Singlehanded launching
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Destinations
Forum Name: Coromandel/Waikato
Forum Description: Coromandel/Waikato destination info, advice, fishing spots, hints and tips here
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=111669
Printed Date: 09 Jun 2026 at 7:28pm
Topic: Singlehanded launching
Posted By: chris_gee
Subject: Singlehanded launching
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2015 at 6:03am
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I am thinking of moving to a coastal area, say Opito bay area. As I will be in my seventies and almost always alone (apart from rare grandchildren visits) I see difficulties with beach launching particularly retrieval if a chop comes up with say an afternoon sea breeze, what with getting trailer etc. My preference would be a f/g 5.3 pontoon boat but al may be more practical. Ride and stability are important. I think I have done my dash on close inshore fishing for a feed and want a change of area. Are there now any ramps with pontoons? I think Whitianga may be one. Appreciate any practical advice otherwise I may be better off staying with the local club and just going with greater range. |
Replies:
Posted By: MacSkipper
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2015 at 9:29am
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I have a 4.2M and 3.6M Mac boats - don't know area but would be hesitant where I launch in Manukau in anything except pontoon or jetty, flat calm to launch 4.2M on my own as I tried in a surge once and was tricky...3.6M Mac no worries but if sea gets up will get a pounding. ------------- Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish. |
Posted By: letsgetem
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2015 at 3:24pm
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Ive got a 4.1m Frewza aluminium pontoon boat. Boat plus motor etc weighs about 460 kgs. I launch solo, and Im similar age (71). If theres not a jetty, I have to leave the boat beached while I get the trailer. In a harbour that's usually ok, as any waves are usually very minor, and the boat doesn't get pushed sideways. Where I am at present - Whangaparaoa - Gulf harbour is fine with a jetty, plus a breakwater; but, sometimes I want to launch at Tindalls Bay with no jetty and no breakwater - often waves push the boat sideways, and when I return, its up on the sand. I have much difficulty pulling it off, as my back is not good. Second problem - waves can make it hard to manoeuvre the boat straight behind the trailer. But that's going to be same with or without a jetty - more due to lack of shelter from the sea from a breakwater or other shore feature. Thinking about it, for that reason, I wouldn't tolerate a regular beach launch outside a sheltered harbour. And - a solo launch in a place exposed to waves, Another thought - without a jetty, I think the 4.1m aluminium boat weight is about the maximum that I can handle, solo launching and retrieving. A 5m aluminium boat would be too big I think. A fibre glass boat would be far too heavy. These problems would go away if a have someone else with me, but find it hard to arrange normally. You say moving, possibly northern BOP or Coromandel. Only place I do know, Whangamata - has a good all-tide beach launch, in harbour sheltered from sea waves; a jetty. And the access in and out of harbour appears to be ok in all tides. I don't think I would have difficulty with a bigger boat there. Nice for us solo operators. |
Posted By: Cpt.Pugwash
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 11:59am
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@chris_gee - Opito Bay such a nice beach, Otama ditto......interestingly it is only 30 minutes from Whitianga by car/boat/trailer traveling at a leisurely speed....once there its a beach launch with potential sand problems ( local told me fullish tide can be tricky).....so at 70 years old I'd say NO. I'm 60 and i'd be very picky with a solo beach launch anywhere. If you lived there a tractor would be the go.2 people okay. Any type of boat from 4.0+ will be too much one person using anything other than a nice ramp/pontoon setup. |
Posted By: Seasider
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 12:12pm
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Here is another option for you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuUBzdQJteU" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuUBzdQJteU
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Posted By: MacSkipper
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 12:44pm
I wouldn't like to try launching my boat like that - I would be wearing a lifejacket (where is it  ?), and prefer to throw an anchor out and leave boat afloat, but I am launching in the harbour fortunately  - launching from that beach I would start motor and warm up on earmuffs before launching, like Snappa Geoff does? Maybe you did so? That retrieval is impressive, however I like to anchor up or have someone in vehicle to back up to me as fishfinder on my boat tends to get hammered?Boat wont look so new after a year or two of doing that to it, are you open to offers for it  ?Cheers
------------- Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish. |
Seasider wrote:Posted By: CanadianJohn
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 1:23pm
| https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SuOKC7TupgU |
Posted By: MacSkipper
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 2:46pm
 ! ------------- Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish. |
Posted By: Big -Dave
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2015 at 3:17pm
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I have used the back under the boat method numerous times with my 6m viscount, wobble rollers make it easy..unhook jag the trailer and winding it under the boat when it is beached also works..it launching in shallow water that gets tricky.. ------------- you can't fix an idiot with duct tape, but it does muffle them for a while... |