a bit to my right.
When I hit the gas and started moving forward, I realized that my steering was installed backward! The rack was put on upside down, so the boat turned the opposite of the steering wheel. I was headed right at the other boat! Luckily I slammed it into reverse just in time.
The other guy just stared at me like WTF?
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mr san, for what it's worth, good job for remaining calm and not freaking out at your wife in public. That would not have gotten you many brownie points for the day! In fact, probably would have screwed your entire day.!
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A friend of mine dropped her truck keys off the dock after launching her husband. He called her every name in the book. It's amazing to see what a dink some guys turn into at the ramp.
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because my wife is afraid of traffic in the water i taught her to back the boat in and does great....you should see the guys faces when she gets out to put the hook on and notice its a women backing a suburban down the ramp....one guy walking by actually said to his wife that he wanted to trade his wife in for my model....she (my wife) got a kick out of that.....the other guy just got kicked....
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Okay not at funny as some of those but Highly amusing none the less. We were out on the lake riding in the evening hours when the throttle cable broke from the throttle lever. My Friend was able to get his hand underneath to hold it together in order to get us to the dock. Forgetting that the cable was broke though when he dropped it into reverse to slow down...yeah nothing doing. We slammed the bow into the dock there by launching me onto it! It worked out since I was getting the truck anyway but still the guys at the other dock were looking at us kinda funny!!!
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No pproplems.. no wife
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clint, that exact problem is why I have a 'floaty' on my truck keys.
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Way to be supportive of the women backing the trailers!!!!! My wife backs ours and does a fantastic job. Nothing pisses me off more then a guy who screams and yells at his wife for getting the trailer in crooked, or yells at her for being nervous or frustrated. It is positive support and practice that makes anybody male or female a good trailer backer or boat docker. Go slow, ask questions and don't freak out. Panic causes more accidents then anything else. Yelling and screaming only makes it worse.
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some of my male friends can't do squat either. for instance if i go to the river with the scared ones i do it all back up the truck un hook dirve the boat to the dock where my buddy hols it then run over and pull the trailor out. they're getting better though takes time. if we didn't have people like em we wouldn't have any stories to tell. and those people at havasu who sit at the dock and hold up numbers for everyone wouldn't be able to give any zeros.
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Along with what Luke posted, my bro in law has had 3 boats, last one was bought brand new in 99', he still waits until he can back in next to the dock & pulls his boat on & off the trailer with a rope. It's hilarious. It's even funnier that my wife, his little sister, can load ours with her eyes closed.
Good idea Tim, never thought of putting one on my truck keys?
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Well im not a wife, but i am a son, who replaced a wife. Lets just say, everybody is better off not having my mom in the boat....
ne ways, i was driving the boat, and im a fairly good driver, i was bringing her in, and the wind was blowing 20 mph (guess) perpendicular to me. i was drifting all over the place, and my dad was sreaming at me, after we screamed t eachother he final realised that I was driving the boat, and he wasnt, i then came in and landed it perfectly. yay
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I work at the launch ramps doing rentals and on my first day of work, I saw two wives do horrible things to their boats. The first put it into gear and didn't know what she ws doing while her husband was yelling at her and gassed it right back on the ramp, the second lady was heading for the wrong dock to pick her husband up, turned way late and gassed it and nailed the side of her maristar on the dock. Pretty funny stuff.
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My wife is also afraid to back our boat off or put it back on the trailer, but can back our Yukon XL into the tightest spots. It amazes me when guys stop and watch my wife expecting to see something funny when instead are amazed. No horror stories yet. Hope not to ever have one either.
David
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The worst thing you can do is back the boat into the water for your wife then jump out to let her back in the last foot while you jump in the boat. My wife backs the boat in from the start and I stay in the boat and back the boat off the trailer. We spent 45 minutes at the launch on Monday watching a bunch of idiots back up for there wives. If your wife isn't capable of backing a trailer up 30 feet then she shouldn't have a licence, and maybe you should trade her in for someone that can...
I agree with above, don't yell at them if they are nervous it only makes things worse.
