# Rafting without a trailer--advice needed



## Norcalcoastie (Jan 4, 2019)

Time is your enemy, not space. You need time to rig. I’ve been there, before I got a trailer. And I had a lot of good years without a trailer. A cordless blower will get your raft inflated most of the way, and premade marks on the frame will speed the assembly. Already having your rig thought out is time well spent. Spending hours rigging isn’t fun. 

The good news is that the more you rig it, the more you’ll dial it all in! It gets quicker every time. Just don’t block the boat ramp and it‘s all good! Have fun on the river!


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## theusualsuspect (Apr 11, 2014)

Girth hitch your straps to the d rings so you never have to mess with that again.


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## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

theusualsuspect said:


> Girth hitch your straps to the d rings so you never have to mess with that again.


I've sewn &/or hammer-rivited the straps around the frame members or D-rings. Takes a little "doing." Rigging the thing off to the side where I can drag it a few feet doesn't hurt it. This last year I finally got a Stihl blower. I can inflate EVERYbody's boat in a hurry if they like! No matter what we do, it's always a "dog and pony show." Stand back someday, and just watch!


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Having spent years on a boat ramp watching folks rig and derig, I think the most important thing is not to spread your gear out all over the place. Back down the ramp, pull your gear out in a neat pile that's no wider than the width of the vehicle, then move the vehicle to a parking area, assemble your boat as you like, then float it and move it out of the way of the ramp so as not to obstruct others wanting to launch. Work in an expeditious manner so others can launch / take out too. Same thing at the take out, don't spread your gear all over the place, at least as much as you can manage. If you can, always leave a path for those with a trailer to back down, float their boat on, and leave. Courtesy is always appreciated on the ramps, and the river.


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## planthead (Feb 20, 2016)

mvb said:


> Hi all,
> 
> New young raft owner here who unfortunately lives in a small apartment without the ability to have a trailer. I have a storage unit where I keep my rolled 15 footer, drybox, cooler, frame, etc. The frame and oars can be strapped to my 4runner's roof rack, raft in the trunk, and cooler/dry box on a cargo hitch. But my question is what do you recommend for techniques on the boat ramp to minimize the amount of time/space/footprint that I occupy while setting up/tearing down? Those of you who don't own a trailer, any suggestions? Might be a dumb question but I would rather be harassed here than on the boat ramp--and I think "pace of play" is the first thing any person should learn with a new sport


Hey bud, 

Sucks not having a trailer but it is workable. This year alot of " Inside People" went outside because of Covid. The boat ramps were disgusting with unethical behavior. People setting up their boats on the ramps, people driving their cars down crowded boat ramps like Westbank to set up their boats, blocking others. My advice is to not be one of those people. Set up your boat away from the boat ramp. It is almost to the point where we need boat ramp referees. It is just that people live in their own narcissistic worlds these days.


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## Mtnbuzzer (Feb 5, 2016)

Welcome to the rafting world. I have seen several posts on the buzz about peoples' gear getting ripped off from storage units. Make sure your unit is secure and gear is clearly identified.

If you can, it helps to show up at the ramp the day before the launch. It's usually less crowded and you'll be ready for an early launch. If you have a passenger, they can finish the rig while you do the shuttle, or vice versa. I put a tarp down to put my gear on. It sort of identifies my spot and gear and keeps it from getting spread all over. I like to organize my straps so I'm not digging through a dangled mess while looking for that one 4er'. An electric pump, preferably cordless, is a must.

Remember you are there to have a good time so crack a rig beer and enjoy the ride.


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## craven_morhead (Feb 20, 2007)

I spent last summer trailer-less. One thing to keep an eye out for is space where you can drive up and rig near the river but away from an actual boat ramp. The pumphouse put-in is a good example; before you get to the first set of ramps there are a set of pull-offs where you can walk down to the water but where the bank is too steep for a trailer. That's your spot! Easy access for you, but you're not occupying ramp space. 

Look for the same sort of thing for a takeout - somewhere where you can get your gear to vehicle without occupying the ramp the entire time you're de-rigging. That will take a lot of the time pressure off your shoulders.


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

Will second the mantra of occupy the actual boat ramp as little as possible. Inflate and rig what you can in parking lot or at least out of the boat ramp. And agree with MNichols make your pile off to the side and concentrated, and not a sprawled out scavenger hunt.


