With dozens of launches and retrieves at both the North Haven and Outer Harbor boar ramps in the past 2 months, we’ve really come to appreciate the value of the Release & Retrieve Boat Latch fitted to our Dunbier trailer.

Designed and manufactured by local inventor Geoff Davis, this clever gadget takes most of the hard work (and wet feet!) out of putting the Stabi-Craft in and out of the water. I’m never keen on getting the tootsies damp in winter time and I send Geoff a silent “thank you” whenever we’re at the ramp before or after a fishing session.

He has certainly made a lot of improvement to the design of the product since it first appeared a few years ago and I can’t imagine launching or retrieving now without it.

I picked this particular unit as it was the easiest to fit to my boat and trailer. It still meant I needed to change my winch post, however this was the extent of the major changes or modifications required to fit the unit.

With the lever set to launching position I backed the boat down the ramp. The downward angle of the ramp ensured the snare had weight on it and the latch was engaged. I then felt safe enough to undo the safety chain. The boat was backed into the water, the engine fired up, and then placed into gear. You simply apply enough throttle to drive the boat against the winch post and with this you hear the latch decouple from the snare. Back off the throttle and return to natural and away the boat went down the trailer into the water. Too easy.

On retrieval, the lever is set to the retrieve position and again the trailer placed in the water. The boat is slowly driven onto the trailer, ensuring the boat is centred in the rollers/skids then light throttle is applied, enough to get you all the way up to the winch post. As soon as you touch the bow roller you hear and feel the latch spring shut as it catches the new bow eye. Ease the throttle off, and sure enough you’re secured to the winch post. Drive the trailer up the ramp just a little, put the safety chain on, and you’re done. No stress, no swearing, no divorce, everyone is happy.

I couldn’t recommend you put one of these systems on your boat highly enough. In the time we’ve had ours, it has alleviated so much of the stress around these parts of our day. These systems have made boat ownership that much more pleasurable.

Dealing with your boat at a crowded ramp can be one of the most stressful aspects of a day on the water, but the innovative Launch and Retrieve Boat Latch is an Australian invention that will take much of the angst out of the experience.

Sure, the Boat Latch won’t do anything about long queues to use the ramp and inconsiderate behaviour from other boaties, but it will mean getting your boat in and out of the water will be a much less stressful, much dryer and less dangerous experience. Not only that, it makes launching boats, winches and chains a thing of the past.

The Boat Latch has been called a “marriage saver” and it is not hard to see why. With a Boat Latch fitted to your trailer, launching and retrieving becomes a one-person job.

Respected fishing writer and SA Angler editor Shane Mensforth is an unabashed fan of Mr Davis’s invention, describing it as “one of the best investments I ever made”.

Biting the bullet and convincing my other half of the huge benefits of avoiding domestics at the boat ramp I did the deed and placed an order.

The unit has an elongated catch ring. This is what caught my eye in the first place, as I have had experiences where the boat ramp was excessively steep and the hook on the catch is either above or below the ring and it will not catch. Should you then manually winch the boat onto the trailer, when you drive out and the transom settles the ring damages the hook.

The oblong ring alleviates this problem and gives it more scope to receive the hook.When it is all set up, launch and retrieve the boat with an observer at the winch post. After connecting with the trailer drive forward until a metre from the winch post and let the boat settle on the rollers, then gently power forward. Should you gun the boat all the way the bow up attitude will have the retainer ring well above the hook and when it all falls heavily as power is removed, the result will be damage to the hull or catch assembly.

Once caught on the hook, the boat can be powered off, and motor tilted up. Attach the safety chain and tow away onto the hard (parking area).

This bow retainer set-up has to be a marriage saver!

I fitted a great locally designed gadget to the front of my boat and about 200 launches down the track I can report that it’s one of the best investments I ever made. The patented Release and Retrieve Boat Latch is by far the cleverest device of its kind. Constructed from high-quality marine-grade stainless steel, it is designed to eliminate most of the problems associated with drive-drive off trailers.

