Trailer set up
rasbury
Member Posts: 8,410 ✭✭✭✭✭
I thought I posted this earlier but dont see it..
So got a message from @J3ff that he wanted pictures of my trailer set up..not sure mine is particularly set up correct so thought i'd post for him and others to provide input.
Mine works pretty good, I guess. I have no guides so as long as there is no wind or current I get it on ok by coasting it up under power and then crank it the rest of the...often backing the trailer in a little bit more and then hand cranking the rest of the way. I found if I just crank it, the bow will be on the roller but the aluminum trailer will flex so when I pull it out of the water and get it level, the bow is no longer on the roller and the boat will rock on the bunks. I have a "V" there in the front but have set that up so that if the bow is on the roller the hull is not resting on it. Have been told that the hull could be damaged going down the road if it is resting on that. Is there putting guides on a set up this big? My bass boat had PVC pipes that worked but with the weight of this boat, cant think of anything that would really work...
So got a message from @J3ff that he wanted pictures of my trailer set up..not sure mine is particularly set up correct so thought i'd post for him and others to provide input.
Mine works pretty good, I guess. I have no guides so as long as there is no wind or current I get it on ok by coasting it up under power and then crank it the rest of the...often backing the trailer in a little bit more and then hand cranking the rest of the way. I found if I just crank it, the bow will be on the roller but the aluminum trailer will flex so when I pull it out of the water and get it level, the bow is no longer on the roller and the boat will rock on the bunks. I have a "V" there in the front but have set that up so that if the bow is on the roller the hull is not resting on it. Have been told that the hull could be damaged going down the road if it is resting on that. Is there putting guides on a set up this big? My bass boat had PVC pipes that worked but with the weight of this boat, cant think of anything that would really work...
Comments
A bracket is mounted in front of the fender, and one behind it... they brace square tubing that has a marine carpet covered bunk that reaches a third of the way up your free board and about three or four inches from the hull... you adjust them by loosening the frame mounted bracket.
Some drill into the rail to mount them, but I believe it a better plan to use squared ubolts... you can find them at 4wd places that lift trucks with rediculous sized blocks under the springs... the ones they take off bigger trucks to replace them come cheap and are long enough in many cases. Stainless, too, often.
The top of the bracket arm should have the swinging type brackets so you can loosen them and flip them over when the boat is loaded and get to that area to clean.
The hand winch works just fine if you are not fighting skinny ramps or an improperly set up trailer.
I pull the trialer just deep enough that the v of the hull will hold the bow in place between the front two bunks. I then kill the engine and raise the outdrive.
I then monkey down over the bow rail onto the trailer and start the winch. Dont pull the boat up the bunks with the bow eye, just make it snug.
Once secure i back in another foot or two and winch the rest of the way on with little effort.. I then pull out making sure I'm even on the rear bunks. May take a time or two depending on wind/wake to get her right. If it's not right, back down into the water and pull back up the ramp.
Down where @J3ff and @rasbury are they have some skinny water and or tides.
I have the luxury of long deep ramps, can be 60 ft deep 30 ft off shore in some areas.
An electric winch might be mandatory for some of you guys. I dont super like an electric winch as some people hit a button and yank out a bow eye!
It does make launching a breeze. It's easier than my rinker
once it's on the tower roller (or just off), back the tow vehicle a couple feet backward to re-float the boat (if even just the transom)... SLOWLY move forward- the boat will right itself on the trailer... if it doesn't- (which it will if you pulled forward slow enough)- just do it again, pausing long enough between reverse and drive for the transom to lift...
IF the current or wind is strong enough, have a person stand on the downside of the wind/current and brace the hull from moving to that side, or tie off with a line and stand on the upcurrent/upwind side and hold it... it doesn't take much strength to do that. I've had my six year old daughter do it with the rope in strong current (because she wanted to) and she didn't struggle.
i don't recommend power loading, but i see it all the time... even right next to the 3x5 sign that says "NO POWER LOADING" at the foot of the ramp (washout)... I doubly don't recommend power dropping... and fortunately that isn't as common... those clowns back down the ramp and wet their bunks, then pull back up.... flip the rocker on their winches to release, and back down with some pretty good velocity just to stand on the brakes when they think the boat will float TOSSING it off the trailer.... I've even seen guys tie lines to the dock and their boat and do this after completely unclipping the winch- they simply (literally) launch, and then go park... then come back to the ramp and pull their boat in.... i don't have the ... ...... to do that... i can see SO many things that can go wrong.
But I agree. Set up the trialer for launching and it will make your life much easier.
Easy to move/adjust the bow stop post. I even cut about 4" off the top of the post with a cutting wheel to clear the anchor assembly.
It really comes down to the boat ramp & the drop of the ramp vs water level. Sometimes it hits, sometimes clears it easily.
We have two brand new ramps here in town and I only launch & retrieve once per season - the rest of the time the boat gets forked out & racked all summer indoors.
Still, at the trailer boat launch I use the windlass & drop the anchor - lift the anchor into the front of the boat before splash. It's a pain, but......
It looks to be on that trailer pretty good. Transom pic looks good too.
I have had the same issue with boat rocking if it's not tight to the bow stop. Good buddy of mine (owns a boat dealership) told me right when you retrieve & the bunks are wet - to find an empty parking lot & hit the brakes. Boat will slide fwd enough to get to the bow stop.
Takes some nerve with bigger boats. But it works perf.