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## zaczac4fun (Mar 21, 2018)

All great advice above, I want to chirp in and say the fact that you’re thinking about this and considering your fellow boaters means you’re already 90% of the way there. Cheers!


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## mkashzg (Aug 9, 2006)

theusualsuspect said:


> Girth hitch your straps to the d rings so you never have to mess with that again.


I also use this similar process but in a different way. All of my frame straps are loop hitched to the frame and all live there permanently along with all my cooler/dry box hanging straps and extra oar hangers. When not in use I tighten all the straps and tie them together so that when my frame is on top of the truck they are not blowing everywhere. When you get the frame on the boat at the put in you just loosen all the straps and drop everything into place. Depending on the river and the run I will also start to loosen all my frame straps before the take out so I can hit the ramp and start pulling things right off.

I too use an auto inflator which makes a huge difference in speeding up the process. I take a few minutes and explain my a routine to who ever is helping me as I have a place for everything and I only have a Tacoma with a bed in the back. I can pretty much rig or derig in about an hour and try to follow much of the advice above in looking for an out of the way place since I don't have a trailer.

Everyone's situation is a bit different depending on your boat and vehicle and you will hopefully quickly develop your own process that works for you!


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## Pine (Aug 15, 2017)

mvb said:


> Hi all,
> 
> New young raft owner here who unfortunately lives in a small apartment without the ability to have a trailer. I have a storage unit where I keep my rolled 15 footer, drybox, cooler, frame, etc. The frame and oars can be strapped to my 4runner's roof rack, raft in the trunk, and cooler/dry box on a cargo hitch. But my question is what do you recommend for techniques on the boat ramp to minimize the amount of time/space/footprint that I occupy while setting up/tearing down? Those of you who don't own a trailer, any suggestions? Might be a dumb question but I would rather be harassed here than on the boat ramp--and I think "pace of play" is the first thing any person should learn with a new sport


I would highly recommend picking up one of these cordless blowers. It comes with an attachment that works well on raft valves. It will inflate several boats on a single battery charge, and blows up a boat in just a few minutes. It is way easier to use than the type of inflators that connect to your car battery, more reliable and cheaper too. It is guaranteed to speed up your times at the put in ramp. You can also use it to deflate your boat quickly at the take out. You can gain huge karma points by helping other boaters inflate with it too. 

Several other power tool manufacturers like Makita make similar products.









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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Pine said:


> I would highly recommend picking up one of these cordless blowers. It comes with an attachment that works well on raft valves. It will inflate several boats on a single battery charge, and blows up a boat in just a few minutes. It is way easier to use than the type of inflators that connect to your car battery, more reliable and cheaper too. It is guaranteed to speed up your times at the put in ramp. You can also use it to deflate your boat quickly at the take out. You can gain huge karma points by helping other boaters inflate with it too.
> 
> Several other power tool manufacturers like Makita make similar products.
> 
> ...


That's the exact blower that I own, and it works like a champ! We'll only do about two boats on the four ampere hour battery though, springing for a six ampere hour battery is like a hundred bucks, way pricey


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## [email protected] (Jun 1, 2010)

Like others have said. Having organized straps and enough straps is crucial. Having a place for everything already determined is also very important. Power inflation. When you can rig without hollering whos got a extra 4 foot strap or does someone have room for this, you have your "A" game on and are good to go. One of the best times to have a beer is after your rigged and watching the show on the ramp. I find that hitting the ramp between noon and 3 pm the day before launching makes for an easier non stressful rigging time.


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## Pine (Aug 15, 2017)

MNichols said:


> That's the exact blower that I own, and it works like a champ! We'll only do about two boats on the four ampere hour battery though, springing for a six ampere hour battery is like a hundred bucks, way pricey


Our local D&B has a Dewalt sale every year where if you buy the tool they throw in a larger capacity batter for free. This year they had extra chargers marked down to $35 too.


