Trailer Loading Issues

[billys]

I am still pretty new to trailering my boat, and have been having some issues at certain boat ramps getting my 20i back onto the trailer. The general problem is that the nose of the boat is not coming up to meet the rubber guide at the front of the trailer. Do I need to have the trailer further out of the water in those cases? It's kind of bumming me out cause I end up doing more cranking than I should have to I think. Also, what is the best way to secure the boat to the trailer? Right now I am just using the cable in the front from the winch and the two tie downs in the back.

Any advice would be great!!! Thanks!

[chpthril]

Sounds like the trailer is not quite deep enough. It seems to work most of the time to have the water level right about at the top of the front trailer tires. I try to get the trailer deep enough to get the boat most of the way up there, but shallow enough that the bow will nest in the front bunks. If the trailer is too deep, you can over shoot the bow-stop and then the prop gets into the bunks. If it too shallow, your doing alot of hard cranking. It also helps to back the trailer in deep enough to wet the bunk, then pull out a little.

Does you trailer have an "Oh chit" chain for the bow eye?

[billys]

Thanks for the info. I had thought maybe I needed to be further in the water (it's a one axle Eagle trailer, BTW) and so had the wheels almost fully submerged. I then started thinking that maybe part of the problem is that in order to get the boat sitting properly on the bunks so that the nose actually rises to where it needs to be, perhaps I need the boat to be less floating in the water and more on the bunks & maybe using a bit more engine thrust to get the boat up there.

I guess this all depends a lot on the incline of the ramp in question too.... These are river ramps and tend to be a little on the steep side.

Does that make any sense?

Sounds like the trailer is not quite deep enough. It seems to work most of the time to have the water level right about at the top of the front trailer tires. I try to get the trailer deep enough to get the boat most of the way up there, but shallow enough that the bow will nest in the front bunks. If the trailer is too deep, you can over shoot the bow-stop and then the prop gets into the bunks. If it too shallow, your doing alot of hard cranking. It also helps to back the trailer in deep enough to wet the bunk, then pull out a little.

Does you trailer have an "Oh chit" chain for the bow eye?

[dogbert]

You're better off cranking it up than coming in to hot with a trailer that's too low. You have a lot of under water gear that can be damaged, so you need to take it easy. I usually have my trailer to where the fenders are just barely submerged...but that's my trailer. I'd gradually start dipping the trailer further in until it's right.

[da.bell]

^^^ Before I put the lead into my boat, we were doing the exact thing with the wheel wells. However, with adding the 720 lbs, the tailer has to go into the water a little more than it use to. IMO, start high and inch lower until you find the right spot. Come in slow and straight.

[Thomas Hohl]

That works well for me too on my 22ve. Back the trailer in until the fenders are barely covered (on my 2 axle). Better to be not deep enough than to have the trailer in too far. You basically just want some resistance (but not too much) on the carpet rails. If you go in too deep the boat really gets out of control and hits the stop in front and sits on the trailer crooked basically floating in thin air. Some slight resistance is critical to not having a bad day at the ramp.

Funny side note:
I have been telling my kids about the wild stuff that I have seen over the years at the "boat ramp". Like trucks being pulled into the lake by boats that are too big, transmission pawls slipping and submerging the tow vehicle etc. Now they want to hear a "boat ramp story" before bed lol

[hoopykat]

I usually have my trailer submerged to the tops of the fenders over the front wheels, and bring the boat onto the bunks about 5-6 feet from the winch. I have no problem winching the boat onto the trailer the rest of the way, especially since I am a big guy, and the extra weight that is out of the boat when I jump out to do the winching makes it a lot easier to get the boat all the way on the trailer...bow hook at the winch. Don't be afraid to winch the boat; that's what the bow hook is for. Just make sure there's enough water under the boat to make it easier for you.

-Mike

[TRD]

Billy,

if you have a dorsey single axle trailer you have the same issue I do.

I always have someone standing watching my eye loop, I come on the trailer as slow as I can w/out letting the boat drift. My fenders are just at the top of the water. This person will direct my into my loop, depending on how rough the water is it may take a couple of times to hit it straight. What I don't like about mine is when I am in if I put the throttle in neutral the boat will slide back into the water so I always have to keep it in gear and run up and hook everything on tight before shutting the boat off. Hope this helps.

