Abstract: A boat situated on a boat trailer is fitted with a launching rope, attached at one end to a bow eye on the boat and at another end to an eye bolt attached to the rear of the trailer. The rope is supported between its ends by one or more rope retention guides that are situated adjacent to obstacles on the trailer, notably the keel support rollers, that might otherwise interfere with the rope when the boat is launched. To launch the boat, the launching rope is secured to the bow eye and the eye bolt and the trailer is backed down a boat launching ramp to a point at which the bow of the boat is at the waters edge, at which point the winch cable and safety chain securing the boat to the trailer are detached. The boat may undergo spontaneous premature launch at this point, but if not, the trailer is backed farther into the water, allowing the boat to float free as the trailer enters deeper water.