[SuperdaveTX]

I clarified my post so there would be no missunderstanding..

Yeah.. Don't start your boat out of the water without muffs..

[nglauer]

I ate a stick on my 3rd time ever launching. It was a fairly large stick and it was apparently underwater at the bottom of the ramp. When I backed my trailer in the stick apparently got lodged between the lower unit and the prop. I got in the boat, started it without any problems.. put it in reverse... still fine... then once I put it in gear to go forward it blew the stick out through the prop. $150.00 dollars later and a day out of the water I had it fixed. I was pretty bummed. I also had an awful time trying to load my boat on another trip to the same river. The current is so strong and the ramp is wayyy to steep so it's a battle to get the boat on without the rear of it turning around on you. It took me (being a noob), along with two other guys with no boating experience 30 - 40 minutes to get it loaded !!! plus I found out how valuable a pair of deck shoes are.... after I slid down the boat ramp on my butt.

[garyg]

Jimsemi When I use to fly with a freind,we would go threw a written check list each time. When I launch our boat, I get in the boat and my wife backs the boat in the water deep enought to start the engine. I warm up the engine and then I have unhook the boat from the trailer and back in some more and drive the boat off the trailer.She parks the truck and I pick her up at the dock.When we load the boat she gets the truck and trailer and back it in water at the ramp and I drive it on the trailer.she hooks the winch hook to bow eye and cranks it tight and puts the safey chain on and pulls the boat out of the water and goes to the parking area to finish puting the covers on and unloading the boat.It is great having someone who can do this plus run the boat and has no problem driving the truck while towing the boat. She can back a boat trailer with the best of them.I am blessed to have a wife who LOVES BOATING as much I do.I have seen many crazy things at boat ramps. At lease you didn't put your car in the lake, I have seen that and its not a pretty sight. The more you boat things get better Thats my 2 cents worth Gary G