Still having trouble loading the Z6

[Gary Hunter]

Hey guys. I've had the 2011 Z6 on the water about 8 times this spring. Love the boat but I have trouble loading her back on the trailer every time. Wind or no wind. One of two things happens. Either it kicks to the right at the last second (missing the roller)or the nose comes in UNDER the roller. (and a fully loaded FG boat is hard to lift up onto the roller). If I keep too much of the trailer out of the water than I have to gun the piss out of her to get any where near the nose-roller.



I know it's a pain in the a$$ but could you tell me again how to get this boat back on the trailer? I watched a guy yesterday with a Z9 and he would not have cracked an egg between the nose and the front roller. Smooth and sweet. One crank and he was outta here.



thanks again.

 

[TRCM]

You have to figure out how deep to dunk the trailer.



The nose being under the roller means you had the trailer too deep. The boat kicking to one side or the other at the last minute is a trailer too deep as well.



I dunk mine all the way in to wet the bunks, then I pull up until the outermost bunk board on each side has about 3" showing above the water.



You want the boat to be on the bunks by the time it is 1/2-2/3 the way on the trailer. That way the bunks wil guid eit to the roller AND keep it from kicking over either way.



If you have the boat on the bunks, the only way it can 'kick' over is if you do it with the big motor by not havign it lined up straight.



You just have to figure out how far to back the trailer in (getting the bunks completely wet helps a lot with the gunning the piss out of it), and then do it that way every time.

 

[THOMMO59]

As TRCM said, you need to find the right depth etc for you. My 2011 Z6, not matter which ramp I use, I back it in until the tops of the mudguards are just above water level. Then cruise in slowly and the boat will generally come to rest as it bottoms on the bunks, most of the time, not lined up with the roller.

Then turn your steering whilst under power the centre the boat so it "aims" for the roller and slowly apply as much power as you need to push it up there, and sometimes that means giving it alot of stick.

I have found that if I drown my bunks in silicone spray, the boat goes on 50 times easier, and unloads 10 times easier. To unload I simply back down until the boat is almost wet, tie my rope from the boat the the trailer draw bar leaving miles off slack rope on the deck, I slowly reverse in until the boat is wet then jab the brakes. The boat glides gently off, I drive forward 10 feeet so me feet don't get wet, undo my rope and walk it around to the dock. Takes all of abot 60 secs and you back in your vehicle, heading for the car park.

 

[Jim B]

TRCM is 100% spot on tyou are in too deep for sure. Every single axle trailer i have owned or helped load including my current Z7 are all the same. I put them in until the top 3" or so of the fenders are out of the water on most ramps that leaves about 6" of the long bunks out of the water. It goes on straight every time doing that regardless of the angle of the ramp..

 

[Bill McElroy]

The best advice I can give you about loading a boat, is to "pay attention to when the boat JUST BEGINS to float when you're launching it!!" At that point,......get out of your truck and make a mental note of where the water line is on your fenders....that is the depth you will need to back it into when you want to load the boat back on. No more trial and error........it'll be perfect every time! With my boat,..I back it in so the water is right at the top of the fenders....



You need to know where on your trailer that "spot" is........

 

[Texas Transplant]

Much like the others, this is a trial and error process. Although a pain in the arse, set some time aside to go to a good ramp that you like to use in an 'off-time'; and unload/reload multiple times till you get the sweet spot.



I had an 18' Stratos and it did take awile, but as others I learned how much of the fenders (for my boat and trailer) needed to be showing. Get some reflective tape and do some tests. I also, when loading 'dunk' the entire trailer, pull back up and then ease back to loading position. Even taught my wife how to power load the boat in one attempt which of course would require the trailer to be in the right position.



Try the tape trick, since you seem to be struggling.



Tex

 

[Tornado]

I've had much better success when I trim the engine up just enough to raise the bow.

 

[David Peters]

I agree with everything all of you have said - a little knowledge help, a few tips and a lot of trial and error.

