Launching boat with stick shift

[troutfisher]

So I have 2005 Chevy 1500 Regular Cab 2wd with the nv3500 5 speed trans,today launching my new 18” polar kraft for the first time,was a bad experience,had to slip the clutch the whole way out of the water,with a bit of tire spin,

Rewarded by the nice smell of burnt clutch in the parking lot, truck does wonderful towing the boat otherwise it’s just the 20 seconds pulling it out of the water,I feel like if I do this every time,I am going to burn the clutch up,

So anybody else launch boats with a 2wd stick?

How do you do it?

 

[demarpaint]

I've done it and it can be difficult with RWD and a rear with highway gearing. I've only done it in a bay and waited for high tide with that vehicle. With 4WD and a 4.10 rear it was much easier, even on a low tide. I put it in 4L and eased up on the clutch, it was very easy, no tire spinning no clutch slipping. The boat was also bigger and heavier. Unfortunately with RWD and highway gearing an automatic is much better suited, but not perfect.

You could try chocking the the tires once you have the boat in place, or get a hill holder/line lock if you have difficulty working the clutch, especially if you are rolling backward from the weight of the boat.

 

[hatt]

When I was a kid we use to pull our boat with a 67 Mustang fastback with a 6 banger and 3 speed. It pulled the boat like a champ. The 67 Barracuda with 273 and 4 speed not so great at getting the boat out of the water. Later I had a 4x4 with Granny and a low range. No issues ever.

Stories like these in the OP is why I always recommend getting the 4x4 unless you know you're never going to do anything in it.

 

[Linctex]

I let the tires spin on the wet ramp.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: hatt
When I was a kid we use to pull our boat with a 67 Mustang fastback with a 6 banger and 3 speed. It pulled the boat like a champ. The 67 Barracuda with 273 and 4 speed not so great at getting the boat out of the water. Later I had a 4x4 with Granny and a low range. No issues ever.

Stories like these in the OP is why I always recommend getting the 4x4 unless you know you're never going to do anything in it.

4x4 in 4L with a stick with a granny gear is tough to beat. They pull like a freight train.

 

[The motor guy]

Give her some throttle then release the parking brake.

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Give her some throttle then release the parking brake.


Might help with rolling back, but being 2wd he will still spin like mad. 300-400lbs of sand in the back might help a bit. More expensive option would be a locker.

I have one in my S10, and while I've never had to launch up a boat ramp, I've been in some "offroad" situations where I just have to "send it" and the locker never failed me. The yard might have looked worse for wear though...

 

[supton]

How much towing will you do vs other driving with this truck? I'm wondering if it's worth spending the coin on new rear gears (instead of trading the truck).

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: supton
How much towing will you do vs other driving with this truck? I'm wondering if it's worth spending the coin on new rear gears (instead of trading the truck).


Locker or LSD axle from a yard?
Aside from the weight, should be an easy bolt-in.

 

[IndyFan]

Originally Posted By: troutfisher
So I have 2005 Chevy 1500 Regular Cab 2wd with the nv3500 5 speed trans,today launching my new 18” polar kraft for the first time,was a bad experience,had to slip the clutch the whole way out of the water,with a bit of tire spin,

Rewarded by the nice smell of burnt clutch in the parking lot, truck does wonderful towing the boat otherwise it’s just the 20 seconds pulling it out of the water,I feel like if I do this every time,I am going to burn the clutch up,

So anybody else launch boats with a 2wd stick?

How do you do it?



I do with my Jeeps all the time, in 2wd. They have very low 1st gear ratios and excellent traction control, so I never have to engage 4wd. Sounds like you may need a lower 1st gear.

 

[eljefino]

How about working some sort of winch/come-along? Is there somewhere ahead of the ramp you could tie off too? Have a helper winch you up while you sit in the driver's seat and work the brake.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

NEXT time call me up to come and have some fun, then I will just stand in the bed and you will have traction.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: IndyFan
Originally Posted By: troutfisher
So I have 2005 Chevy 1500 Regular Cab 2wd with the nv3500 5 speed trans,today launching my new 18” polar kraft for the first time,was a bad experience,had to slip the clutch the whole way out of the water,with a bit of tire spin,

Rewarded by the nice smell of burnt clutch in the parking lot, truck does wonderful towing the boat otherwise it’s just the 20 seconds pulling it out of the water,I feel like if I do this every time,I am going to burn the clutch up,

So anybody else launch boats with a 2wd stick?

