[Fr. Frank]

yes father can i call you that? she was holding the bow and stern lines of the boat so when in water it would not float away. i have read you line many of times and do take it to heart thats why i am changing over to a actually whinch on the bow.

fred i know you pain to as in that when we first went out i had to explane EVERY detail in detail to her. and belive me i love her too!

As an Anglican priest, I'm married. My wife, who loves boating and fishing, can't seem to wrap her head around what to do to help launch the boat even after 20 years of instructions. But she really does want to help!!

So she and I walk around the boat preparing for launch while in the queue. I actually made her a list of what to do and laminated it in plastic.
Here is what it says.

• Start on drivers side at the trailer connection to truck
• Unhook trailer lights (unplug the trailer)
• Untie port bow line from bow rail stanchion and lay over gunwale into cockpit (Untie front left rope thingy from the metal post and put the end of the rope thingy in the back of the boat).
• Unwrap port sternline from the cleat and lay over gunwale into cockpit on top of livewell cover. (take the back rope off the metal thingy and drop it right over the edge onto the seat in the back of the boat just below the metal thingy)
• Release and unhook port aft hull to trailer security strap (Take off strap thingy from back left part of boat where it hooks to the trailer and put the strap thingy in the back of the truck)
• Install flip-style drain plug in live-well drain in transom. (use a drain plug with the finger-hole in the handle to plug bottom left hole in back of boat)
• Install T-handle style drain plug in bilge drain in transom. (use a drain plug without the finger-hole in the handle to plug bottom center hole in back of boat. Tighten after plugging the hole)
• Unwrap starboard sternline from the cleat and lay over gunwale into cockpit on top of bilge access cover. (take the back left rope off the metal thingy and drop it right over the edge onto the seat in the back of the boat just below the metal thingy)
• Release and unhook starboard aft hull to trailer security strap (Take off strap thingy from back right part of boat where it hooks to the trailer and put the strap thingy in the back of the truck)
• Step up onto trailer step behind trailer fender, reach into cockpit and turn on batteries
• Walk back to motor, and tilt motor all the way up. Lower trailering support on left side of motor. Tilt motor down to within 2 feet of the ground.
• Untie starboard bow line from bow rail stanchion and lay over gunwale into cockpit (Untie front right rope thingy from the metal post and put the end of the rope thingy in the back of the boat).
• Unsecure VHF radio antenna and raise it to vertical, then tighten by rotating handle on base.
• Return to back of boat to visually confirm two (2) drainplugs inserted in transom.
• Back boat down the ramp until trailer fenders are just barely completely submerged and stern just begins to float.
• Put track in Park and set parking/emergency brake
• Pass bow line closest to dock to assistant on dock
• Unhook safety chain from bow-eye on front of boat.
• Unhook winch cable from bow eye.
• Have assistant on dock pull boat backwards off trailer. If no assistant present, do this yourself.
• When front of boat is behind back of trailer, pull boat over to dock and secure bow line to dock cleat or piling.
• Use sternline closest to dock to pull back of boat close to the dock and secure sternline to dock cleat or piling.
• Park the truck and trailer.

I really did take out most of the sarcasm that is on the actual list. My wife is a good sport, and laughed when I made the original list, though.