UN-EZ loader trailer

[dimock44]

My new to me boat came with an EZ loader trailer. The one with all the rollers. The problem is when I launch and un hook the boat it rolls off into the water. I suspect that if I get the trailer just right it will push off ok. I launch in the back yard at a very slight angle. My concern is that when I go to different ramps where the angle is different the problem will be worse until I use the ramp several times. Also the guide rails aren't right and allow it to load off center. Easy enough to fix. Does any one have any advise about using this type of trailer. Also Are they more expensive, desirable?? Would you sell it and get a trailer with bunks? I'm a little lost on what to do to make launching easier.
Thanks Tom

 

[Silvertip]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

You said: "The problem is when I launch and un hook the boat it rolls off into the water."

It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do. How much more effortless could unloading be? You apparently are unhooking the winch strap and letting her slide off -- right? Did it occur to you that you can use the winch to "gradually" unwind the strap and "ease" it into the water -- regardless how steep the ramp is?

 

[Bondo]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

Ayuh,........

I've also got an EZ loader trailer,......
It only took me a couple of launches to realize that the winch strap should Not be unhooked till the boat is over the Water.......
I Never dropped it on the Concrete,......
Only because I'm an Ex-trucker,+ I can Back Up Extremely FAST.................

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

I have an E-Z load trailer on my outfit and am very happy with it.
Putting the boat in the water I back her in till the fenders are just submerged then unwind the winch and give her a gentle push. She floats off, then unhook the winch and thats about it. If I go a little deeper then the stern will start floating and then you can just unhook the winch and drive away.
Recovering the boat I always drop the trailer until the fenders are just submerged and winch in the last few feet after aligning the boat first. Never had a problem with the boat being even this way, however if you go too deep the boat will just drop where it is if it is still floating as you drive out.
I expect to see a few using the drive out while floating method this afternoon as this is the last weekend in the marina here. Ramp will be very busy with the "once in and once out" per season brigade.
The above method works for me but others may have different methods that work as well or better for them.
Good Luck.
Ken.

 

[dimock44]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

Thanks for the input.
Silvertip I do winch it out and I guess what I don't like is when I get in the nose it floats out before I can warm up the motor. I think I will have to rearrange the winch strap so it is easier the unhook from in the boat. As it is I have to lay on the trolling motor and the hook is almost to small making it really hard to unhook even from out of the boat. also I have just now got the boat running good (thanks to all the guys here) so I can trust it to start with no hesitation. Good info guys. Anything that helps make life easier is a good thing. Maybe there could be a forum for general tricks and tips for boaters and fisherman?

 

[wire2]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

I don't put my EZ Loader in very deep, my bearing buddies are just above water. I use a 6 ft piece of ?" nylon rope with an eye on one end to loop through the bow eye and around the winch post. I hold it with a bit of tension while I unhook the safety hook, release tension on the winch strap and unhook it.
Then, just release the end of my rope, and she rolls off slick as can be. (Yes, I have a hand line on a cleat).

Now I don't have to crank the extended winch line back in for 2 minutes.

Going back on, I also keep the trailer high. That way, the rollers do their job and will straighten the boat perfectly on the way up, even from 45? off in the wind.
It's a bit more effort cranking the winch but it's on perfect every time.

With a helper, I drive the boat on 3/4 of the way, he hooks the winch on, I leave the the engine in fwd at 1500 rpm, it takes 10 seconds to pull it up to the winch.

 

[bassman284]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

Well, wire2 has it pretty well covered, but as long as I'm here I'll put in my $.02.

As he says, the key is to keep the rollers high so they can do their work. People I see having trouble with a roller trailer have put it in too deep. The boat salesman took me showed me how to load and unload from the roller trailer, otherwise it's anybody's guess what I'd be doing.

I almost always power load and unload and I'm usually alone so I'll give that perspective.

I back in so that the bottom of the transom is just touching the water. This is usually just above the hub but can vary on steeper ramps. Start the motor, let it warm up a little then put it in gear at about 1000-1500 revs, again depending on ramp steepness. Then get out of the boat and unhook the safety chain and the winch. No worries about wet feet because the bow is well out of the water. Get back in, back off and park.