How do you do it?




I do with my Jeeps all the time, in 2wd. They have very low 1st gear ratios and excellent traction control, so I never have to engage 4wd. Sounds like you may need a lower 1st gear.



As you already know Jeep is a different animal.

A stock 2 WD vehicle with a stick on a wet boat ramp sucks. With 3.73 rear you might be able to get away with it, depending on the weight of the boat, 4.10 is better. The parking brake trick helps, chocks with rope attached that are holding the vehicle are even better, having two assistants to pull them out of the way helps, or a long 2x6 used as a chock and one assistant works. Or just drive over the thing. The boat I pulled weighed more than the 2WD PU by a lot. Same boat 4WD in 4L with a stick and granny gear was very easy. In the perfect world having the right vehicle for the job is everything. Even something as simple as getting a 2WD stick with a 3.00 rear up car ramps can be a PITA. Ask me how I know.

I remember seeing a guy in a VW Golf with a 5 speed try to pull a Whaler out on a low tide. He thought he was smart with FWD on a less slick part of the ramp would help. His stick driving skills were marginal, and the boat and trailer pulled the little VW into the drink. Not good!

 

[Dave1027]

or just sell/trade the truck for an auto trans tow vehicle.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Dave1027
or just sell/trade the truck for an auto trans tow vehicle.


That's the right tool for the job, if there's enough towing involved.

 

[oilpsi2high]

How much does your boat weigh?

I launch a Four Winns H200 on a tandem axle trailer with a Dodge Dakota stick shift. Same trans as you. The boat is 3070lbs dry and the trailer is 970lbs. I do use 4LO which makes retrieving the boat a painless process - no slipping required.

Since you don't have the luxury of 4LO, I would do one of two things:

1. (good method) use the e-brake until the clutch grabs, then release. Take your time and don't over-rev.
2. (better method) Use tire chocks attached to the rear bumper. This will let you take your time letting the clutch out instead of panicking and having to use the clutch to keep the truck from rolling back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tz1iXce6mc
3. (best method) Sell your truck and buy one with 4x4 and a low-range transfer case.

 

[JTK]

Like said, without a super low 1st gear on that 2wd trick, you'll have to slip the clutch on every retrieval.

I was through that years ago, but only with a little jetski trailer and a 2wd, 5spd Jeep Cherokee.

 

[troutfisher]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
How much does your boat weigh?

I launch a Four Winns H200 on a tandem axle trailer with a Dodge Dakota stick shift. Same trans as you. The boat is 3070lbs dry and the trailer is 970lbs. I do use 4LO which makes retrieving the boat a painless process - no slipping required.

Since you don't have the luxury of 4LO, I would do one of two things:

1. (good method) use the e-brake until the clutch grabs, then release. Take your time and don't over-rev.
2. (better method) Use tire chocks attached to the rear bumper. This will let you take your time letting the clutch out instead of panicking and having to use the clutch to keep the truck from rolling back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tz1iXce6mc
3. (best method) Sell your truck and buy one with 4x4 and a low-range


Nice Dakota and boat, my polar Kraft is about 1200lb maybe a little more
Definitely love my truck other than this little hiccup,I think I will try the wheel chocks next time,went to northern tool today and they had many different options,got some nice heavy ones

I fish all over the east coast so every ramp is different,I may try pulling the truck slightly sideways with the trailer straight in the water just to reduce the pulling angle,my local ramp has more than enough room to do this.Then there’s always the option of just dumping the clutch and keeping on pedal,I just don’t like pulling my boat out the water that fast,just because the ramps can be so bumpy and it’s a brand new boat and trailer.So I will try the wheel chocks next time and report how it goes.Might try to video it

 

[oilpsi2high]

Thanks. My uncle has that same boat as you I believe. Very light indeed.

The chocks will help a lot. I don’t think you’ll need 4x4 for that. Just don’t back in too far.

 

[SeaJay]

At one time, manufacturers had lower tow ratings for the same pickup truck with a manual transmission than for an automatic transmission, because of the burning clutch issue.

The manufacturers have since solved that problem for the most part by getting rid of manual transmissions in pickups.