The thing that helped me the most was some advice I got when I was trying to load my boat by myself for the first time. Luckily there was a tournament bass fisherman loading next to me. He said all the same trailer/bunk stuff here but the one thing that made the light go on was my trim/tilt angle.

Make sure your motor is trimmed up. I trim mine just before the larger tilt hydraulic cylinder kicks in. Think of the lower unit and the prop shaft at a right angle with a imaginary line extending through the prop shaft. Now put and arrow on the line pointing away from the prop. This is the direction the motor will push the transom, the transom being the fulcrum point. With the motor raised just before the tilt cylinder kicks in, the prop is pushing the transom down and the bow up. This really helped me get my boat on the front roller.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Bill Smith4]

I solved the problem with roller bunks. Just be sure to kee the boat well secured when back down the ramp or moving forward. I back down to wher I stand in front of the trailer my feet dry and use the winch to gently pull boat on to trailer as it moves on and off so easy.

 

[edward hughes2]

on the single axle trailors ive owned,you leave about two inches of the fenders out of the water and give it a try,if yur boat comes up under the roller,yur in too deep,try three inches of fender out of the water,but keep one thing in mind,if you power load your boat,you are destroying the boat ramp,after you find out how much of your fenders to leave out of the water,line your boat up with the bunks,glide it up on the trailor,then crank it up with the winch like a man,dont power load,and destroy the boat ramp.

 

[Richard Hodge2]

I had some troubles at first and everything mentioned above helped, but also from this forum I discovered a product called Liquid Rollers. You spray it on dry bunks and let it dry and it dries quickly. This stuff works but works so very well that it makes me nervous when launching, but that's just me worrying. I even tried it on all the carpeted hatch doors from being new and somewhat sticky and there it did not work, but on bunks it's more slippery than.........well you can make up the rest
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/products/15770-liquid-rollers.html#.T9SaHtU9klI

 

[Gary Hunter]

Thanks guys. Great advice from all of you. (even Pecos).



I think I'll try some of that "Liquid Roller" spray and pay more attention to the depth of the trailer from now on. (and practice at a ramp when no ones around).



again, many thanks.

 

[Gary Hunter]

Update: Following the advice on this board and applying Liquid Rollers to the bunk boards I finally had a a great launch and reload yesterday. Just coasted the boat onto trailer, 2/3 cranks to lock the nose and I was already gone.

 

[THOMMO59]

Good stuff Gary, we van't buy Liquid Rollers over here thats why I use the silicone spray and it makes a world of difference. Glad you got it sorted.

 

[Gary Hunter]

Good to hear from you mate! Are you getting any bites "down under" or just joy riding in that Z6 with all those lovely maids begging to drive your boat?



Thanks again for all your help in getting me set up with my new boat and getting me ready to win the Bass Masters Classic. (I'll split the winnings with ya).



Cheers old man.

 

[THOMMO59]

I'll look forward to a huge pay check in the mail! Fishing is a bit quiet for me know it's the middle of winter and although we don't get snow or ice here on the coast, it's certainly quieter in the rivers. Having said that, still getting a few and some nice crabs.

Doing my best to wear out the Z6 and so far, all going very well. The silicone spray I use is a real cheap ass model for car tires but it's made a world of difference and at $3 a can, i'm pretty happy.



I'll be back over there for a holiday next year all going well, probably just the west coast so I'll definitely book some fishing if all goes well.

 

[THOMMO59]

I'll look forward to a huge pay check in the mail! Fishing is a bit quiet for me know it's the middle of winter and although we don't get snow or ice here on the coast, it's certainly quieter in the rivers. Having said that, still getting a few and some nice crabs.

Doing my best to wear out the Z6 and so far, all going very well. The silicone spray I use is a real cheap ass model for car tires but it's made a world of difference and at $3 a can, i'm pretty happy.



I'll be back over there for a holiday next year all going well, probably just the west coast so I'll definitely book some fishing if all goes well.