Boat always loads off center

[Proselect]

I have a 16 foot aluminum deep V console fishing boat. I have a shoreland'r roller trailer. Ever since I bought the boat it always loads an inch or two to the right side of the trailer. Even when you winch it up you can see the bow come to the right of it and you have to put pressure on the strap to keep it centered in the winch. It always centers in the bow roller just fine but the rear is always shifted to the right side of the trailer and inch or two. I took most of the trailer apart to paint it this spring and put it all back together. I measured and made sure the roller bars where even. On the front cross member there was a skid pad(so to speak) that it rode up on. It was kind of hard to winch when the boat would get that far so I replaced the pad with a roller in front of the member and one behind. You can see that the keel is always just a hair on the right side of the center groove on the rollers. I am not sure what I can to do fix this. The trailer loads great otherwise.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Boat always loads off center

can you change the rollers to the self centering kind? like these.........

http://www.iboats.com/SeaSense-Poly...24238203--**********.671925945--view_id.56363

or put a set of guides on the trailer?

woosterken

 

[lmuss53]

Re: Boat always loads off center

I had a Starcraft 17 footer that was the same way. One thing that helped was not backing the trailer down in so far, but even that didn't work every time.

I eventually put side boards on that didn't really center the boat but gave me a reference point to use to saw the wheel left or right and goose the throttle around until I got the boat centered. By not backing in so far I could keep it centered once I got it there.

I think maybe the light boat is easily pushed off center by the torque of the right hand spinning prop. I have a pontoon now and love it, but I miss the deep V for ripping around fishing.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Boat always loads off center

There are several things you can do if it always off to the same side.

First things that will cause it to load off certer.
Trailer lower on one side. When you back down the ramp is one bunk covered with more water than the other? Same with rollers?

Is there more weight on one side of the boat? Gas Can, Batteries, Trolling motor, steering console, heavy tackel boxes?

Are the bunks or rollers pointed straight ahead or at a slight angle? Do roller on one side turn harder with weight on them than on the other?

Has one bunk been sprayed with silicon spray so boat slides eaiser on that side?

Is the wench off center or the rollers slightly off center?

That should give you some thing to check.

I believe number one reason for off center loading is trailer too deep in the water or the ramp not lever.
You can also use the ramp to angle your trailer to one side at the water edge.
angle so the side you want to boat to go toward is deeper than the other side.
Put more weight on the side that is too high.
Make sure the bunks or rollers are not hitting on a rib or keel forcing it to one side.
Move the wench strap and bow V roller to toward one side.
Move the front keel V roller slightly to one side.
Spray one of the bunk with silicone spray to create less drag on one side.
Angle the hull rollers or bunks slightly to one side.
Raise the roller or bunk slightly on one side.

 

[Proselect]

Re: Boat always loads off center

Wow, lots of good suggestions Boatist! I will have to print that all out and just tinker as the summer goes on. It is a sinle console boat and most of weight happens to be on the right side. The boat always loads a little to the left side. When I am winching it, the bow always seems like it wants to go to the right.

Also I havn't had much of a problem on some landings as I do with a particular lake. Both landings at this lake it loads to the same side. Maybe I will try angling the trailer on those ramps. I may go to a different lake today and see if its any different, but it seems it still loads a hair off center there as well. There has only been one time where I had to put a jack under it and center it when I got home, otherwise its only off a few inches.

Just to clarify, I always retrieve shallow. I put the trailer in until the rollers are only a few inches under the water. The center rollers are not even in the water.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Boat always loads off center

Sometimes it is just the hull! I have a 21 foot cuddy that never goes on the trailer straight. Drives me insane! I have tried everything from depth in the water to roller placement. Put guide rollers on the sides with no effect. Prior to that I had an 18 footer that never went on the same trailer crooked. Same trailer, same method of loading, different hulls so the trailer is not the culprit.

 

[tnduc]

Re: Boat always loads off center

You may have answered your own question. It may be the ramp at the particular lake you mentioned. I know there is one ramp here that when I load the boat will always be crooked. This is because this one ramp is uneven- one side of the trailer is lower than the other when on it.

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Boat always loads off center

A lot of times the front keel roller is to blame. Is there bunk in front to cradle the bow? If so make sure that front of the keel is not riding on the roller when its on the bunk (1' below is usually good). A high keel roller will lean a boat the side, worse if you power it on a bit it it will twist as it goes on.

 

[Proselect]

Re: Boat always loads off center

I loaded the boat today at the same landing that was causing the problems. I put the trailer in a little shallower yet. I pulled it up the back rollers and got it set and it was a little crooked. I pushed it back down and pulled it back up to center it. I winched it up and this time if its off its only a half inch. I also moved the tackle boxes to the other side of the boat.