Launching a Aluminum Fishing Boat at the Great Lakes

the Great Lakes — Michigan / Great Lakes · a cold, open inland sea. What you’re planning around: Steep ramp · Boat-wake chop · Strong wind.

A aluminum fishing boat at the Great Lakes: what to expect

A small aluminum boat is light and shallow-draft, so it floats off the bunks in inches of water and the trailer is easy to push back by hand if you misjudge it. The flip side is that the empty trailer is so light it skitters on a slick ramp and the wind catches the hull like a sail.

Unlike a sheltered lake, a Great Lakes ramp can face open water, so wind builds a rolling swell that surges up the ramp and lifts the boat off the bunks unpredictably while you line up. The ramps are often steep and narrow too, so you’re managing a slick descent and a tight lane at the same time the chop is working against you. It’s the closest a trailer ramp gets to launching in the ocean.

How to launch a aluminum fishing boat at the Great Lakes, step by step

1. Stop and read the ramp. Before committing, note where the dry concrete ends and the green, slimy part begins — that’s your traction limit.
2. Line up straight at the top. Get the aluminum fishing boat dead straight before the grade steepens; you do not want to be correcting an angle while sliding downhill.
3. Descend on the brakes, off the gas. Let the rig walk down under gentle braking rather than power. Keep the tow vehicle’s rear wheels on dry concrete as long as you can.
4. Stop at float depth. Stop the instant the aluminum fishing boat floats — on a steep ramp that depth comes sooner than you expect, and going further puts your drive wheels on the slime.
5. Pull out smoothly. Pull away in a low gear with steady throttle. If the wheels slip, ease off — spinning just polishes the ramp and digs you in.

For the rest of the local picture, see the full the Great Lakes boat ramp guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do I launch a aluminum fishing boat at the Great Lakes?

A small tin gets tossed by Great Lakes chop more than any boat at the ramp — fine on a calm morning, but with a swell rolling up the concrete, wait for your window rather than fighting a light hull the water keeps floating off the bunks. The the Great Lakes-specific part is the steep ramp, boat-wake chop, strong wind you’re planning around; the underlying technique is the same one in the linked boat guide.

How deep do I back an aluminum boat trailer?

Not far — a light tinny floats off the bunks with the fenders barely wet. Backing in further just risks the truck’s rear wheels losing grip on the slick lower ramp.