need the guide or not, trailers

floater212

I have a 2005 captiva 212 xr1, I'm wondering if I should or can take the trailer guides at the back off? they are welded on 3/8 x 1 1/4" flat stock pre- bent with 3' or 4'  2"x4" carpeted guide, they really don't help because they bend under load to the point of 1 broken weld.  the only time I really need them is a river pick up, after a storm the day before, faster current. I usually have at least 2 of my boys to help. I have had a surgery on my shoulder so I'm not cranking it on the trailer anymore, but I figure if I'm on the dock and 1 boy is at the helm, 1 in the truck/ trailer I can take a line from the rear and straighten the boat parallel with trailer . what are your thoughts? just thinking it would also help in polishing the boat if they weren't there... a plus.

TikiHut2

Sounds like you're talking about horizontal side guides to align the boat as it loads. We trailer a much bigger boat with little/no assistance in just about any conditions and I couldn't imagine wrestling my boat in a tough spot without them. Maybe yours is easier but there may be a day when you don't have much help and that creaky shoulder won't appreciate your simplifying/eliminating a useful option.

If theyre not working because they're bent/broken/hosed then maybe just get some simpler vertical pipe guides rather than long horizontal side boards. Just sayin'. Mike

floater212

I've looked all over the internet for other guides and found that since I put on tall pvc guides, because I sink the bunks all the way to get my boat on, if I cut off the wooden bunk I still have guides for loading.  thanks guys for your input and NOW I think I got it covered.