help getting the boat on the trailer

haveing a hard time lately getting the boat on the trail staight. try to have every body evenly on the boat then pull out.but its not working. any tips would help.

Are you putting it on a trailer on a body of water that is moving, like a river? I always had to compensate for the current on our river and then as the boat was being pulled out, I would move to the back of the boat and try to use the trailer guide poles to center things up as the boat was still kind of floating and then have my buddy pull the boat out.

no river we are at the lake does any body think i should bring in the trailer guides more.

Sounds like you have the trailer in too deep.

i think so. how far do u want to put the trailer in the water.do u need to have water above or under the fenders of the trailer

Normally top of the fenders just above the water for shallow angle ramps or just below for steep ramps. If the ramp is really steep its sometimes better to load in two steps. Have the trailer with fenders out and power the boat on till it stops, then get the trailer dropped in deeper and power up the rest of the way. You can turn the ruddder to move the tail of the boat left or right once you are 3/4 or more on the trailer.

thanks for all the tips

I would be careful 'powering' it up on the trailer. Many people do it and there is nothing wrong with it, but any time you get that propeller spinning near a metal trailer, you are asking for trouble.

For instance... Although you will not hit the bottom of the trailer, you may very well tap the gas when the wheel is not straight and end up sliding a little further left or right that you wanted hitting the bunkers which is wood attached to metal. That kind of stuff bends up the prop. (I speak from experience)

My suggestion would be to bring it in slow... no faster than you want to crash into something. Then you can winch it in. There is a reason that strap is longer than 2 feet! After you get really good, you can grease it in with power.

yeah gabe your trailers in too deep, you do not want to "snug up" your guides it will mess up your rub rail, just leave the trailer a little further out(shallower), come in easy and let the boat settle on the bunks, then power easy up to the bow stop not too hard and with rudder straight...if you are helping to push by powering up as your tow vehicle moves up the ramp it may push you to one side, some ramps are harder than others...and even when you've done it 100 times right, it might still happen again...
your guides should have 1-2 inches freeplay each side...

and it just takes some getting used to

If you guys are having all these trailer troubles I think the main problem is your trailer guides, bunks, and/or guide posts are not adjusted correctly. I just drive my boat up on the trailer, the bunks and posts center it correctly everytime. No problems.

I always have everyone except the driver get off the boat before putting it on the trailer. Guarantees that the driver doesn't have any extra distractions from inside the boat and can help make sure the trailer is in the correct spot on the ramp before trying to put the boat on it.

This may take a few more secs.... but if your having trouble you can try this.

Have the trailer where the water is just on top of the fenders. Actually I usually have the front of the fender out of the water. Just depends how steep the ramp is. Coast onto the trailer. Then get out, hook up your winch. Have whoever is driving back down a bit more into the water and winch it the rest of the way.

This is a bit slower, but you gotta do what you gotta do, if you can't get it worked out. Good luck.

I do it exactly how Tanner does it....works for me everytime.
P.S. I used to power onto the trailer, but after hitting the bunks a couple times with the prop I had to figure out a better way.

these are all great tips.i will be trying them out next time i go out. thank you

We coast on to the trailer wich is about 1/2 way. Then we hook up the strap and winch it up as a driver gives gives it a little throttle. This seems to work ggod for us.

If your trailer is not in to deep you should never hit your bunks with the prop. As long as the boat can grab them the bunks will align you perfectly...

There are some good tips here, but most are overthinking the operation-no disrespect. I don't even use the fenders as a water guide. Ramps are all different, and you want your winch perch to be your guide-IMHO. Making people get out, is fine, but it doesn't really matter as long as they're in the back. The bunks and the boat landing aren't changing, because you have some crew aboard. You want drag your boat with your winch, is really just working (too)hard, when the boat will do the same work in a fraction of time. Coast in, sit on the bunks, check your guidepoles, make sure your square, and simply power up-straight up. You don't need full throttle here, just ease her up. Have your trailer bud, guide you into the last few feet, and "then" winch the last few inches, if you must. The winch is an "aid" not a course of action for trailering. Don't be scared either. I have never once, in years and years of putting my towboat on a trailer, cockeyed, in currents, etc, touched my prop to the trailer. Winching up, should be measured in inches, not feet. I routinely see owners, spending, 10-15-20 minutes, winching-moving trailers backwards and forwards, and that pains me to watch. Those are minutes that could be spent riding, not wastin on the ramp. Time is everything......

(Message edited by committed on June 05, 2007)

there are so many variables, single axle? dual axle? angle of ramp, depth in front of ramp...anybody launch at Garcia Bend at lowtide? you gotta back in your whole truck because of the sandbar sometimes...not rec for 2wd...