Loading, I back in til the rear rollers are just barely under water. Drive up slow until I'm sitting on the rollers, wallow the stern back and forth as needed to line up and power it up close to the bow stop. (Powered up a little too hard once and now have a scar on my baby.) Leave in gear about 1500 or so, get out and hook up winch and safety chain, crank it the rest of the way, get back in and shut 'er down.

Should work pretty much the same for non-power loading, just more cranking

 

[dimock44]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

Thanks wire2 and bassman I am going to try it both ways

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

Just got back from bringing mine out for the winter and watched 3 sets of folk trying to line up their boat on the EZ loader. Each one was too deep and one was trying to drive on with the trailer too deep. We did our usual thing and were in and out in around 2 minutes. One group on the next ramp to us are probably still there.
On a sidenote. Took the spare off the back of the Jimmy today. Boy is it easy to back the trailer down the ramp now !!!!!
I can see it as I reverse !!!!
Well it's powerwash time !!!!
See you all later.

 

[wire2]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

The boat salesman took me showed me how to load and unload from the roller trailer, otherwise it's anybody's guess what I'd be doing.

A boat salesman that knew what he was doing? I'm impressed!

 

[Esox]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

As was stated above when loading do not put the trailer to deep. It will load off center if it's too deep. I pull mine up on the trailer with the winch and it loads perfectly every time.

Ayuh,........

I've also got an EZ loader trailer,......
It only took me a couple of launches to realize that the winch strap should Not be unhooked till the boat is over the Water.......
I Never dropped it on the Concrete,......
Only because I'm an Ex-trucker,+ I can Back Up Extremely FAST.................

This also applies to bunk trailers when your boating in sub freezing temps. A friend of mine dropped his boat right on the ramp one year. Not a pretty sight!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

Personally I do not see the logic in unhooking the winch until the boat is in the water. Seems like a potential accident waiting to happen to me.
By the way from my earlier post, there were many folk pulling out at the ramp today that were doing a great job. just the few that were not.

 

[Ezrider_92356]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

You said: "The problem is when I launch and un hook the boat it rolls off into the water."

It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do. How much more effortless could unloading be? You apparently are unhooking the winch strap and letting her slide off -- right? Did it occur to you that you can use the winch to "gradually" unwind the strap and "ease" it into the water -- regardless how steep the ramp is?

that would have been fun to watch, but the question is who went swimming after the boat when you hit the breaks at the bottom of the ramp

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

Thanks for the input.
Silvertip I do winch it out and I guess what I don't like is when I get in the nose it floats out before I can warm up the motor. I think I will have to rearrange the winch strap so it is easier the unhook from in the boat. As it is I have to lay on the trolling motor and the hook is almost to small making it really hard to unhook even from out of the boat. also I have just now got the boat running good (thanks to all the guys here) so I can trust it to start with no hesitation. Good info guys. Anything that helps make life easier is a good thing. Maybe there could be a forum for general tricks and tips for boaters and fisherman?

So while you are on the boat laying on the trolling motor unhookong the winch, who is doing the winching ???? and why do they not un hook the boat from the winch ????

 

[dimock44]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

As I stated earlier this boat is new to me and I have been launching in the backyard where I can leave the trailer in the water while I either test the motor or put it back in the boathouse. I am just trying to find the easist way to launch when alone as I often fish nearby lakes alone during the week when the traffic is slow. I don't unhook the winch before getting on the boat to start the motor because the weight shifts and the boat floats off. The boat sat up for several years and I have been doing the carbs , compression test, decarbing ect. That along with other things the preious owner neglected has forced me to bring the boat in to the shop more often. I bought the boat right so Its worth tinkering with plus I get to know the boat and motor faster than 1 breakdown at a time.

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

The one thing I learned on my EZ Load trailer was that I need to back in pretty far to avoid hitting the cross support holding the first set of rollers. My Wellcraft has a pretty deep V that maybe has something to do with it. After reading posts like this I tried backing in to just under the bearing buddies, tried to drive it on and wacked the bejeezus out of it. I have to go in to about the fenders.

 

[dimock44]

Re: UN-EZ loader trailer

I also wondered about that. I will be pulling the boat in a few days for trim tab adjustments and thought I would get in the water and watch it as it approaches the trailer. You just confirmed my thinking