Ever used a Boat Buddy?

[sixfin]

I've been looking at these in the Bass Pro book. I fish by myself a lot and this would work great for loading the boat alone. Just wondering if anyone has one and how they like it.

[camofish]

Got'z an old timer buddy that had one of the 1st series of this boat. It was larger and heavier, but it has lasted over 20 years. :D
For one person, this would be a great little boat. Lot easier on the back than a kayak and you can still put a trolling motor and battery in it.

The fish and hold up fine. If it's right for the budget and you as a solo fisherman, go for it.

Fish On!

[fish-wva]

a friend of mine had one, it work ok but the first time you come on the trailer to hard and bend the pin (even just a little) it will be junk. i fish a lot myself and i wouldn't even think about getting one. that is just my opinion

[painterfish]

i got one a while back if you keep the right height on your trailer tongue and hit the darn thing it works great ill take any help i can get backing sorry thought you were talking about couplers mate
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...004000_200-4-2

[Bluegilll]

Got'z an old timer buddy that had one of the 1st series of this boat. It was larger and heavier, but it has lasted over 20 years. :D
For one person, this would be a great little boat. Lot easier on the back than a kayak and you can still put a trolling motor and battery in it.

The fish and hold up fine. If it's right for the budget and you as a solo fisherman, go for it.

Fish On!

Why would you put a trolling motor & battery on the trailer for?Gonna troll around on the trailer & leave boat in parking lot

Just joking with you.I think you are talking about something different here.They are talking about this http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...=SearchResults wont hold a trolling motor or battery.

[sixfin]

I think I need to explain this a little better. The boat buddy is a device you put on your trailer. It takes the place of a winch. When you drive up on the trailer, a pin is spring triggered to shoot through your eye bolt and hold your boat in place. That way, you don't have to get out of the boat and run up to the front, get your strap hooked up and winch the boat up before it slides back off of the trailer. I think fish-wva understands.

[Nightprowler]

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...=TOP_SEARCH_GO

[BamaMan]

If your boat slides back off the trailer you have the trailer to far in the water. Next time back down into the water a little less then load the boat. If it slides any at all next time back down a little less again load the boat. after 2 or 3 fishing trips you will no how far to back down into the water. On my Ranger I need to leave the top 2" of the finders out of the water. works every time.

Later
BamaMan

[CrappiePappy]

I've been looking at these in the Bass Pro book. I fish by myself a lot and this would work great for loading the boat alone. Just wondering if anyone has one and how they like it.

On the trailer of my previous boat, a Glasstream 1550 ProBass w/70HP Yamaha, I did put on a Boat Buddy .... and it worked great. It was especially helpful when I was alone, but was also very useful when I had a partner. All I had to do was drive the boat onto the trailer, until I heard the pin snap shut, then signal for my partner to drive us out. Got some strange looks from other anglers launching, when I signalled to "puller out", never having left the drivers seat :D

I drive boats onto the trailer, with the big motor, all the time ... it's just faster and more practical than other methods, for me. Unfortunately, my partners boat doesn't work with a Boat Buddy, as his is a Tracker. The Boat Buddy only works with the U shaped eye bolt, most commonly found on fiberglass boats. We tried to come up with ways to get one to work on his boat, since it worked so well on mine, but failed to figure out any feasible way.

A couple of things need to be addressed ... you do have to remember to pull the pin open and locked out, BEFORE you back the boat off the trailer --- you do have to remember to set the pin in "auto close", BEFORE you put the boat back on the trailer. (believe me, I know :p )
If you can ease your boat up on the trailer, until the eye bolt triggers the pin to close ... the Boat Buddy should last you for a long time. If you're like me, and drive the boat on pretty hard, you should still get quite a few years of service out of it :p (I had 10+ years of use out of mine, before I sold the rig, and it still worked)
Also, you will need a safety chain/strap, that is tension adjustable, to help hold down the front end of the boat when road trailering. The gap in the U-bolt will allow the front end to "bounce" a little, since the pin only keeps the boat from sliding backwards on the trailer.

The Boat Buddy is a "convenience" device, not a "do all, be all" device ... I think I paid about what BPS is charging ... which panned out to less than $5/yr for the convenience of not having to climb out on the trailer tongue and winch the boat up. To me, it was worth it, but you will have to make your own determination ... and not rely on my recommendation.

... cp

[camofish]

Why would you put a trolling motor & battery on the trailer for?Gonna troll around on the trailer & leave boat in parking lot

Just joking with you.I think you are talking about something different here.They are talking about this http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...=SearchResults wont hold a trolling motor or battery.

LOL I was thinking it was something else. DUH, I guess I should have checked it out. I thought it was one of those little 2 man plastic boats. I was the confused ones. Sorry about that. :rolleyes: