Thread: Drotto Automatic Catch

This is an old thread but wondered how the latch performed. I am many times alone and find it a pain to launch and load my boat without getting wet or hanging upside down trying to get the winch strap off. In fact my arms are not long enough to reach it while in the boat.

It works really good once I got the hang of working it. I have a rope on it that I put over in the front of the boat. I let my tailgate down and back in until the back floats. I step over in the back of the truck and then over onto the boat from the tailgate. I pull the rope and the boats backs off. When I come back in I drive up on the trailer and it latches- on my boat you have to hit it pretty good to get it to latch but it works great once you get the hang of it- then step over on the tailgate and then on the ground and pull up. It has never released without pulling the lever. If my fishing buddy , 85,goes he gets in before I back in and I just trip the lever before I back in.
It is great if you fish by yourself.

This is an old thread, but I’m curious to see if anyone has any updates or other input to the Drotto latch. I fish by myself 99% of the time and it looks like it would make loading/unloading easier for a deep V boat.


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[QUOTE=Barnettcrew;3927331]This is an old thread, but I’m curious to see if anyone has any updates or other input to the Drotto latch. I fish by myself 99% of the time and it looks like it would make loading/unloading easier for a deep V boat.


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they work great !!!! and well worth the moneys !!! you will be glad you got it when you start using it !!!!

i have had mine 5-6 years and still love it. I would not have a trailer without one.It is great for a one man show, that I am 90% of the time. I don't have to crawl over the bow, get my feet wet or let it get away from me when I launch. With my truck and trailer setup, I have to back in until the back wheels touch the water, so I have to wade around to the trailer tongue to get in the boat. I can't see anyone not liking it once they have tried it.

Thanks for the feedback. I’m thinking one of these may find its way onto my boat after the first of the year.

Another question, have any of you encountered steep or uneven ramps that have caused any alignment problems? We all know that not all ramps are created equal, at least in Alabama. LOL


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I have found one ramp at Lake Washington that you need to back in just right for it to catch or the bow would be too low, but the bow wouldn't hit the roller if you had a regular bumper and winch set up either. You will learn just how far back you need to be in the water for your boat. Mine needs to be where the tops of the fenders are at the water. It takes a few trips to find the sweetspot but once you do you will love it. You do have to hit it with a little force for it to latch.