Hi all, every time I launch or retrieve my boat at the ramp I have to bascally put my bumper and the whole trailer under water while we load it and crank it down, I have seen a boat or two be driven up on the trailer, no many, is there a trick to driving it up on the trailer so I do not have to submerge my trailer and my bumper, it seems I have no choice to get the boat far enough up on the trailer, any suggestions ? The place where I got my trailer fixed, was asking, and I really have to back my truck way into the water to properly position the trailer to tow it out ?
Boat Launching question ?
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Bryan 2530
Well-known member
Sounds like you have a bunk trailer??
I do and have found the same thing, although I only launch and retrieve one time a year so not as big of a deal for me.
I have been considering putting trailer slides on my forward bunk to get it to slide a little easier. Plus the carpet is already torn up there so it might keep that from happening again.
Something like this.
http://www.slideguides.com/boat_slides1.html
I do and have found the same thing, although I only launch and retrieve one time a year so not as big of a deal for me.
I have been considering putting trailer slides on my forward bunk to get it to slide a little easier. Plus the carpet is already torn up there so it might keep that from happening again.
Something like this.
http://www.slideguides.com/boat_slides1.html
Brian S
Well-known member
Great question...getting my vehicle down that far takes a toll on my rear brakes and I have corrosion on my rear axel, even with washing it down after. I would like to hear others opinions too.
With a 25 footer you might not be able to drive on and off like the bass boat guys do, but some thing from my experiences: Rollers over bunks to drive a little off and on. Are your rollers spread out as far as they can go and still fit boat properly? This will allow you boat to sit lower in the water at the ramp requiring less backing down the ramp to get the boat in the water. Trailer design can make a difference. My old Venture sat the boat a little high and had higher axel height vs. my new Shorelander sits the boat very low and has a better roller design. The rear rollers (20) actually are on a tilting axel, really helps. If your hitch and truck height make the trailer incline over normal this can cause easy lauches down the ramp but make it harder to drive on up the incline. The slope/design of the ramp playing the biggest factor. There are some real jokes for ramps in the Northeast.
ReelyNauti
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I trailered a 26' for 5 yrs 25 x a year i wound up getting next size trailer with a longer neck. then i had the trailer balanced for load and played with fulcrum/load pts to get toung weight correct, Done.. then i had the extre 5 ' i needed to drive up while keeping my truck out of salt water...
you dont have to buy a new trailer just a new main support/beam ... but it has to be done correctly. i will try to find u picks of old boat on trailer.. good luck
you dont have to buy a new trailer just a new main support/beam ... but it has to be done correctly. i will try to find u picks of old boat on trailer.. good luck
I also posted this question on Bloodydecks, so far a few replys, and most are saying it takes practice, I have 4 bunks and side guides, I have done it two times, once when I pulled my back out . I would think it would be a learning thing, as I have to bury my trailer and bumper and my wheels are in the water too, and I have a full size F250 newer 4X4, so I will try it next week when we head out for a few days, putting in the water is no biggie, it is taking it out that is the problem, my trailer just cost 2500 to make good, new everything, so I got a bucket, hose and saltaway to rinse on the way out and rinse before I head out of the parking lot, we have it down to a science, but we are doing it wrong I think 
We launch out of MDR every time, at high tide it is nice, at low tide, the ramp is really steep, without 4 wheel drive, I would stay in the water .
When you launch pay attention as to how deep your boat fenders are in relation to the water surface and as to when the stern starts to float and become boyant. This should give you an idea as to how to position yourself when loading.
We launch out of MDR every time, at high tide it is nice, at low tide, the ramp is really steep, without 4 wheel drive, I would stay in the water .When you launch pay attention as to how deep your boat fenders are in relation to the water surface and as to when the stern starts to float and become boyant. This should give you an idea as to how to position yourself when loading.
