Does your sailboat have a keel that pulls up? Then consider yourself lucky. This type of boat is able to be launched just like you would a regular motorboat. But if your sailboat has a fixed keel, it will take some special procedures. Remember, safety first! With this kind of keel, the trailer has to back down to the end of the ramp to get the boat into water that is deep enough to float and be disconnected from the trailer. Your tow vehicle cannot just back it down far enough without getting submerged. So what do you do?

First of all, do you have the proper equipment to do the job safely? Your tow truck needs to be at least a mid-sized SUV or pickup truck, something fairly heavy. That weight is needed for safety. It is essential to keep all sections balanced, the truck, the trailer, and the boat.

Secondly, your tow vehicle must NOT be a front-wheel-drive type. Why? Because when the weight of the trailer presses down on the rear section of the tow vehicle, its front wheels lose traction. Some good choices of tow vehicles are rear wheel drive with manual 4-wheel drive option, all-wheel drive, or a 2-wheel drive as long as it is rear-wheel drive.

Okay, so you have the proper rear-wheel drive tow vehicle and it is ready to go! Next thing you need are safety accessories. You need a long, strong rope that is in very good condition. This will be used to let the trailer into the water, so the rope must be strong enough to bear the weight of the trailer plus your boat. Be sure it is thick enough and in good condition. Plan on replacing the rope each season if you boat often. Think how stupid you would feel if that rope snapped and your boat sunk your trailer in the lake.

You also need some quality wheel chocks with sturdy ropes attached so you can easily yank them out at just the right moment. Do not buy cheap equipment. If you have the money to invest in a boat, trailer, and tow vehicle, then you have the money to buy some quality tow rope and quality wheel chocks.

Here is the basic procedure for launching your fixed-keel sailboat:

First have the driver back the trailer up to the edge of the water. Secondly, have the crew place the wheel chocks behind the trailer wheels. Thirdly, detach the trailer from the tow vehicle. Be sure the trailer's spare tire is mounted at the front of the trailer. This is necessary to hold the trailer tongue up and allow it to roll smoothly. Fourthly, tie a very long rope from the trailer to the tow vehicle.

Fifthly, the tow vehicle pulls forward away from the lake until the rope is taut. Sixthly, pull the chocks out from behind the trailer wheels and back up the tow vehicle so the trailer and boat are submerged in the water. Unless sandbars are encountered at the base of the ramp, your driver should be able to easily back up until the boat floats and free itself from the trailer. Lastly, have the tow vehicle driver pull far enough forward to get the trailer out of the water, have the crew chock the trailer wheels, and have the driver back down to hitch the trailer back on.

So what do you do if your boat ramp has not been maintained properly and you encounter those dreaded sandbars? You are probably going to need extra help. If there is a courtesy dock running beside the ramp, then your crew can tie on some dock lines and attempt to pull the trailer and boat into the water. If that doesn't work, you could call upon the brotherhood of the power boaters and enlist one of them to pull the trailer in deep enough for you! Most boaters are friendly folk and I'll bet someone will offer before you even get a chance to ask!

Remember the rules of safe boating, and wear your life vest or jacket. And keep the beer back at the picnic table if you want to stay safe.