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## protechie (Jun 16, 2005)

Lots of good suggestions on the electric blowers and pre-rigged straps. After years of no trailer, Ive had one the last several seasons and will never go back. If you have the manpower, inflate and rig the frame away from the ramp and then carry down and rig the rest. You might be able to hoist onto the roof rack and drive the inflated boat down from the parking lot. If not, work expeditiously and keep your gear consolidated. Try to get an outside lane (even wait for one) so that you can use the space off to the side and make sure you are only taking up one lane. And remember that smooth is fast. Work steady and develop a solid step by step system. Dont rush and feel pressured, that will only lead to less fun, more stress, and potential injury and broken gear, and it wont get the job done any faster. Yes, the fact that you care enough to be thinking of this ahead of time probably means you wont have any issues because you probably arent the type to slack off on the ramp to begin with. FWIW, I cant stand trailer snobs-elitists who think the ramp is only for them and think everyone else should be able to move their boats from the parking lot t to the water by magic. Id like to see them move their half ton bloated set ups without the electric wench and 18 rollers. Your pocketbook shouldnt dictate your access or how you are treated by fellow boaters. The flip side of the coin is not to be lazy, disorganized, and drunk on the ramp. Also, spend some time boating with current or former raft guides. They will quickly get you up to speed on what being expeditious and working purposefully really looks like. Finally, I know its not doable for everyone but if possible start saving up for a trailer and a place to keep it. Best upgrade you could possibly make. Saves your back and saves so much time for more fun on the water, such a huge stress and labor reliever.


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## Quiggle (Nov 18, 2012)

I've never owned a trailer, and most of my friends don't. As others have said don't rig on the actual ramp, just off the side in the dirt/gravel will work thou .I find that dialing in your rigging at home greatly speeds up you rigging process. blow your boat up some where you can tinker with it a for few days, leaving straps on your frame for coolers and dry boxes (or drop bags if that's your style)help speed up the process I can have my boat blown up and rigged in less than a hour. Keep your pile of gear tight at the put in and take out and make sure your helpers know that as well. I cant tell you how much gear has almost gone home with me due to people shit show at the take out. Also being at the ramp early gives you more room.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

If you do blow your boat up as you suggest, you sure as hell will be tinkering with it for a few days. I much prefer to inflate my raft lol


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## ol'scruffy (Jan 25, 2021)

mvb said:


> Hi all,
> 
> New young raft owner here who unfortunately lives in a small apartment without the ability to have a trailer. I have a storage unit where I keep my rolled 15 footer, drybox, cooler, frame, etc. The frame and oars can be strapped to my 4runner's roof rack, raft in the trunk, and cooler/dry box on a cargo hitch. But my question is what do you recommend for techniques on the boat ramp to minimize the amount of time/space/footprint that I occupy while setting up/tearing down? Those of you who don't own a trailer, any suggestions? Might be a dumb question but I would rather be harassed here than on the boat ramp--and I think "pace of play" is the first thing any person should learn with a new sport


When you get to put- in unload your gear to the farthest spot on the ramp (assuming they built a skirt extending laterally from the ramp) that way when you are rigging nobody is walking through your gear, piling their piles by your gear or people going through your gear. If the ramp has commercial guides sitting on their ass taking up the ramp space waiting for gear vans kick them off politely, they usually are ok people but as time goes on you will meet the egotistical pricks out there (and what is a hoot is that the crappiest guides are the ones usually who have the big ego problem, figure that one out! ) You might have yard all your gear 50ft down the skirt but it is worth it because you won't have groups standing over you trying to hurry you along. Relaxed rigging is great river karma. One other trick is to arrive the night before, rigging on a ramp early evening is great, plus nobody is usually there. Work towards a trailer, you'll never go back to ramp rigging. Buy a used snowmobile trailer and craft it how you want it. I haul my raft pretty much fully rigged to the put-in, finish the fine tune tweaking in the parking lot, back her in and I'm gone, 30 minutes at the most plus you get to scope the babes in the parking lot. The Salmon River in Idaho rules!


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## UseTheSpinMove (Nov 16, 2016)

After all of these years, I still don't have a trailer. It's a total pain and if I could buy one, I would... but, I have gotten pretty fast at rigging whether it's for a day trip or a long wilderness trip. Just takes practice and awareness of different ramps. Often, I find that I will rig a ways away from the ramp, where I'm not in the way, and then there's always people around that will help me drag my eventually-rigged boat over to the water (or in the case of a place like the MFS, to the boat slide). It always works out. Depending on what the first few miles of your day looks like, there's always Plan B, which is to just get your boat full of enough air to float and then throw all your crap in the middle and rig while you drift!  (PS this does not work on the MFS. Not even at all).