It takes about 30 minutes to fit it to the bow of most trailer craft [aluminium or fibreglass] and then remains as a permanent fixture. It consists of two components – a latch assembly that is attached to the trailer winch post and a snare that’s fitted to the existing bow hook of the boat. When it’s time to launch the boat, the trailer is reversed to the water’s edge with the latch in the locked position.

The original safety chain is then removed and the winch is released so that the boat can move back and be caught by the latch. At this point the trailer winch cable hook can be disengaged and the latch lever moved to the release position. Next step is to reverse until the boat is in the water, start the motor and then power slightly forward. This enables the latch to automatically release and the boat should glide off the trailer.

Retrieving is the reverse process. In a traditional drive on retrieval, it’s necessary for the driver to maintain outboard power to hold the boat’s bow in place while someone hooks up the winch cable and safety chain, but this device does away with all this.

I’ve completed my fair share of boat modifications over the years, and it’s fair to say that the addition of an L&R Boat Latch easily falls within the top two. This device has changed the way we navigate the process of launching and retrieving our boat at the ramp, reducing both time and stress levels along the way.

The system itself is simple, yet extremely robust and well braced, and there is next to nothing required as far as long-term maintenance and consumables go. As an aftermarket addition there are versions to suit both aluminium and fibreglass boat owners, with plenty of information available on their website for interested punters to inspect before committing to the purchase. Installation instructions are clearcut. and the whole process easily falls within the skill set of your average DIY’er.

Retrieval is just as simple, although you do need to be in tune with your own trailer and setup for this to go smoothly, as not all are designed for driving on. The trailer also needs to be well aligned to allow your boat to come on straight in order to engage the latch correctly.

With little in the way of setup, and with a very affordable price tag, it really is a no-brainer to consider an L&R Boat Latch for your pride and joy. The only gripe I have is not having installed one earlier!

My partner and I have the boat latch on our set up and we couldn’t live without it! As we know boat ramps are the epitome of stress, there is always a line up of boats waiting to get in and out of the water and you’re always feeling the pressure.

Let me tell you we have seen some things at boat ramps. The boat latch makes this job seamless for us, Josh can do the entire process himself. Nobody likes getting in the water and getting half soaked at 4am in the dark. Not to mention my phobia of crocodiles while we are up in North Queensland. We couldn’t recommend or live without the boat latch and couldn’t guarantee that everybody needs one themselves!!!

I have got to say that the launch and retrieve system is an absolute beauty. I quite often launch and retrieve my boat by myself and it makes the start of the fishing trip dry and hassle free and at the end of the day I’m in and away whilst others are getting wet, cold and frustrated. After a year or more of use it is blemish free and a testament to the quality of the stainless used and the build quality.

It’s three years since I installed the Release and Retrieve Boat Latch to my 5.5 metre AMM plate boat and another to a 7.4m AMM Tournament boat. Boating at the ramp cannot get any easier, simpler or expedient utilising this boat latch. While everyone else is doing battle with winch handles, ropes and chains. I am either boating over the horizon or on the way home.

Hello. Last weekend I installed the latch. I must repeat what other of your customers already have said: “This was the best investment for my boat”.

Easy out and easy in. Thanks for your support.

Hi Guys, I bought one of your latches from your stall at the Brisbane Boat Show this year to install on my new 560c Barcrusher. The installation of it was so easy. No spacer plates or extra welds were needed as it fitted perfectly. I am now the envy of boat owners at the Hervey Bay Boat Club ramp as I launch and retrieve my boat by myself with ease.

Hi Geoff, I just wanted to let you know that I purchased the “Boat latch” last week from Tamar Marine in Launceston fitted it the next day and it worked perfectly on the first launch and retrieve.

I have bought a lot of boat “Gadgets” in my time and I must say that this is one of the best things I have brought in a long time. Many Thanks.