Is this the way the boat is supposed to load?

[Mark Hofman]

I can't figure this one out. I pull the boat up onto the trailer and make contact with the roller. Attach and tighten the winch strap and then pull up the ramp. When I get back home and put the boat in the garage, I remove the tie-downs and the winch strap to ease the stress on the hull. Then I notice that there is about a 1" to 2" gap between the bow and the bow roller! It's like the boat didn't slide all the way up the bunkers.



Wassup with that? Does this happen with all v-hulls? Should I not worry about it?



Mark

 

[Bill McElroy]

Just make sure the boat is all the way up on the bunks,,,,,look at the transom and make sure you can see some of the bunk ends sticking out past the transom. This ensures that the transom will not develop "cupping". Your bow strap could be stretching too,....and that could account for the slight slipping that you're noticing. The bow eye making contact with the roller is not as important as making sure it's all the way up on the bunks,....but, bow eye contact with the roller ENSURES that you're all the way up. Just check the transom,,,,if it's all the way up on the bunks and you can see some of the bunk sticking out past the transom,,..NO WORRIES Mate!!

Mac

 

[Mark Hofman]

The bow eye is snugged down tight to the bow roller by the strap while I'm towing. But after I'm home and the boat is safely in the garage, I release the winch and the bow eye pops up and back off the roller about an inch.



This last time, I put jack stands under the back frame of the trailer, then lowered the bow with the dolly wheel crank and -- BAM! -- the boat slipped forward just enough so that the gap was gone. It makes me think that I'm not forcing the bow eye far enough with the motor when I pull up onto the trailer.



Should I leave it in gear at high idle while I attach the winch strap?

 

[Bill McElroy]

That's true Rick,..you will get some bow bounce if the strap isn't tightened VERY tight as it should be...but an inch or so shouldn't be a problem. Mo,...why do you undo the straps anyway??...They aren't going to add any additional stress to the bow or transom by leaving them tightened. Just curious,...nothing wrong with doing it, it just requires more stuff to remember to do "before and after you go fishin'!"..LOL

 

[Mark Hofman]

Honestly, I undo the straps because its a brand new boat and the manual tells me to. I'm not being flippant, Mac, I just want to keep the boat as long as possible. The manual says that releasing the tension on the straps will relieve some of the pressure on the eye bolts and tie down points while the boat is in storage.



I'm probably too anal about stuff like this, but I actually have an aircraft-style checklist on my Palm Pilot which helps me remember to do everything suggested by the manual(like re-install the batteries and put the plug in!).



I noticed that, when I tighten the winch strap down, the bow eye pulls on the keel and I don't want to snap any welds. I'd rather have the strap holding the bow tight to the roller than pulling the bow down onto the roller. Make sense?

 

[Bill McElroy]

Yepp...sure does,...I was just curious. Thanks for the enlightenment!!

 

[Mark Hofman]

Right now the boat is up on jack stands for the winter.



When its off the blocks I'll probably just pop the winch latch to release the tension and do the same with the transom straps. Won't take 'em off completely, but I intend to take the pressure off of tie-down bolts. Maybe fiberglass "gives" more than aluminum, or at least spreads the stress over a wider area through the fibers.



What's your opinion about leaving the boat in gear while I connect the winch strap, to keep the boat from sliding back on the bunkers before the strap is tight? Safe or no?



The other solution I thought might work would be to get the speed up on the truck and then hit the brakes pretty good with the transom straps a bit loose. The momentum may force the boat forward that last inch and then I can snug everything down good and tight.

 

[Bill McElroy]

No need to do all of that,...just try backing the trailer in a little deeper,...you should be able to drive right up on the trailer and have the bow eye just bump the roller,...then pull out and fasten down!!

If you have rollers, then you deffientely have to secure the bow strap first,....but the weight of the boat alone should keep you from sliding off the carpet bunks. I'd try backing the trailer in another foot or so and see if that makes loading easier. Hitting the brakes and trying to get the boat to slide will just put undo stress on your hitch and reciever, and brake pads...i deffientely wouldn't do that!!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

My super guide used to do the same thing. I read somewhere that when sitting, you should always take the pressure off your winch strap by releasing it anyhow. It helps it to last longer.

Rob

 

[TrepMan]

Now it's only 2 years old, but i've always submerged my hub/spindles each time. Put the trailer in up to just about the top of the fender (took a few times to get the right depth per ramp) going in/out. I power up till the bow eye is touching or as close as I can get it to the roller. Except for those time when the lake levels are so low that I can not get the trailer deep enough without floating my wife's van. And then I power her up as far as I can and then winch it up.



The only concern i've heard/had on spaying silicone on the bunks would be if you accidentaly forgot to hook up the bow eye pulling out, OR unhooked it BEFORE backing down, you might loose the boat on the ramp.



