[EZM]

I hate climbing out of the nose of the boat and trying to land like a cat on the slippery and wet trailer rail being careful not to let the boat kick out or off as you disembark. Dangerous and unneeded.

I've tied my boat up on the dock, went to go get truck / trailer and back it into the water right alongside the dock.

I take the rope tied to the bow eye and tie the other end to the rear cleat and walk the boat onto the trailer (from the dock) leaving lots of slack line in between. I guess you can probably do this with two lines as well I suppose. With the two attachment points you can pretty much pull the boat on mostly with the front rope and can steer the stern with either a quick shove with the foot away from the dock or a pull from the line attached to the rear cleat if the rear end goes sideways.

If you don't have a suitable dock - I just get a little more wet and just do this from the water. I just avoid getting myself between the boat and the trailer.

Most of the time you can do this without even manipulating the rear line - and just pulling her up and onto the trailer in less than a few seconds - and often times, right from shore with a line long enough.

I pull the front rope pretty hard so she glides on but stops short of the bow yoke. The more momentum you have the smoother she centers up and wedges into the sweet spot.

The boat is somewhat wedged enough that waves wont knock it off the bunks or that it wont float sideways at this point.

Then I come off the dock and I go to the winch, attach the winch strap and wind the boat up the remaining foot or two onto the trailer. Usually the bow hook is only a couple feet short of the yoke/winch so I don't have to get anything more than my feet and lower legs wet. I don't like climbing on a wet trailer frame (I have bruised my shin quite severely with a previously learned life experience.

After the boat is winched up secure, I secure the secondary safety chain (and make sure the winch is locked) and drive it away and pull over and strap down the boat like normal.

***The real key to this (and launching and loading your boat conventionally with ease) is knowing and recognizing how much of your trailer is below and above water. On some trailer/boats this could mean "water to top of wheel well" ,or, in the case, like mine, it's when the side guide bunk rails are just "at the surface of the water and wheel wells completely submerged" (my boat is deep). Every boat and trailer combo is going to be a little different and there is a small adjustment to be made if the ramp is too steep or too shallow. It's all about observation and taking a mental note each time.