Pin on the Mastercraft trailer ???

(melissad) · (melissad) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-05-2005, 8:47 AM

Does anybody use that pin to hold the boat on the mastercraft trailer? We have it to hook through the boat on the front of the hull, but I can't seem to get it to "pop" automatically when the boat hits it...I have to try to "pop" it myself when the boat gets up there.

Am I doing it wrong? I put the trailer slightly out of the water and then my husband drives the boat up, but the pin just doesn't close by itself. I thought that was the point of it, so you can clip the boat in and not have to get in the water???

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Melissa

(jon_a) · (jon_a) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 10-05-2005, 8:51 AM

I am assuming you are talking about a Boat Buddy. Make sure your pin is in the right setting while loading. There are three positions for the pin, open, closed, and set. Make sure the pin is in the set position while loading. If it is in the open position, it will do nothing.

(melissad) · (melissad) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-05-2005, 8:59 AM

Oh there are 3 settings? It seems like there are just 2...how do you know it's in the set position?

(big_ed_x2) · (big_ed_x2) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 10-05-2005, 9:41 AM

open it and you can go 2 ways with it,pulling it toward you puts it in a open position however instead of going towards you...go away from you and that is the set position.Just kind of squat down and look.hope that makes sense

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 10-05-2005, 9:43 AM

yeah pull it toward you, then rotate the handle toward the boat. This is the "set" position.

(melissad) · (melissad) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-05-2005, 9:50 AM

Cool, thanks guys. I have been pulling the pin towards me (away from the boat) and rotating it up so I guess that is in the open position. I'll look tonight and try to figure it out.

Thanks again!

jesiday 10-05-2005, 10:06 AM

Melissa,
I don't know how old your Boat Buddy is, but ours has a picture on the side...granted it's a really hard to see picture. I have to look at the d**** thing every time to set it right. Although, sometimes (especially if we crank up the boat by hand) I have to manually release it. It's very handy, just a pain to remember... but then, it could be my ADD!
-jesi

(melissad) · (melissad) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-05-2005, 10:12 AM

I'm not sure how old it is...I'll definitely look for a picture though. As of right now, it's just luck of the draw whether or not I get the pin thru the bow eye on the first time...usually I don't but last weekend I was lucky! :-)

Thanks Jesi.

Did you get my email btw? I know, I'm lame :-)

jesiday 10-05-2005, 10:19 AM

Yeah, I got it. I'm trying to get some 'real' pics of Tim and I. I hate the ones that end up on WW.com!!! I'm never in control of them!
BTW...you daughter is adorable!
-jesi

(melissad) · (melissad) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-05-2005, 10:24 AM

haha I told you you didn't have to say that! but thanks :-)

why do you hate the ww ones? They're cute :-)

(dococ) · (dococ) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 10-05-2005, 5:36 PM

You probably just need to figure out the setting, as mentioned. The other thing is that I've had those mechanisms bend and jam before, and had to get a new one from MC. They're not cheap. Hopefully you won't need to do that.

(melissad) · (melissad) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-05-2005, 6:48 PM

Hey everyone, Just wanted to say thanks for all the help. I came home today and checked it out...we were definitely putting it in the on position rather than the set position. Can't wait to try it out next weekend to see if that does the trick!

Thanks again!!!

Doc. Octogon,

Yes I have noticed it's not the easiest to pull and put in the correct position, hopefully it won't bend...but as of now it's not so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

-Melissa

(big_ed_x2) · (big_ed_x2) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 10-05-2005, 6:51 PM

put WD-40 on it from time to time.

(melissad) · (melissad) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-05-2005, 6:54 PM

oh that's a good idea, thanks Big Ed :-)

(gtaussie15) · (gtaussie15) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 10-05-2005, 7:37 PM

yeh I just sprayed mine down with WD40 last week and it slides out so smoothly now. An there should be a diagram on the side telling you which is set and which is open.

(melissad) · (melissad) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-05-2005, 7:39 PM

Yeah a diagram definitely would have been helpful on mine (or a previous boat owner who actually knew how to use it :-)

), although from above it seems like on newer ones it comes with it ??? (Jesi's post)

(detonate69) · (detonate69) **Join Date: Apr 2001** 10-06-2005, 11:32 AM

Another thing I do to keep it from getting messed up is not towing with it closed. After I get the boat out of the water I hook up the strap and crank it enough that I can Open the boat buddy. This way when towing over bumps and such it doesn't get unnecesary (sp?) stress placed on it.

(melissad) · (melissad) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-06-2005, 11:49 AM

Oh yeah we definitely don't tow with it closed. We just close it when we pull the boat out of the water and then we have it open the rest of the time with the straps (front and transom) holding the boat...

(pittsy) · (pittsy) **Join Date: Apr 2004** 10-06-2005, 8:58 PM

oh the boat buddy brings back great memories..i bent two of them...now i never use it...

(easyrider) · (easyrider) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 10-06-2005, 9:06 PM

It's so easy...have the person thats getting the truck put it in set...then back it down, 'pop'...and your off the ramp. We continually have people amazed how we get out so fast...literally like 20 secs. Then while your wiping the boat down and putting straps on...just put it to 'safety'. If you get used to it, its the best thing around...