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DropShot'r wrote:I have 50ft boat rope. This is attached to the front cleat in the spring and is removed when I winterize. The sole purpose of this rope is to allow me launch the boat by myself.
Thanks for the tip. I am using my anchor rope to do the same thing. I have the anchor and rope in front of the bow seat, and just pull it out and loop it around something when I launch by myself.
Congrats on the new boat, driving away from the launch for the first time in your own boat is incredible. It is an amazing feeling that is sometimes hard to describe but everyone on here knows what I'm taking about.
One of the safety tips that we covered on the radio show last summer was the necessity for a trip plan.
Firstly you should always have a detailed identification of your tow vehicle, your boat and trailer. The list should include the following:
1- A clear picture
2- Make, model, color and year
3- License plate for truck and trailer
4- Vessel license #
5- A brief detail of the boat including style and engine make (this may be what they are looking for)
Make sure that the above list is updated annually.
Regarding the trip plan, the following should be listed:
1- Date of departure
2- Time frame
3- Water body
4- Exact boat launch
5- Phone numbers of a few fishing friends that know the water and your habits.
If the best description a loved one could give to the authorities sounds a bit like this ...."it's an aluminium fishing boat with a black motor and he told me he's going to the Ottawa River" the aforementioned detailed information now makes perfect sense.
As creatures of habit, we tend to fish in the same areas accessing from the same points. This then makes it easy to print off the "trip plan" for the handful of water bodies that you may fish from and hand write only the date and time info. Along with your boat, trailer and truck info pinned to the fridge this may be the best piece of safety equipment that you can have.