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The fiancee does the backing, I do the trailering, she's not the best, but better than a lot of the men. My neighbor, that is a different story. At the ramp on Sunday she jackknifed the trailer getting out of the parking spot. After two kind people helped her lift it back into place, she then proceeded down to the ramp, whereas somebody else did the rest of the backing. Ya know all it takes is about one hour of instruction of backing before ever heading to the ramp, and it makes things a lot easier. I have the camera ready for Memorial day. Should see a lot of noteworthy moments.
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My wife has never had an accident. She backs the boat off the trailer, picks me up at the dock and pulls the boat on the trailer like a pro. It takes us about 2 minutes to launch and load the boat. I am so thankful that she is such a great boat driver cause I can always go ride even if no one else wants to go. Oh she wakeboards too!!
She says she wants to learn to back up the trailer next!!!
Best of all, when I said I wanted a new boat she said good idea...I'm very lucky.
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I am not married, and haven't found a girl to put up with me yet, BUT when I do I will definately teach her the skills of backing the truck and boat down the ramp!
In the mean time, my friends all do a good job backing the boat trailer. It helps having a good trailer and a boat buddy! Boat Buddy's are priceless! Especially when old guys see me puting my boat on the trailer in about 30 seconds and then up and out of the way! Priceless!
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My girlfriend is getting better. I've seen her t-bone the dock where she accually road up onto it, then slid off. She has destroyed three props running to shallow, I have a buy 9 get the 10th one free deal going with the local prop shop. I usualy back in the trailer and she brings in the boat. Works good most of the time. Every time she hits something I just smile cause SHE OWNS THE BOAT! and I just take care of it.
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Ok, asthe wife I have to speak up. I back the truck and trailer up and the down the ramp. I have driven around jet ski trailers to back down because they were sure there wasnt enough room. It takes more time for my husband to load the boat then it does for me to get down there.
ADVISE TO THE LESS EXPERIENCED: (men or women)
It just takes practice. Take the boat and trailer to a large parking lot at a time when there are no cars and just have at it. Soon enough you too will be scooting around jetski and aluminum boat trailers to get your boat in.
P.S. Thanks honey for the props 
andfor the record I am not afraid to back the boat off, thats the easy part. I have choosen to do the hard part so you can relax and begin enjoying your time. 
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I would rather have my wife wreck the boat than sit and do nothing.
(Message edited by john caryl on May 22, 2003)
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I used to have a CDL when I was younger, but my wife has definitely taught me a thing or two about unloading and loading a boat. She's much more patient than I am and as a result I have put more scratches in boats than she has.
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My gf is a much better boat driver than me, at least from the passenger seat. She says I can't dock a boat, but thats because I have to drive up to the dock, catch the boat, put out bumpers, and tie up the boat. We dock better when I'm not driving because then it's easier for me to catch the boat. She can back a trailer up though. Of course the tranny gets a workout with all the forward/reverse that it takes to straighten the trailer on the ramp.
Wanted- boat buddy.
Willing to trade gently used girlfriend.
-Great looking exterior
-Factory ballast
-Built in sound system
-Hosed down after each use
-Silent exhaust
Hey I've got priorities.
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Does she know shes 4 sale or trade?
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I am in agreement with Andrew (great post) I have watched soo many couples on the launch ramp and most of the time, the guys don't know what THEY are doing and they rip their wives to spare them their own humiliation! I personally had the job of backing out the trailer before my husband ever did. (I was raised with boats, he wasn't) I swear sometimes, I just want to get the guy out of the way and work with the woman. (way less stress)
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My gf doesn't want anything to do with any of it. That is fine with me. She is absolutely frightened of the boat. She has to climb in the truck like a rig and with the diesel engine, extra-stiff suspension and oversized wheels it would probably bounce her right out while backing down the ramp. Not to mention she can barely see over the dash  .
I always get amped when I see girls skillfully backing boats around in the parking lot while all the guys are ducking for cover. If you are a man and can't back a trailer, then there is something seriously wrong with you.  After all, it is inherent in our genes, right?
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I'd win a dang trailer backing race in a heartbeat bo.
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We just bought our first boat, and from day one with no instruction our oldest son Nik handles the boat on and off the trailer. I drive the truck. My wife usually sleeps till 9. On the first day we just winged it. We practiced docking, backing up etc. He did/does great! Im so lucky!
ps. no yelling at the driver or you might get to do all the driving. = no boarding.