BradV
Well-known member
I had a similar problem because of the weight of the boat and the front tank with the boat not wanting to go on the trailer. So i ended up getting a new trailer and putting mini bunks at the front of the boat and raised them higher than the rear bunks so as soon the rear starts to float just a little the boat slides right off. Made a world of difference to me but it also depends on your ramp. Some ramps that i use down here I still cant get it all the way onto the trailer where i want it to but close.
gray duck
Well-known member
I have to launch and retrieve every time I use the boat, a 2520. I have bunks and in you don't need/want to have the trailer in the water as much when hauling out as you do when puttin in. Think about it: in moving ahead you've got momentum and alot of power vs. trying to reverse off the bunks you have no momentum (ie high static friction) and limited power. My truck tires are right at the water's edge when puttin in and about a foot and half away when hauling out - all depends on your launch incline.
I've been thinking of putting some of those HMW plastic runners on my bunks. anybody have testimonials? I've seen them broken and chipped and heard they scratch the bottom.
For the roller boys: when you run up, do you need to keep it in gear while someone hooks the boat up to prevent sliding back down the rollers? With bunks the boat sticks and will not slide back.
I've been thinking of putting some of those HMW plastic runners on my bunks. anybody have testimonials? I've seen them broken and chipped and heard they scratch the bottom.
For the roller boys: when you run up, do you need to keep it in gear while someone hooks the boat up to prevent sliding back down the rollers? With bunks the boat sticks and will not slide back.
Lots of good points being made here.
Don't get the trailer in too deep, and practice, practice, practice...
I don't trailer my Parker, but I did trailer my Dusky. Here is a photo that might help to illustrate...
The trailer fenders are just under water but the front section of bunk is exposed, and out of the water.
Drive the boat forward between the guides until it is centered, and connects with the bunks. Then carefully apply power until she climbs the bunks and rests close to, or against the winch post.
If need be, leave the motor in gear while you connect the winch strap. That will keep the boat from sliding back down the bunks when power is removed. This is especially important with 'slick bunks'.
If the trailer is too deep, the boat will float over the bunks and you won't get a good hookup. Too shallow, and you'll have to add a LOT of power to get her to go on the trailer.
My bunks were just plain carpet (not slicks), so I used to help them out by liberally coating the carpet with a big bottle of bargain brand dishwashing detergent in the parking lot after I launched. Did that about every 6 launches.
Hope this helps!
Don't get the trailer in too deep, and practice, practice, practice...
I don't trailer my Parker, but I did trailer my Dusky. Here is a photo that might help to illustrate...
The trailer fenders are just under water but the front section of bunk is exposed, and out of the water.
Drive the boat forward between the guides until it is centered, and connects with the bunks. Then carefully apply power until she climbs the bunks and rests close to, or against the winch post.
If need be, leave the motor in gear while you connect the winch strap. That will keep the boat from sliding back down the bunks when power is removed. This is especially important with 'slick bunks'.
If the trailer is too deep, the boat will float over the bunks and you won't get a good hookup. Too shallow, and you'll have to add a LOT of power to get her to go on the trailer.
My bunks were just plain carpet (not slicks), so I used to help them out by liberally coating the carpet with a big bottle of bargain brand dishwashing detergent in the parking lot after I launched. Did that about every 6 launches.
Hope this helps!
Peregrine
Well-known member
I have a 2320 and I tow a bunk trailer with an F250 4x.
Drive-on is pretty easy with this set-up, bumper/axle/brakes never in the water.
I back down until the front bunks are just wet. Run the boat up until it contacts the front roller (at the winch post). Then I walk forward and hope down to the main rail of the trailer (spare tire is mounted such that it makes a great step), and winch it up snug.
Then I pull out, feet dry (unless I am single handing).
Hope this helps.
Drive-on is pretty easy with this set-up, bumper/axle/brakes never in the water.
I back down until the front bunks are just wet. Run the boat up until it contacts the front roller (at the winch post). Then I walk forward and hope down to the main rail of the trailer (spare tire is mounted such that it makes a great step), and winch it up snug.
Then I pull out, feet dry (unless I am single handing).
Hope this helps.
TopShot25
Well-known member
Great post Craig, I’ve been thinking about posting something like this for a long time. It’s been driving me crazy too.