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## Down River Equipment (Apr 12, 2006)

If you by chance are with anyone that has a trailer, they can drop their boat and then you can rig your boat on their trailer in the parking lot. Then, have them take your boat down to the water.


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## choff1212 (Aug 5, 2019)

I have 2001 4runner that has the 12v outlet in the cargo area. Had a cheap Coleman 12v mattress inflator from walmart laying around so I clipped the wire and spliced in about 10' of speaker cord with heat shrink and heat shrink butt connectors. The cheap-o 12v and a K-pump make short work of inflating. 

Everyone's is spot on, especially if you can rig away from the ramp traffic. 
This is typically my method: Find a patch of land away the ramp (but close enough to walk the boat down), open beer, insert in kozie, inflate boat, strap the frame on, rig all your cooler/dry box straps, drop bags, loop straps for keeping lids secured, anything else you can rig without overloading with weight your carry team can handle, carry the boat down the ramp, shuttle your coolers boxes and bags down and drop them in your pre-rigged "landing zones". At this point you can open your next beer and give her a few top off k-pump strokes.


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## markhusbands (Aug 17, 2015)

mvb said:


> Hi all,
> 
> New young raft owner here who unfortunately lives in a small apartment without the ability to have a trailer. I have a storage unit where I keep my rolled 15 footer, drybox, cooler, frame, etc. The frame and oars can be strapped to my 4runner's roof rack, raft in the trunk, and cooler/dry box on a cargo hitch. But my question is what do you recommend for techniques on the boat ramp to minimize the amount of time/space/footprint that I occupy while setting up/tearing down? Those of you who don't own a trailer, any suggestions? Might be a dumb question but I would rather be harassed here than on the boat ramp--and I think "pace of play" is the first thing any person should learn with a new sport


I spent the last few years without a trailer. I did use a corded mini shop vac as a fast inflator/deflator (plugged into Tacoma outlet), and I just made sure to rig and derig along the edge of the ramp, stacking my stuff fairly close along the ramp's margin, so as to be sure there is always a lane open for loading trailers. And I talked to people...they understand as a rule that you have to get your stuff broken down and stored in a vehicle. And I volunteered to help people load or carry boats so everyone can just keep moving along and getting on down the road.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Lots of good info above about rigging at the ramps, etc. Funny that I've always considered a trailer a luxury. My thought is that everyone should spend their first few years without a trailer so they really appreciate it when they finally get one.


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## choff1212 (Aug 5, 2019)

Andy H. said:


> Lots of good info above about rigging at the ramps, etc. Funny that I've always considered a trailer a luxury. My thought is that everyone should spend their first few years without a trailer so they really appreciate it when they finally get one.


After 3 seasons of rolling the boat, I agree with this. Also this will be my first season with a trailer. Living the trailer-less life will help with making the most out of trailer organization I think.


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## markhusbands (Aug 17, 2015)

I just put a downpayment on a trailer as well. Easier getting on and off the water; more headaches all the rest of the time.


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## wdeutsch (Apr 27, 2020)

Lots of great advice above that's all spot on as far as I can tell. After years as a kayaker, I 'graduated' into pushing rubber this past year. I was fortunate to be able to watch everything to NOT do before I became a raft owner. 

Three things I have tried to do this year that seem to have worked well: 

1) Arrive _early_ at the ramp, before the rush. Sometimes that meant the night before, sometimes just really early in the morning.

2) Help other people while you're waiting for a ramp spot. If folks can see you're trying to make everyone's life easier, they tend not to yell as much if you take an extra minute or two. (Having cupcakes to give out tends to take the wind out of the sails of people who are determined to be mad at the world. Just sayin'.) 

3) Have a "Poor man's trailer", which is just a long bar with two wheels at the ends. I can inflate, add the frame, floors, and a few lighter odds/ends and then wheel the boat down the ramp during a gap in traffic. Then, I'll float it to the side and finish rigging there. It helps more launching than retrieving, mostly. As a bonus, I can use the "trailer" to launch places that trailers can't go. It's not so awesome at rough uphill recoveries, though. Still, it helps.


