Centering boat during loading

[Matt K]

I have a 2 bunk trailer with no guide-on's. Loading is easy (drive on), but once and a while the boat will be a bit off. There is about 1 inch between the hull and fenders and when it loads crooked, it is up against one fender tight. It's not that big of a deal but I prefer to have it on straight.

I am thinking about buying a pair of low profile guide-on's. Since they are postioned an inch away from the hull, I am afraid they will not allow me to load perfectly straight thus not helping my problem.

I like to get out of the water quickly and this conflicts with my desire to have the boat on perfectly straight. A touch of OCD I expect. Any Suggestions?

[FreeByrd]

Matt,
Depending on your boat and trailer of course, the answer may be a set of "front centering bunks" - a set of bunks placed very close together towards the front portion of the boat that fit exactly the shape of your boat bottom. Boat has no choice but to be alligned. Talk to your dealer / a trailer dealer about it and see what they come up with. One other thing - you see lots of people back their trailer too far into the water to load so the back end of the boat is floating and not in contact with the trailer at all.

What kind of boat and trailer are you working with and where are you located / do you boat? Might get some better answers if we know that.

Steve

[Box]

Yep, usual case, in my experience, is if you back in just a tad too far. A little bit will do it, at least withour trailers, roller.

Good luck,
-Box

[Brad1]

Like Freebyrd said, backing the trailer in too far could be the cause of your problem. With a bunk trailer, I ussually back the trailer down into the water so that the water surface is either even with the top of the trailer fenders, or, there is about two inches of fender sticking above the water. Depends on how high the boat sits off of the trailer. In your case (with the chines about 1" above the fender), you'd probably want a couple inches of fender above the water. Also, if your trailer has adjustable bunks, make sure the bunks are to the outside of the lifting strakes by about 1/2 " on each side. Positioning the bunks in that location will make the boat center consistently when loading (again, provided your not backing the trailer in too far).

[Matt K]

FreeByrd,

It is a Crestliner TS. I am in Cleveland. Fish mostly inland lakes and Erie. I feel I am pretty good at loading the boat overall and I do have my partner come well down into the water. So those front bunks sounds like something I would be interested in. Where can I get more info on them? Like I said, it's not that the boat is way off. It is less than an inch and will still strap down and trailer fine but it still irks me when it has that slight lean. Plus, I am starting to get a rub mark on the hull from the fender (it is always the same side). Thanks for the help.

[perchjerker]

Ive got those bunks Freebyrd is talking about on my Shorelandr. If you go to thier site and look at thier trailers, you can at least see what they look like, even if you dont have that brand of trailer.

[kicker]

I have found that on my buddy's crestliner (1980 Sportfish) with a 15 yamaha kicker, it always wants to do this as well. We now realize we need to lean on the opposite edge when loading to offset this inbalance of weight...do you have a kicker on the bad side of the load?

SaskLund

[T-Mac]

Our ramps are a very nice angle out in this part of the world so that helps. What I do is run my boat up to the bow stop,...then look over both sides and see how I am centered. If I need to go a little left or right...I turn the engine and give a shot of throttle. That shifts it over just fine.
On a flatter ramp..... where I need to keep the engine tilted up very high,...since I already know the driver's side of the boat is going to come into the trailer a little deeper (because of my weight).... I c0ck the trailer toward the other side when I back it in,... to make the Stbd side of the trailer a little deeper (further in the water). That works pretty well, too.
I don't like side load guides...unless the boat is quite flat bottomed.

[Matt K]

That makes sense. My kicker is on the opposite side. I may try the lean.

[Matt K]

T-Mac,

Our ramps are all over the board here. Especially the resevoirs that get drawn down in the summer/fall. I also #### the motor and give it little goose to try and center it up but I usually overcompensate and end up going back and forth for a while. This may mean I need to have trailer a bit farther down. Also, I usually stop the boat a few inches from the bow stop because once in a while I will miss hitting the stop dead on or just about shove the truck through the parking lot.

I am going to try a few of these tips and see if it helps. Also, I saw Cabela's has a 12" centering roller. Where does this mount and can it be used on a bunk trailer?

[Mike M (Sask)]

I agree with TMac's remedies. It's the same as I do except on a flat ramp I usually come in at idle, motor trimed up and stand between the seats. I have very little problems. I have a 1700 Fisherman and ShoreLander trailer. I have done a couple of other things to the trailer to make it load easier.

- I raised my hitch receiver by removing the ball and flipping it over. It raised the tougne about 3 inches and in turn lowered the back end of the bunks by about an inch.

- My trailer has the equaload system on it and by removing the rear most mounting tab on the equaload system and redrilling the mounting hole in the end of the equaload bar I was able to drop the rear of the bunk by another inch.

- The 3rd thing I did was I installed a product like Glyde Sticks but it's sold by EasyLoader. It is full width of the bunk and runs right down the side. It is mounted on the sides of the bunk. Each pad is about 18 inches long so you need a few of them. (Don't unhook your safety chain while launching after this modification)

I felt the problem was for the most part the fact that the Equaload system causes the rear of the bunk to be higher than the front of the bunk while sitting on a level ramp/serface. Between the three modifications I made I have solved all my shallow ramp problems.

