Towing VS Pulling Boat Up Boat Ramp

[GTGallop]

Angle of the ramp, texture of the pavement or dirt ramp, and tires are where it all comes down to. Your have enough power (TORQUE) and the low gears on the tranny are good. Should be locked up fine.

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[JesseS]

Now I wonder. How does hill assist and traction control work when ramping? Will it help in preventing roll back or wheel spin?

That's a good question, I haven't launched a boat with my Ranger yet. Hill assist migh do it, but I don't have it on my XLT. I learned to drive old school, with a manual, in hill country, in the 60's, so starting out on a hill towing was always fun, especially when some yahoo is on your ass.

 

[SURanger]

I tow a 20ft we’ll craft once a week usually the Marina I go out of has a steep ramp at low tide I have had zero issues with 2WD.

 

[mtbikernate]

My father is one of those folks who insists he doesn't need 4wd. And that stubbornness means that there are some places he can't launch his 16ft boat. I dunno what it weighs, but there are definitely ramps he can't use with 2wd because of traction limitations. Frankly, my 4wd Ranger could pull his boat out of some ramps where his 2wd F150 would have no hope.

Some of that he had to learn with failed attempts to drag the boat out. Which then meant hours traveling to find another, more suitable ramp (and sometimes then waiting in a line at that easier, more popular, busier boat ramp).

IMO, it's easier (and potentially cheaper) to just get 4wd so you don't have to make those accommodations.

 

[Bravohook]

This is not something I am currently doing, I feel like some people are getting the wrong impression. I'm doing some research before making a boat purchase and trying to get some feedback from others with a 2WD XLT.

I've seen a lot of people talking about the towing capability, pulling boats ,travel trailer's and such, but not much talk or discussion about launching and pulling their boat out of the water.

I have a 2021 Axis A22. With fuel and gear I'm at 6600 ish lbs. Not sure how steep your ramps are but so far I have not had to put the Ranger in 4wd to get it out of the water. Did a test run the other day to make I'm good for when it is a busy day.

 

[Langwilliams]

The fast easy but not cheap answer is to dock it someplace. My friends 30 foot pursuit that he leaves in a slip. Here it's just under 3 grand for the summer an just over 2K for winter storage. Another guy I know has a 24' boat he keeps at the marina but not in a slip. He calls an they pull it from the rack an put it in the water for him. They have spare slips/piers for people that use this option. He keeps it in the water from thurs or fri evening to Sunday night. I don't know what he pays but I'd guess 3 to 4K annually but it's not heated storage for winter. Those guys claim it's the only way to have a boat here since the season is limited. There's no wasted time pulling the boat to a launch then parking the truck/trailer an walking back to the boat then doing the reverse.

 

[malibu23wake]

Thats not a bad idea ill have to look into that.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

The fast easy but not cheap answer is to dock it someplace. My friends 30 foot pursuit that he leaves in a slip. Here it's just under 3 grand for the summer an just over 2K for winter storage. Another guy I know has a 24' boat he keeps at the marina but not in a slip. He calls an they pull it from the rack an put it in the water for him. They have spare slips/piers for people that use this option. He keeps it in the water from thurs or fri evening to Sunday night. I don't know what he pays but I'd guess 3 to 4K annually but it's not heated storage for winter. Those guys claim it's the only way to have a boat here since the season is limited. There's no wasted time pulling the boat to a launch then parking the truck/trailer an walking back to the boat then doing the reverse.

And these types of stories lend credence to BOAT:

Bust
Out
Another
Thousand

Even though I've already experienced the 2 happiest days of a boat owner's life (the day I bought it and the day I sold it) I am finding myself perusing the Fish and Ski boats on the local ads.

As if having a Jeep wasn't already enough of a black hole for my wallet.

 

[Rp930]

Take a tow strap just in case. Hopefully someone would help.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

can a Jeep even tow a boat?

Mine can tow 6500lbs.

4.7 HO V8.

 

[D Fresh]

And these types of stories lend credence to BOAT:

Bust
Out
Another
Thousand

Even though I've already experienced the 2 happiest days of a boat owner's life (the day I bought it and the day I sold it) I am finding myself perusing the Fish and Ski boats on the local ads.

As if having a Jeep wasn't already enough of a black hole for my wallet.

Fellow Jeep owner, although nowhere near as nice as yours, who is looking at fishing boats. I'm doomed.

 

[Langwilliams]

The marina my buddy uses is a mile from my house so I know a lot of people with boats there. Over half of the boats rarely leave the slip. There's a pavilion there an they have bands on the weekends, set up karaoke, have cook outs. It's just an excuse to party. People hang out on/by their boats an if you drink too much sleep on them. My friend does take his out fishing most weekends an around here there are nice waterfront restaurants with boat parking he takes the family to. At the boat gas pump gas is more than at a gas station an it's $4 a gallon there so I bet the number of people going out takes a hit this year. Nothing like a thousand bucks a tank.

You don't have to pay off season storage (if you have an off season) just put it in in the spring an pull it out in the fall an park it in the driveway.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

Fellow Jeep owner, although nowhere near as nice as yours, who is looking at fishing boats. I'm we're doomed.

Fixed that for the both of us ?

 

[JimG_AZ]

Since the original plan was to buy a boat after getting the Ranger, 4x4 would have been a mandatory option for me. I used to boat a lot in the lakes around Phoenix, and when the ramp would be slick, 4x4 would be a huge plus. I doubt the Ranger would need it, but the other thing 4wd gave us was 4 low. Since you already have a 2 wd Ranger, I would plan on putting weight over the rear axle.

The last boat I owned was a Cobalt 206 that I pulled with a Ram diesel 4x4. I could usually pull the Cobalt out in 2 wd. That trailer put enough weight on the rear axle for the Ram to get traction. I also owned a Kawasaki Jet Ski on a single ski trailer. My Ram would have huge traction issues pulling the Jet Ski out of the water. I would almost always have to use 4 high to get the Jet Ski out. I’m sure if I had put some sand bags in the bed, it would have pulled it out in 2 wd.

 

[9zero1790]

a lot of marinas have a crane to launch with. idk where you are boating. that would remove the chance of dunking your truck on a slick ramp. id say give it a careful try with a buddy present and his or her truck present. see how it goes. so many factors go into it, cant say yes or no but if conditions are good try it out. in the past ive had to help folks up ramps that were wet from several users. when it was dry most did fine. i dragged one guys truck and boat up the ramp, everything he tried just spun his tires and he was slowly heading toward a swim. had the exhaust making bubbles lol. he was getting real nervous. strapped his truck to my old farm truck and granny geared it. one way is get in the boat and use the boats engine to add some shove to the pull, if you have a person with you of course. kill the boat engine when it is nearing not having water etc. the key is gently add a nudge, not pushing the truck up the ramp with the boat. you just want to give enough to help the truck get moving forward that first few inches then its on its own. to much push from the boat and more traction can be lost. you could also try the traction boards or mats and wheel blocks / chocks wouldnt hurt.

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