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## ol'scruffy (Jan 25, 2021)

UseTheSpinMove said:


> After all of these years, I still don't have a trailer. It's a total pain and if I could buy one, I would... but, I have gotten pretty fast at rigging whether it's for a day trip or a long wilderness trip. Just takes practice and awareness of different ramps. Often, I find that I will rig a ways away from the ramp, where I'm not in the way, and then there's always people around that will help me drag my eventually-rigged boat over to the water (or in the case of a place like the MFS, to the boat slide). It always works out. Depending on what the first few miles of your day looks like, there's always Plan B, which is to just get your boat full of enough air to float and then throw all your crap in the middle and rig while you drift!  (PS this does not work on the MFS. Not even at all).


Good reply- "Not even at all", thanks for the belly laugh, that first 8 miles of the MFSs is action packed, you have to be on it right from the git go. If you run the MFS again, search websites for boats eating it before you go, we went down 2-3 days after a J-Rig flipped and came out of there with a ton of loot that washed down river, that J-Rig was totaled, sliced up bad. Good luck on the trailer and keep stroking.


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

wdeutsch said:


> Three things I have tried to do this year that seem to have worked well:
> 1) Arrive _early_ at the ramp, before the rush. Sometimes that meant the night before, sometimes just really early in the morning.
> 2) Help other people while you're waiting for a ramp spot. If folks can see you're trying to make everyone's life easier, they tend not to yell as much if you take an extra minute or two. (Having cupcakes to give out tends to take the wind out of the sails of people who are determined to be mad at the world. Just sayin'.)
> 3) Have a "Poor man's trailer", which is just a long bar with two wheels at the ends.


*1,000% Agree with 1 & 2.* I sometimes have a 2nd boat to rig. I will usually start the rigging on that one the night before if possible, and either throw oto of trailered boat (if not camping at put in) or take 2 trips to camp (if staying near put in). Never handed out cupcakes, but might give it a shot. Maybe donuts? Or muffins? OOOooo! Croissants!!!

I also think SpinMove's plan B is warranted in some circumstances as well. If you know there's tons of flat water ahead of you and you're not waiting on shuttle, get the big stuff done at the ramp then rig-float. Another option - If you ARE waiting on shuttle, unload your pile where you plan to tie up that's off the ramp, put the blown up rubber in the H2O, then rig there in the rio out of high traffic zones.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

As wdeutsch and markhusbands noted, talk to and help other people. Kindness and communication goes a LONG way!!

Back in my own pre-trailer days when I was rolling and inflating, I would loan out my electric pump...and often found that people would bring it back with a beer..or we'd help each other inflate rafts so there was only one raft near the ramp, but with 3-4 pumps going on it.


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## mvb (Dec 6, 2020)

Thank you all for the advice, reassurance, and ideas! If you see someone at the put-in who is clearly a rigging noob but is at least out of the way, it might be me. Sierra Nevadas for whoever helps lug the boat to the water


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Read ‘Jeff Bennetts white water rafting book, it’s excellent information for someone starting out


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## sarahkonamojo (May 20, 2004)

All great advice.
Long time raft roller. We do own a trailer, but I rarely use it. And if I do, it is to haul 3 rolled rafts and frames. I share the trailer with work. I cannot store a raft on the trailer. My raft(s) "need" their own trailer. And a larger piece of property. 

Finally discovered the share a trailer at the ramp idea. Duh.

My advice is to spray paint the cams on your straps. Not the strap itself. (Pick your color and stick to it.) You can spot a stray strap from miles away. I am not a fan of the frayed ends of wind worn straps. I employ a rigging only strap bag. Frame straps, cooler straps, drybox straps, flip lines, oarkeepers, spare oar straps, etc. No general straps in the bag. You know you have finished the frame rigging when the bag is empty.

Enjoy the journey.
Sarah


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## BJ Nicholls (Jan 31, 2017)

I've carried a small 1.5-2.0 gallon wet/dry vac and a power inverter to inflate boats. I like the idea of cordless device, but I'd be inclined to look at cordless shop vacs over blowers. The hose on small shop vacs works to soft-inflate opened valves without any adapter. I have a trailer and carry my soft-rigged boat over the heavy gear, but we always have others on the trip with rolled boats and IKs to inflate. Lots of great advice here, and I now have some research to do on cordless vacs and blowers. We had a disaster once with the inverter clamped to a car's battery terminals, and a newbie helping to rig who yanked the inverter's cord into the fan belts of the running engine. Never underestimate the ability of inexperienced helpers to wreck havoc on a boat trip.


