Trailer guide posts
 

Not that I want to find out...but is it possible to hit the prop on the "prop cage" on a trailer or should the guide posts prevent that from happening? It looks like there isn't much room for error when it's on the trailer...It would be nice if the guide posts prevented lateral movement when trailering your boat, just not sure.

Measure the distance from your rubrail to the guide post. Then measure the distance from your prop to the frame. If the distance from your prop to the frame is greater than the distance from your rubrail to the guide post, it should be nearly impossible to hit your prop..... (Unless you hit the guide post really hard and bend it.)

Usually the cage is way too far down in the water to even come close.

just remember-- loading ramps are at a decent angle. the boat is coming in horizontal. there is no real way for the prop to hit the trailer.

I know someone that said they hit their prop on their trailer when loading, I don't know the detail but that is what he said. It was a friend of mine when I was looking to buy their boat. I would be cautious and measure to make you feel better and be on the safe side.

It can happen if the trailer is in too deep on a steep ramp. Also depnds on the angle of approach to the trailer also. I did it once on a steep ramp. You usually don't hit the prop gaurd though, it's usually one of the bunk supports or something else, prop gaurd is too deep.

We repaired 3 props in the first season we owned our boat. My wife and I had a 2000 MB B52 before we bought our Supra 21v and it was like night and day loading. With the MB, you just had to hit the trailer and the bunks would straighten you out and it was money every time. If our Supra is the least bit crooked coming into the trailer, it will keep going crooked and miss the boat buddy and the prop was history! After the 3rd prop, we spent one whole evening loading and unloading, playing with the depth of the trailer using the damaged prop. It all depends on the boat and trailer.

I always tell my driver to back the trailer down and leave about 1 inch of trailer fender out of the water. That gets me about 3/4 of the way on the trailer and perfectly straight each time. I then hand wave him back down about another 1-2 feet at which point, I drive the rest of the way on. Works for me each time this way especially in choppy, windy, or strong current water.

Mine got bent just last weekend from the trailer. He did come in crooked though, but there's red paint on the prop. Whoops

Yes, you can hit the top of the prop gaurd. A friend drove mine onto the trailer and tried to throttle it forward. Bent the prop, shaft, strut and damaged the packing gland. It was about a 2K repair. Now I winch it onto the trailer. :o

Jesse