Mike,
I may try your idea. I use to do this w/ my old boat but it had rollers and this one doesn't, so I didn't think it would work on this boat.

Thanks

[ajholt7]

Believe me, you would rather be winching it than to do what I did last week. See post(Where to buy a prop).

[billys]

Thank you all for the info. It is very helpful. The biggest issue that I have is this strange situation where the nose of the boat is usually riding too low once i am positioned on the trailer. And that is thing that has me scratching my head the most. At first I thought "ah, i need to back the trailer a little further into the water". But I think I am realizing that in fact I overshot and need to be a little further out of the water so I get more onto the bunks.

Chpthril - I don;t think I have an "Oh chit" chain. Is that something I ought to get? I assume that is a safety that goes to the eye on the trailer in case the winch lets go?

Thanks again.

[billys]

That is great! My kids give me endless grief every time anything "funny" happens with the boat (and there already seems to be no place more rich for fodder than the boat ramp) Last year (my first w/boat) I kept the boat in the water at a local marina on the river, and even that was rich as whenever we'd come in to dock the boat and the water was running higher or there was wind, it could become quite a spectacle getting into our slip. And of course, as fate would have it, our slip was "center court" below the restaurant eating deck so we definitely provided some good laughs for the diners. I just hope none of them owned any of the boats moored next to ours

Funny side note:
I have been telling my kids about the wild stuff that I have seen over the years at the "boat ramp". Like trucks being pulled into the lake by boats that are too big, transmission pawls slipping and submerging the tow vehicle etc. Now they want to hear a "boat ramp story" before bed lol

[Thomas Hohl]

That is great! My kids give me endless grief every time anything "funny" happens with the boat (and there already seems to be no place more rich for fodder than the boat ramp) Last year (my first w/boat) I kept the boat in the water at a local marina on the river, and even that was rich as whenever we'd come in to dock the boat and the water was running higher or there was wind, it could become quite a spectacle getting into our slip. And of course, as fate would have it, our slip was "center court" below the restaurant eating deck so we definitely provided some good laughs for the diners. I just hope none of them owned any of the boats moored next to ours

Yep add a restaurant as a spectators platform and you have the "Perfect Storm". One of the funniest ones I ever saw was the poor guy and his wife loading a boat. A perfect storm at its best was brewing here. It was raining, the truck had a 3 on the tree, the wife was driving the truck with a clutch, and the boat was heavy. A truly "Perfect Storm"
Poor woman ground the entire gear train out of the transmission as the husband yelled at her to go forward, not backwards. Inch by inch the truck made it's way into the water until finally she came out of truck through the window(after lightly setting the parking brake) and the entire rig ended up in the lake.
It was one of those "I feel sorry for them but I ain't gittin' in the middle of that one"
Poor guy probably never got laid again...

[chpthril]

Thank you all for the info. It is very helpful. The biggest issue that I have is this strange situation where the nose of the boat is usually riding too low once i am positioned on the trailer. And that is thing that has me scratching my head the most. At first I thought "ah, i need to back the trailer a little further into the water". But I think I am realizing that in fact I overshot and need to be a little further out of the water so I get more onto the bunks.

Chpthril - I don;t think I have an "Oh chit" chain. Is that something I ought to get? I assume that is a safety that goes to the eye on the trailer in case the winch lets go?

Thanks again.

I dont trust the winch to hold the bow down any more after having strap break just going down the hiway. It's not fun to look back in the mirror and see the bow bouncing up and down.

There should be a place on the trailer near the winch stand to attach a chain. needs to be just long enough to hook the bow eye when the boat is loaded.

[jake's02-22i]

http://www.boatersworld.com/product/...%3Bcitie-downs

this is a nice bow strap

[kko]

I also go with the just when the top of the fenders go under water,maybe just the very tippy top of the front of the fender showing.then drive the boat in slowly let it settle and center itself then power up until the eye hook hits the roller i leave a little power on to hold it all the way in then walk to the front and hook strap and give the handle a crank tight.walk back goto neutral shut boat off stand in the center tell wife to pull truck forward.Works like a charm for me on every ramp i have been on.The key is to come in as slow as you can and let the boat settle/center itself then drive it up.Keep practicing you will get the hang of it.