Safety catch for launch and recovery

A marine ramp system for selectively preventing rollback of a water vessel during launching and retrieving to and from a body of water, the marine ramp system comprising:

• an inclined marine ramp arranged to support the water vessel during launching or retrieving, the inclined marine ramp comprising a substantially planar upper surface having one or more notched grooves formed therein, each of the one or more notched grooves further comprising:
• a first stop surface,
• a second stop surface extending at an obtuse angle from the first stop surface, and
• a slide surface;
• one or more safety catches adapted to be attached to a hull of the water vessel, each of the one or more safety catches arranged to be aligned with and received within one of the one or more notched grooves in the inclined marine ramp, wherein each safety catch comprises:
• a mounting bracket configured for attachment to the hull of the water vessel;
• a first support member attached to the mounting bracket;
• a second support member attached to the mounting bracket, the first and second support members forming a groove therebetween;
• a catch arm pivotally attached to each of the first support member and the second support member, the catch arm positioned within the groove and pivotable between a wedged position extending fully into the notched groove and a released position above the notched groove,
• wherein the catch arm, when disposed in the wedged position, is adapted to selectively prevent the water vessel from rolling back on the inclined marine ramp.