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I have been working at our lake doing watercraft rentals for 4 days. 3/4 days a wife has hit our dock while trying to drive on a trailer. The last one hit it so hard she broke the dock, and cracked her boat. Her husband took it quite well though, surprisingly. They don't mix but I have seen some wives drive them on no problem
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Im no wife or anything, but im a girlfriend... I can back up a trailer better than any guy i know, and everytime i do it, every guy we are with is amazed that a girl can actually back and drive a trailer, and drive a boat. I hope more women and girls learn to do it, cause it makes us girls look bad. lol
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Righto
Who backs the from their mirrors (trucker style)and who goes over the shoulder (way easier).
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| By Bob (bob) on Monday, May 26, 2003 - 10:45 pm:
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i use the over the shoulder to get started then just look at the mirror to keep the trlr off the dock but close to it.
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Mirrors all the way! It's easier.
As to my wife; getting the boat in, she keeps track of the six year old. She doesn't really like to drive the 'Burban even on the highway. She feels it's too large for her to be comfortable with. That's OK with me, I'll do the work and get everything ready.
On the way out though, I'll get the truck while she putts around. Then she'll just drive the boat right up on the trailer. Only had a couple times with a bit of difficulty, but that was with 40 mph winds ;)
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When the dock is not busy (i.e I'm the only one launching) I hop out and let the girlfriend back the boat into the water while I hop in and move gear around. She's not great at it, but with no one rushing her she eventually gets it in. One thing I hammered into her brain is to get the truck and trailer in a straight line (doesn't have to be straight to the dock yet) before backing up. Makes it much easier and less chance of it jacknifing.
She gets the trailer and backs up when we're done too. B4 I had to wave frantically while I was on the boat watching her aim it at the dock; now within three trys she in the water ok.
Don't yell, don't criticize, don't roll your eyes. Unless she is 6 inches away from smashing into something just give her positive encouragement. It really helps in the confidence dept.
Trash
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my wife backs the trailer in, and i take off then i pick her up after she parks the suburban. when its time to leave i drop her off at the dock,she goes and gets the trailer and i drive on.
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my recent ex-wife(divorce final in two weeks..... yeah!!! could never drive my boat. nor my truck. especially with the boat hooked up. thats $90,000.00 that i'm very protective over. one time i let her try to back it down the ramp. she made it about five feet before getting it completely jack-knifed. and would she listen to my advice, noooooooo! that would damage her pride to bad. am i bitter, yes. i let her take take my truck(brand new super duty) to the gym once, it came back needing a new quarter panel. to those of you that have competent wive's, be thankful, your very lucky. now, any new girls that come around, i back the truck up, get out, take the boat to the dock, tie it up, run back to the truck and park it. i do it all by my lonesome. they just sit there and look pretty. and i only tie up the ramp for about three minutes. i was never a a$$****, she got nothing but "good job, baby, but correct a little less", or "maybe, go a little slower" some are just not competent.
good luck with your's.
(Message edited by big_pimpin on May 27, 2003)
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MIRROS ALWAYS 14 YEARS W/COMMERTIAL LICE DOESENT HURT
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Mirrors fo sure! You ain't getting a boat in my driveway without using just the mirrors!
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Without a doubt the best way to manuever is to instruct your lady how to back the boat off and on the trailer. That way you do all the foot work with the parking (being a gentleman) and the hassle. Ex-wife was great at this. Current girlfriend can do both jobs so maybe I'm just a little spoiled.
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My father in law saw a lady get stuck at the end of a row of trailers, try to back out, hit three trailers and just kept on going. I park in the far lot now.
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this is a true story i think, a couple bought a boat for the first time. they wenT down to put her in the water. the guy backed it down to the ramp and got in the boat. the wife was to back it in the water then unhook it. then she parked the truck and got in. they putted around the lake for a while, but the boat would not plane out they thought they had engine probs so the putted over to the marina. THE WIFE UNHOOKED THE TRAILER FROM THE TRUCK
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I call BS on that story.
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Hey mr san, that's quite the speaker rig you got on your tower.
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