Drain Plug, Winch Strap & Trailer Launch Staging

Stage your trailer in the lot so the ramp takes two minutes, not twenty.

Beginner

4 min

DRAIN PLUG, WINCH STRAP & TRAILER LAUNCH STAGING
[ ] Brass Drain Plug Installed
[ ] Transom Tie-Downs Free
[ ] Safety Chains

Brass Drain Plug: the owner's spec. Keep a spare in the glovebox, and check it fits your boat's drain.
Transom Tie-Downs: straps that hold the stern to the trailer. Take them off in the staging area.
Safety Chains: a backup link between the trailer and tow vehicle. Check the maker and your state for chain requirements.

Do the drain plug check out loud. Say "plug in" before the boat gets near the water. Why it matters: a missing plug is a common reason a launch goes wrong, and it is easy to prevent.
Keep the chains on until you float. Release the winch strap only when the boat is in the water and a line is in your hand. Never stand behind or between a vehicle and a trailer on a slope.
Staging saves everyone. Do the packing and strap work in the staging area so you spend less time on the ramp. Follow posted ramp rules and signs.

Gear types only.

Marine-grade drain plug and a spare
Heavy-duty winch strap and bow line
Wheel chocks
Trailer light tester
Wild Dirt clothing for the early ramp line (clothing category)

Ramp rules, aquatic invasive species rules (clean, drain, dry), trailer registration and light requirements differ by state and waterway. Check current local rules before you go. Start with your state boating agency, your state natural resources department, and the U.S. Coast Guard (uscgboating.org).

Smooth launches start in the parking lot. Plug in, strapped free and chained until you float. Built by explorers, for the water and the trail.

Staging area (before the ramp)

Brass Drain Plug Installed, and checked by hand
Transom Tie-Downs Free, so the boat can slide off the trailer
Winch strap or cable hooked to the bow eye and snug
Safety Chains still attached to the tow vehicle until the boat is ready to float
Bow line and stern line attached to the boat and coiled

Load the boat

Life jackets aboard and within reach
Cooler, fuel and gear stowed and secured
Battery connected and electronics tested
Engine tilted up or trimmed as the maker advises for the ramp

Trailer and tow

Trailer lights working
Tires and hubs looked over
Hitch coupler latched and pinned
Wheel chocks in the truck

At the ramp

Wait your turn and clear the ramp fast
Back down slowly, with a spotter if you can
Release the winch strap only when the boat is in the water and you hold the bow line
Park the trailer and tow vehicle out of the way

Taking out

Clean, drain and dry the boat, trailer and gear
Pull the drain plug out for storage
Re-attach tie-downs and chains before you leave the lot

Staging area (before the ramp)

Brass Drain Plug Installed, and checked by hand
Transom Tie-Downs Free, so the boat can slide off the trailer
Winch strap or cable hooked to the bow eye and snug
Safety Chains still attached to the tow vehicle until the boat is ready to float
Bow line and stern line attached to the boat and coiled

Load the boat

Life jackets aboard and within reach
Cooler, fuel and gear stowed and secured
Battery connected and electronics tested
Engine tilted up or trimmed as the maker advises for the ramp

Trailer and tow

Trailer lights working
Tires and hubs looked over
Hitch coupler latched and pinned
Wheel chocks in the truck

At the ramp

Wait your turn and clear the ramp fast
Back down slowly, with a spotter if you can
Release the winch strap only when the boat is in the water and you hold the bow line
Park the trailer and tow vehicle out of the way

Taking out

Clean, drain and dry the boat, trailer and gear
Pull the drain plug out for storage
Re-attach tie-downs and chains before you leave the lot