[Rhodes22-list] How to Launch Your Boat

[Bill Effros]

I sent Stan's boat launch comments out to some friends.  Following is an unedited response:


I have read the launch instructions and find them not entirely thought through. I think we could make some suggestions which would help. For example: The swim ladder is on the stern of the boat, but the boat is launched stern first. This means that the launcher must set the brakes on the launch vehicle, depart the vehicle, wade and then dive into the water, catch up with the boat which is accelerating away from the launcher, swim aound to the stern where the swim ladder is, get aboard and apply the boat backing up brakes, get the boat tethered to something stationary, get back off the boat, swim or walk back to the launch vehicle, deal with the really pissed off other launchers who have been waiting twenty minutes for the launcher to return to the aparantly abandoned launch vehicle. There are now ten launch vehicles in line impatiently waiting there turn to launch. The ramp is now so crowded that there is grid lock and getting out is near impossible. The Harbor master is trying to get to you to give you a ticket for spending more than the allowed 10 minutes on the boat ramp further delaying the 10 (now 12) other boaters trying to get their boats in the water. They are now chanting to an increasing creshendow" arrest that owner, arrest that owner" You can see by the look in the Harbor Masters eyes that he is trying to figure a charge with which to do just that.

At minimum a swim ladder on the bow of the boat could help this process considerably. It seems to me that Mr. Rhodes could offer this an option which could increase his margin on each Rhodes 22. Further to the extent this launch proceedure has merit it might be workable in Florida in June but be less desireable in late October in Northern Maine. If Mr. Rhodes had a little heart attack on the Newport launch, the late October Maine launch would likely finish him off, drifting toward some super yacht or not.

I have an idea which you could share with Mr. Rhodes (along with the rest of this letter) on how the launch proceedure could work smooth as silk without anyone having to get more than their ankles wet. Much better for the Northern Maine launch.
A specially designed bungee cord. It would work like this: The long bungee would attach to the bow clete on one end and the trailer on the other. When the brakes are applied and the boat slides off the trailer it's backward momentum would be absorbed by the bungee and then the the bungee would return to it's original legnth bringing the boat back just enough to nuzzle the boat to the back of the trailer in ankle deep water. Some experimenting would have to be done with the bungee to get it perfect as it would be frustrating to have the boat be pulled back so hard to just have it right back on the trailer. Four or five trys at launchung which only resulted in the boat back where it started would also likely piss off the launchers in line . Or maybe they would find it humorous, sort of like Meadowlark Lemon at the foul line with the rubber band on the basketball. 

Details, details. I'm sure Mr. Rhodes can figure it out. Oh, by the way, you can offer this solution without any design fee to me. Consider it my gift to the boating world.

My best all for the easier boat launches I can envision.

Uncle Russ