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

You are young. You should kayak.


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## ClC (Aug 27, 2020)

mvb said:


> Hi all,
> 
> New young raft owner here who unfortunately lives in a small apartment without the ability to have a trailer. I have a storage unit where I keep my rolled 15 footer, drybox, cooler, frame, etc. The frame and oars can be strapped to my 4runner's roof rack, raft in the trunk, and cooler/dry box on a cargo hitch. But my question is what do you recommend for techniques on the boat ramp to minimize the amount of time/space/footprint that I occupy while setting up/tearing down? Those of you who don't own a trailer, any suggestions? Might be a dumb question but I would rather be harassed here than on the boat ramp--and I think "pace of play" is the first thing any person should learn with a new sport
> 
> Take your time! Keep clear of the ramp...River put-in connections are some of the best ...so long as you’re mindful and courteous to others


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## BryanTBurke (Jun 14, 2020)

I've also made do without a trailer for years. The advice so far is great, here's a bit more. When you watch the people hogging a ramp and taking way too much time, it is often because they can't figure out where to put one last dry bag or a stack of buckets, or they make a bunch of trips back and forth with odds and ends. If you have everything organized in a way that makes it fast and easy to load (and unload, just as important) you are way ahead of a lot of boaters. Stay light, minimalize, and if you are bringing a friend along that you haven't run with, make sure they know exactly how much capacity they will be allowed and how you expect it to be packaged. Ideally you give them a dry bag and tell them that's their limit, which is what commercial trips do. In my opinion the biggest weakness in any rafting set-up is a massive, complicated kitchen and all the crap that comes with it. 

Going fast and light without a trailer also means you don't _need_ a ramp. Lots of put-ins have other options.


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## Uncle Steve (May 2, 2013)

Nice discussion. A couple of thoughts to add: 1. Using a 100db leaf-blower on the ramp is likely to be stressful for others; cordless inflators are kinder on the ears of your neighbors. 2. Carrying, arranging gear and rigging probably ought to take precedence over popping a cold one; I'd consider saving that pleasure for the moment when your rig is floating and off to the side.


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## mtriverrat (Jan 29, 2012)

Don’t make fun of me boys but I got color coded straps from strapworks. One color for frame to d rings, one for drop floor, one for oars, one for dry boxes, one for cooler. It makes it easier to rig fast and makes for a very colorful raft.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

mtriverrat said:


> Don’t make fun of me boys but I got color coded straps from strapworks. One color for frame to d rings, one for drop floor, one for oars, one for dry boxes, one for cooler. It makes it easier to rig fast and makes for a very colorful raft.


II wouldn't laugh at ya at all. Straps are expensive, even if you make your own, makes sense that you can identify them, not to mention speeding up your rigging. I don't know that I personally would use strapworks straps, not been super impressed with the ones I've seen, but they are better than a lot out there.


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## pmillerblaster (Jan 3, 2012)

Pine said:


> I would highly recommend picking up one of these cordless blowers. It comes with an attachment that works well on raft valves. It will inflate several boats on a single battery charge, and blows up a boat in just a few minutes. It is way easier to use than the type of inflators that connect to your car battery, more reliable and cheaper too. It is guaranteed to speed up your times at the put in ramp. You can also use it to deflate your boat quickly at the take out. You can gain huge karma points by helping other boaters inflate with it too.
> 
> Several other power tool manufacturers like Makita make similar products.
> 
> ...


The boat ramp is made for a vehicle with a trailer. As long as you are rigging in a spot that is NOT the boat ramp you're good. Enjoy the time and get ready to go. And if you're far from the water I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to get a few people to help you carry your raft when you're ready. I'd gladly help someone carry their ready to go raft if needed because that's way better than sitting in my rig waiting for someone to rig on the boat ramp.


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## dean999 (Aug 4, 2020)

I must be the odd one, love rigging in the morning on/near the ramp. Me and my two boys practice in the spring, making adjustments because we always have some new or different gear and some weird boat combination. Helps save time as we know how and what each of of is taking. We keep our gear tight, using oars to mark our territory. Just pick a spot as far off to the side as possible and relax and rig.


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