Automatic Bow Latching Systems

NDwalleyes

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Posts
2,431
Likes
459
Points
323
Location
Bismarck, ND
Looking into one of these automatic bow latching systems that automatically latch your bow when you drive onto the trailer. I think there are a couple different brands/models out there. Anyone have one or recommend one?
 


Bauer

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 17, 2015
Posts
318
Likes
49
Points
150
Location
Garrison ND
Drotto Latch all the way. If mine broke tomorrow I would overnight a new one. I have a 186 Lund GL, wife backs me in the water till the boat floats up off the bunks and I pop the latch and am free. When we are done she backs the trailer into the water, I power up into the latch and she pulls me out.

Its even more slick when you are by yourself alongside a good dock.

I am on my third season with it and no issues to date.
 

TFX 186

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Posts
839
Likes
132
Points
213
Location
NW ND
ndwalleyes
I installed a Drotto Latch last spring. Love it and my wife loves it more. She's the driver. She sits in the pickup and waits for me to unlatch and drive up and latch on the way out. Slick, slick slick. Should have bought one earlier. It's a saver from cranking and leaning over the bow. A little spendy but damn well worth it.
Go buy one and you won't regret it.
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]https://www.boat2trailerhookup.com/
[/FONT]

Fish On!!
 

jdfisherman

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Posts
183
Likes
121
Points
155
Drotto x3. One of those products that you wish you had bought years earlier.
 

Coldfront

Established Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2016
Posts
139
Likes
28
Points
118
I wish that I would have invented it. This is the slickest gadget I have ever bought. The only problem I have had with it is some guys were messing around with it in the parking lot at Parshall Bay and tripped the latch so when I tried to load the boat it did not latch which I thought it did. I found out when I pulled up the boat slid back so I stopped and checked and sure enough the latch was closed. I pulled the lever to unlatch the Drotto and tried it again and it latched. Since that time I pull the pin and remove the lever and have never had a problem since. I was down at Pouch Point last year and there were a couple of boat from MN saw me load up and came over to inspect the contraption and I am sure they went home and ordered a couple.
 


JB_24

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Posts
182
Likes
6
Points
118
Location
Bismarck
I have the drotto as well & will never own a boat without installing one of these again. It makes it so much easier & faster to load/unload when by your by yourself. No more crawling in & out of the boat to get the winch hooked up.
 

Twitch

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 14, 2015
Posts
2,456
Likes
493
Points
318
Location
Mandan
Maybe a stupid question because I’ve never looked into one much but do they work with bunk trailers as well or only roller trailers
 

Bauer

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 17, 2015
Posts
318
Likes
49
Points
150
Location
Garrison ND
Bunk trailers more so than rollers. I would be cautious about using one on a roller trailer without some safety strap hooked up. Its still a mechanical failure point. Last week on the rainy river I left my safety strap connected until all but the tonque was in the water just in case I had iced up bunks and an accidental trip of the lever. It paid off because one morning the drotto was tripped over, guessing from un-tarping the boat. Not saying I would have been belly down on the ramp, but with rollers most certainly.
 

JB_24

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Posts
182
Likes
6
Points
118
Location
Bismarck
Maybe a stupid question because I’ve never looked into one much but do they work with bunk trailers as well or only roller trailers
I have mine on a bunk trailer. You see guys with bunks that back down & sometimes even pull up the ramp without hooking up the front strap, but i'm too paranoid about the boat coming off the trailer to do that. With the drotto once in the water it takes less than 10 seconds to run up to the bow & pull the lever to free yourself from the trailer.
 


defiant1

Honored Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2016
Posts
240
Likes
2
Points
110
Can someone who has a Drotto installed on a Ranger 620/619, post some pictures of the location of the winch stand and winch platform? I bought a Drotto and need to install it but would like an idea how much adjustment is needed to get the Drotto to fit properly
 

Rowdie

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2015
Posts
9,927
Likes
1,632
Points
563
Yeah, I need one of those for how much I have to fish alone.
 

TFX 186

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Posts
839
Likes
132
Points
213
Location
NW ND
Can someone who has a Drotto installed on a Ranger 620/619, post some pictures of the location of the winch stand and winch platform? I bought a Drotto and need to install it but would like an idea how much adjustment is needed to get the Drotto to fit properly

Defiant,
I believe they have install videos and a bunch of other information on their website that could help you out.
https://www.boat2trailerhookup.com/ Hope this helps.

Fish On!
 


NDwalleyes

Founding Member
Founding Member
Thread starter
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Posts
2,431
Likes
459
Points
323
Location
Bismarck, ND
So do they have some sort of safety of locking mechanism on them? Mine will be with bunks, but don't like the thought of someone messing with it or accidental tripping going up or down the ramp. Thanks guys.
 

NDwalleyes

Founding Member
Founding Member
Thread starter
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Posts
2,431
Likes
459
Points
323
Location
Bismarck, ND

Yikes...A rig on a roller trailer could make this interesting and to some extent a bunk trailer too. Either way, the convenience would be great. Just being able to get the tongue out of the water to the point where the driver can jump out and put the winch strap on it would be worth it.
 

3tt3v

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2015
Posts
152
Likes
2
Points
103
Can someone who has a Drotto installed on a Ranger 620/619, post some pictures of the location of the winch stand and winch platform? I bought a Drotto and need to install it but would like an idea how much adjustment is needed to get the Drotto to fit properly

I don't have any pics yet but I just removed the v roller and stuck in in place. I used a floor jack to lift the front of the boat up to get it in to place. This is on a 619. I will try and get a pic and post tomorrow.
 

honkerslayer

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2015
Posts
464
Likes
52
Points
165
Location
Minot
I read some stuff regarding needing to move the bunks back on a Ranger. Is that necessary?
 


Recent Posts

Friends of NDA

Top Posters of the Month

  • This month: 159
  • This month: 135
  • This month: 119
  • This month: 110
  • This month: 105
  • This month: 87
  • This month: 84
  • This month: 76
  • This month: 75
  • This month: 75
Top Bottom