I have a totally different problem with my 2520. I have been thinking for a few years now that my trailer is just designed wrong, but I can’t figure a way too make it better. I don’t have to back way into the water to retrieve my boat. I don’t even get the tires wet most times. My problem is the angle the boat sits in the water versus the angle on trailer. It doesn’t really make much difference weather I drive or float it on, to get it against the front bumper. When I pull it out of the water and the boat starts to take the angle of the trailer, it pivots away from the front bumper and leaves me about 6-8 inches away. It seems to be the fact that the bow sits down in the trailer and the angle is so different from the water that I can’t compensate.
That leaves me two ways to get it on correctly.
I’ve chosen to actually drive it on while the boat is being pulled out of the water. Then quickly shutting down the engines before they clear the water. It’s not actually that close. The engines are nowhere near coming out of the water.
The other way was actually recommended to me by Linwood Parker at a boat show a few years ago. He said something very close to “With a little practice you can just hit the breaks and it will slide right up to the stop”. I’ve tried it, and you have to hit the breaks pretty hard to get that 100,000 dollars coming forward. I don’t know, but that just scares the heck out of me. He is a fascinating man though. And while I know, he knows more about boats then I ever will, it still scares the heck out of me.
Craig we should try to compare trailers and see what the difference is.
I have a totally different problem with my 2520. I have been thinking for a few years now that my trailer is just designed wrong, but I can’t figure a way too make it better. I don’t have to back way into the water to retrieve my boat. I don’t even get the tires wet most times. My problem is the angle the boat sits in the water versus the angle on trailer. It doesn’t really make much difference weather I drive or float it on, to get it against the front bumper. When I pull it out of the water and the boat starts to take the angle of the trailer, it pivots away from the front bumper and leaves me about 6-8 inches away. It seems to be the fact that the bow sits down in the trailer and the angle is so different from the water that I can’t compensate.
That leaves me two ways to get it on correctly.
I’ve chosen to actually drive it on while the boat is being pulled out of the water. Then quickly shutting down the engines before they clear the water. It’s not actually that close. The engines are nowhere near coming out of the water.
The other way was actually recommended to me by Linwood Parker at a boat show a few years ago. He said something very close to “With a little practice you can just hit the breaks and it will slide right up to the stop”. I’ve tried it, and you have to hit the breaks pretty hard to get that 100,000 dollars coming forward. I don’t know, but that just scares the heck out of me. He is a fascinating man though. And while I know, he knows more about boats then I ever will, it still scares the heck out of me.
Craig we should try to compare trailers and see what the difference is.
grouperjim
Well-known member
how far you put your vehicle down the ramp depends on the steepness of the ramp. the less steep the ramp, the further you have to back down to get enough water under the boat to get it off/on the trailer.
the ramp with least amount of grade i have encountered was at Haulover ramp north of Miami. Launched there to go to the Bahamas. Had to back down until the water was just below the rear wheel rims. then i had to get in the boat and power off.
the garden variety ramps in the Tampa/St Pete area are easy for my 2320 or Larry's 2520. Both bunk trailers.
See pic below. for this area whether launching or recovering the trailer goes in the same amount. i monitor the trailer depth by looking over my right shoulder while backing down. when recovering i dip the bunks in the water all the way to get them wet and slippery. then pull forward so that about the forward 12-18 inches of the bunks are visible and out of the water. this puts the poly on the front centering "V" about 8-10 inches below the water. at this point i can either pull the boat forward with the bow line until it engages the bunks, then easily winch it the rest of the way. or depending who is helping me, i can drive it on. either way, it takes about 60 seconds from the time the trailer hits the water to the time i clear the ramp for the next person.
once you get the boat pulled out and on a level surface, let some of the tension off the bow eye. huge amounts of stress on the bow eye over time has been known to damage boats.
the ramp with least amount of grade i have encountered was at Haulover ramp north of Miami. Launched there to go to the Bahamas. Had to back down until the water was just below the rear wheel rims. then i had to get in the boat and power off.
the garden variety ramps in the Tampa/St Pete area are easy for my 2320 or Larry's 2520. Both bunk trailers.