My partner and I have gotten a system down for quick unloading during busy ramp time, where we prep the boat in line and unhook the bow eye/winch strap (and REMEMBER to unhook the transom tie downs, real easy now with the boat buckles) and he just "dumps" me in the lake and pulls back out. The first few times we did this my stomache cramped as he backed down praying that it would not slide off the bunk!



Now my 14ft johnboat I left (as I do my 175) winched tightly at front and the transon tiedowns all times she is out of the water, and have yet to have a problem. Granted I don't leave the boat out of the water for more then a few weeks at a time (longest was probably 6 weeks).

 

[Mark Hofman]

This whole discussion is part of the reason I posted the inquiry about the Boat Buddy I or II. Drive up the bunkers and *click*, you're hooked up. But with the potential to bend the pin, and yet one more mechanical thing to break or maintain, I've decided to pass on it.



I'll try your suggestions at the beginning of February when we take 'er out again. Thanks for all of the input!



Mark

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Mac, I try that, but when I throttle up to push the rig to the eye, the torque forces my trim down to where the prop almost hits. Is my trim unit not powerful enough to hold the 150 up. I have seen new 225's that stay up under the gun and force the nose of that boat into the air before the trim lets go! Any ideas?

 

[Mark Hofman]

Mac,



I understand you can't just drive up on the trailer without putting at least the stern keel roller and a couple of feet of the bunkers in the water. I try to submerge the wheels no more than half way and keep the guide bunks high enough to assist with the positioning of the boat.



I remember seeing something about trailers (Shorelander? I don't remember) that said you shouldn't submerge the wheels on that particular brand. My hubs can be submerged; but I want to keep that to a minimum.



Also, please understand that I just went from using a boat that has a 25 hp Mariner tiller and a top speed of MAYBE 25 mph, to a boat that has a 150, steering wheel, and goes nearly 60. I'm just nervous about breaking something with that much gitty-up-and-go. On the john boat, we could run the bow OVER the bow stop and it wouldn't do much except make us list until someone waded in and shoved us off it.



For me, this is a whole new ball game. (I won't even get into my nightmares about chine walking!)

 

[Tom(fishfafun) Lutz]

Mark,



All good suggestions, or at least most of them (no silicone for me), just dunk the trailer all the way in and wet the bunks first then pull out to a good position and drive her right up. Wet bunks help it slip in easier.



Rob,



Never had that trim problem with my 135? Trim it up some and never have a problem on shallower ramps. Maybe your trim has a problem? I watched a guy next to me at a ramp try to load his 200 without trimming his up and he had to get his skeg repaired, lost about 2 inches.



Tom(fishfafun)

 

[Bill McElroy]

That's a good suggestion Tom,...wet bunks are deffinetely easier. Mo,..I feel your pain,...and I know exactly what you're going through,...I went from a 50hp to a 150 in one jump.....i can totally relate to the "nerves and chine walking issues!". It's so hard trying to "describe" how to do something like loading a boat on a trailer,.....sure wish you were close so i could show you in person,....you'd end up saying,.."Wow,...that's easy,...sure beats cranking it up by hand!!"....LOL All I can say is keep backing the trailer in a little deeper at a time until you find the perfect depth to "drive on",..then you could make a mental note to yourself where the water is on the fenders etc. or perhaps add a BPS decal on your fender as a marker,..and you'll nail it every time!! It really is easy....practice makes perfect!!

As far as your trim,....I'd get that checked,....if it doesn't hold your motor up...even while in gear,..it's either low on fluid or has a leaky seal.....i'd get that checked soon!! Keep the faith dude,...you'll be a pro in no time!!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

It was me with the trim Mac. It trims up fine, even while running, but that's only marginal amounts mind you. But at the ramp, I trim it up pretty high for safe measure. The lower unit is still submerged. But once my hull hits the bunks and I have to throttle it to push the boat on, the extra throttle pushes the motor back down to low trim set, which gets a little close to the bottom for me? Looked for leaks, can't find any, and fluid is full?

 

[Sam Elkins]

Rob, You're probably trying to load the boat with the motor in the tilt position up past the trim limit. The trim aspect will keep the motor in position even under torque but the tilt aspect will only hold the motor up when it's not under torque. What's happening is when you give it throttle it's under torque and goes back down to the trim limit. At most ramps you should be able to drive on in the trim position without a problem with the water pickups being out of the water. Hope that made sense?

 

[Rob LaMoy]

It did thanks. That was my guess, but I wasn't positive. Going from the one trim rod down to two, sounds about right. I'll have to try it this year, then stop and jump in once it hits the lower rods and see how much clearance I have. Should be able to drive all the way on right?