Guide-ons for boat trailer

[bdrieck]

bdrieck ....

The stern should not be floating when you pull the boat out of the water. The weight of the boat should be entirely supported by the bunks at that point, or as you have found, the boat can drift sideways at the last moment and be askew on the trailer. I have found on my trailer that if I leave about 2" of the fender above water my trailer is well positioned to load the boat. I then power it forward until it stops and then winch it the rest of the way. A few suggestions: Make sure that if anyone is still in the boat that they are in the stern to reduce the load on the winch. Also, I have used a product called Slydz-on to treat the carpet bunks. It is a liquid solution that is sprayed on the bunks periodically and helps the boat slide on making it far easier to crank it up. I think I got it from Overtons. One final thought. Make sure the winch is high enough on the post that you are still pulling forward as it nears and not down. My 2 cents worth. Heres to good fishing and low stress boating.

Thanks Defernaut,

For whatever reason this boat is load on the bunks and can hardly power up if I don't have the stern float a little. I will look into the carpet treatment. In general I use the fender as a reference as well. the problems come in when the ramps have different slopes to them. I usually launch at turtle creek so maybe I should look elsewhere and give it a try.

Thanks again to all for your advice! This is an awesome message board!.

[sherman51]

I woul look at the bunk style or the post guides then invest in the ones you think will solve your problem. I'm getting ready to switch my 21' boat from a bunk trailer with post guides to a roller trailer and I know I will need the guides to center the front of my boat on the rollers. I could center the boat with the bow line then drive on the trailer or winch it up. but its just easier and faster to just drive up and let the guides center the boat then drive on up.

I use a 4000# electric winch on my trailer for the times I cant power load. and it will pull the boat right up to the bow roller. and that's on my bunk trailer. I just back in where my bunks are about half covered then start the boat on the trailer and hook up the electric winch and winch it up. if the guide ons doesn't solve your problem you might want to think about going to a electric winch. just get one big enough to winch the boat all the way on the trailer. the winch I plan on putting on my roller trailer is the superwinch lt 4000 lb off ebay for 179.99.

good luck on the guide ons.