I have a Tracker 175 with a 75hp 4-stroke Mercury motor. The trailer has bunks instead of rollers, which is good. Even on the "shallowest" of ramps, I have to keep the boat secured to the trailer winch or it will slide off the trailer onto the ramp. Once the boat & trailer are in the water I have to be careful when I release the winch strap from the bow eyelet. The boat wants to slide off the trailer before I release that winch strap. I sometimes have to use another rope thru the bow eyelet and secure the other end to either the trailer or truck in order to hold the boat in place as I release the winch strap. Then I have to hold onto the rope as I slide the boat off the trailer. In fact, the boat is constantly trying to slide off the trailer on its own and I have to hold onto that rope to control the launch.

Retrieving the boat is a challenge and is dangerous. I drive the boat onto the trailer and have an immediate problem. If I put the motor in neutral the boat begins to slide off the trailer. I have to put it in gear and give it a little forward throttle to hold it in place while I walk up to the bow, step onto the trailer, grab the winch strap and put it on the bow eyelet, and winch it up a little. Then I have to get on the boat to turn off the motor.

The cause of all of this is the weight of the motor (it's really heavy) and more weight is added by the gas tank.

Any ideas on how I can more safely launch and retrieve before I kill myself?

It is easy when I have a buddy with me.