[SaskLund]

Hey Mike, how do you add a picture like that to your post? Thanks!

[Mike M (Sask)]

Just upload an image you want to use as an avitar from your profile screen.

[T-Mac]

Yep... Same here. I use EZ slide pads. Been using them for 10 years (on several rigs).

[Mike M (Sask)]

Opps! Disregard that, actually the image has to be on the internet, than you just put the link to it for your avitar. This is done under "edit your profile". Someone else may be able to say if it is possible to link to your photo alblum here on Walleye Central.

[Mike M (Sask)]

TMac

I never new the correct name for them. One of the things I like about them is if the back of the boat is slightly off centre one person can very easily move it over. I was worried about the bunk having full contact to the boat. I put five of the pads on each side. How many do you usually use?

[REW]

With respect to the weight and lean issue.
When ever loading, move your entire body, so that the boat is level.
If in doubt - put a bubble level on the floor, to insure that you are really getting the boat level.

Many folks really don't realize how "tipped" thier boat is - when putting it on the trailer.

You will probably have to get out of your seat, and stand or crouch near the center of the boat or even on the passengers side to get it level - depending on how the boat is rigged.

Take care
REW

[Jungle Jim]

REW,
Put a bubble on the floor to be sure the boat is level !!! You would have to put a bubble on the trailer to be sure it is also level.

[Karpenter]

use one of them lazer levels.

[T_Mac]

I have a 2025 Pro-V with a ShoreLand'r Tandem 4600 lb bunk. I think I have 4 per side...mounted with more emphasis on the rear half of the bunks. I overdid it a few years ago...and it was too slippery. I do want some contact with the bunks, otherwise it gets slippery enough that a broken tie down strap could really create havoc.

[ozarkeyes]

Does your trailer have a center keel roller? Sometimes when running up on trailer you may have tendency to push(steer) the bow right or left to center the bow to the winch, and doing so you push the stern in opposite way and then its too late get stern straight. The guide ons will help especially with wind and waves. You may want to install those.

However there is NEW self centering keel roller on market this year. It has gooves cut in the roller that will worm the keel to center and probably eliminate the need to push the bow because it will be centered to the winch! I saw them in Cabela's.

With guide ons and this new keel roller you may have a near automatic centering set-up.

[Mike M (Sask)]

I just went and had a look at that roller from Cabelas. It looks kinda interesting. Anybody try one? It would be nice to hear if they work.

[Matt K]

Oarkeyes,

That is exactly my plan. I may even add some EZ Slide pads T-Mac is talking about. The centering roller is the piece I am concerned about. I can't tell where it would mount as it looks like a shaft runs through it which would mean adding that to my trailer.

T-Mac, those EZ pads, is there still enough bunk grip to keep the boat from sliding off the trailer when the bow strap is unhooked? I leave it connected until the boat is in the water (learned that the hard way), but I lean over the bow and unhook the strap after my partner backs into the water. My concern is when I flip the ratchet switch, the boat will want to slide. Maybe a couple of pads near the back of the bunks to make it easier to get the rear end shoved over?

[Mike M (Sask)]

Like I said in my previous post, I too have the Easyloader Slides. I leave my strap on and as my partner backs the boat into the water I have him stop before it gets to deep, I then lean over and release the strap and than signal him to carry on. When I'm loading I just get the bow eye close enough to hook the safety chain on by reaching over the front end. Then my partner drives up the ramp and into a parking area where I hook the winch strap on and crank it up the last couple of inches. Doing it this way also helps centre the boat and with the Easyloader pads on the boat slides up very easy.

[perchjerker]

My experience with similar centering rollers is for a heavier boat like you are talking about, it will just crawl right up it and not slide into place. Maybe with a lighter row boat, but I would be really suprised if it would work with the boat you are talking about.

Maybe I am wroung, hope so. But thats my thought on it.

[T-Mac]

Actually....NO!
I believe there are some pictures floating around of me sitting in a 1900 Pro-V Le sitting on a ramp...literally... trailer not there....sitting on ramp in boat, only.
:)

[MrWalleye73]

Always a problem. When I got someone with me, they stay with the boat and use the push off pole to help me center. Lots of lakes last year were low etc....harder to load, and most of those ramps prohibit power loading. Alone......geeeeez (bunk trailer btw). I've got guide boards, ones that Shorelandr put on, but they are the small, low profile ones. Worthless, yeah. I thought about longer boards, up higher, and when the boat is centered, adjust them pretty tightly to the hull. Maybe that can help some? Boat is balanced real well, so it's just a matter of adding on some extra help to the trailer. Once or twice a year, as the nice ramp, it's a breeze. 95% of the time....woohoo fun.

Chris

[Matt K]

I did the same thing. It was early in the year and well below freezing in the morning when launching for a tournament. We pre-fished the day before and I think the bunks froze. Come tourney morning as we were backing down with winch strap unhooked, my partner driving the truck stopped on the ramp but the boat did not. Slid right off the trailer onto the ramp. Fortunately the front of the boat stayed on the trailer and the only damage was a scuffed up keel and a broken mph arm. The worst part was the total embarassment. Since then we never unhook until the boat is in the water.