See pic below. for this area whether launching or recovering the trailer goes in the same amount. i monitor the trailer depth by looking over my right shoulder while backing down. when recovering i dip the bunks in the water all the way to get them wet and slippery. then pull forward so that about the forward 12-18 inches of the bunks are visible and out of the water. this puts the poly on the front centering "V" about 8-10 inches below the water. at this point i can either pull the boat forward with the bow line until it engages the bunks, then easily winch it the rest of the way. or depending who is helping me, i can drive it on. either way, it takes about 60 seconds from the time the trailer hits the water to the time i clear the ramp for the next person.
once you get the boat pulled out and on a level surface, let some of the tension off the bow eye. huge amounts of stress on the bow eye over time has been known to damage boats.
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Jim, did you modify that trailer yourself to protect against scraping the keel, it looks really well set up to prevent doing that. I broke down on my last trip, and due to crappy weather I could not get back to a decent ramp on the kicker. I was able to get to Picnic Island; that ramp is very shallow. I had my entire vehicle in the water (front wheels included) and the trailer was still too high - now I have another repair to make on my chipped and gouged keel. Until that trip I had avoided shallow ramps and extreme low tides when launching and retrieving.
Back to tara11’s topic. I back this rig in deeper than any I've had in the past. I usually have the highest point of the fender a few inches under the water. Past rigs I usually had the top of the fenders a few inches out of the water. That said my vehicle is usually still on dry pavement, maybe a few inches of tire in the water. I also have the bunk slicks, so after I drive the boat up I have to leave the motor in gear to keep from sliding back down. I climb down the bow, hook-up, go back and kill the motor. Then I usually can step off to the dock, or sometimes it's back over the bow, and drive out. I am usually alone or with my kids - too young to drive.
Back to tara11’s topic. I back this rig in deeper than any I've had in the past. I usually have the highest point of the fender a few inches under the water. Past rigs I usually had the top of the fenders a few inches out of the water. That said my vehicle is usually still on dry pavement, maybe a few inches of tire in the water. I also have the bunk slicks, so after I drive the boat up I have to leave the motor in gear to keep from sliding back down. I climb down the bow, hook-up, go back and kill the motor. Then I usually can step off to the dock, or sometimes it's back over the bow, and drive out. I am usually alone or with my kids - too young to drive.
BradV
Well-known member
You can see the center bunks run the full length of the trailer so it helps with centering and they are also covered with plastic so it helps slide the boat off. As far as Topshots problem i have found when i go to a steeper ramp in my area that its hard to get the boat on the roller at the front. I have a heavy duty winch so most of the time i just crank it up. If you can leave the trailer out of the water more and drive the boat up to elevate the bow. I carry a ratchet strap to just put tension on it when i trailer home if its not all the way up to the stop.
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grouperjim
Well-known member
MacFern":2xcuacke said:
Mac.....sorry to hear about the break down. good thing for the kicker.
yeah, a little sawzall modification and a couple of Stoltz rollers. the wood centering bunks used to go all the way to the front V. the bow plants itself in that area on recovery because of the angle of the trailer in the water. it would scratch the bottom of the boat a little and also tear up the carpet there pretty quick.....a common Owens issue (my 4th Owens).
also reducing the lumber helps make the trailer more negative in the water which is an issue for Owens trailers. if you put aluminum wheels (instead of steel) on that particular trailer (tandem), it will literally float away in any wind or current.
BradV
Well-known member
Yes i made sure to get a stout trailer after my other one had the brackets that hold the bunks bend. Now i have 3 brackets holding the bunks at every crossmember and guide. Rated 13800# GVWR so 12500 carrying. Triple axle and the winch has a 10k strap with 7 teeth gears.
jeffnick
Well-known member
Easiest way to get your trailer farther into the water is a long ball mount.
I use it so the trailer clears the generator box on the van. I don't have to swing quite as wide around tight turns either.
I use it so the trailer clears the generator box on the van. I don't have to swing quite as wide around tight turns either.
BradV
Well-known member
How strong can you get those extended hitches?
