Boat loading difficulty.

[rangerbassman]

I just bought a1993 Cajun 168. When the fella that sold it to me took me out to test it out he had to fight to get the very nose of the boat over the front roller. He said we needed a lower drop hitch, I have a 02 f150 4x4, put on a 6" drop reciever. The ball is at a below average height now. We backed the truck in the least amount first. about 3" of the top of the fenders out of the water. I could not see very well and it seemed hard to get the boat up the bunks, like the trailer wasnt deep enough. I increased the throttle enough to get the boat to move and rammed the trolling motor into the front roller at the winch. I had to route the strap over the roller and pic up on the front of the boat and winch it up. When the boat is out of the water, winched all the way up the is very little weight of the front roller. Its is the boats original trailer. I think when we went on the first test run we backed the trailer in further to the point the back end was floating but still against the side guides and it loaded easier. I know this dont make any since.

 

[sportsmanphil]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

Usually its a good sign that the trailer was backed in too far.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

im not sure, but I believe the average trailer hitch height is 16 3/4" at the coupler. I dont see how a different drop hitch would change it all that much as far as the bow on the bowstop is concerned. sounds like maybe the winch needs to be repositioned?

 

[rangerbassman]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

Thanks for the replys, It seems no matter how far the trailer in backed in the bow wants to go under the bow stop. after the boat is out you can release the strap from the eye an with very little effort, you can lift the bow off the bow stop, weird? It is a Trail Boss trailer, the bunk brackets are welded on. Maybe the cross beams are sagging a bit. They are mad of a u channel that has been bent to the contour of the hull. I will take it back to the water and play with it some more.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

I have a hard time seeing how a shift in your drop can make a change in the trailer alignment. Is this a "factory matched" trailer for the boat? If so, is the tongue weight correct? If not, that can indicate that someone has messed with the position of the boat on the trailer. When I bought my boat (on a factory trailer), the tongue weight was about 25 pounds on a 1100 pound boat. Someone had pulled the winch rearward on the trailer. Get the tongue weight right first. Then look at the position of that roller. Once I moved the winch, the roller hits about where it should. Think in two dimensions, not just one. The roller can go up/down as well as front/back. Finally, there are a few special products available. First there are plastic slides for the bunks (also available in wider ones for flat bunks)

http://www.iboats.com/Bunk_Slicks_b...3849259--**********.423945358--view_id.169891

Second, you might want to look at spray on coatings, although I have not used those.

For that matter, are your bunks warped somehow?

If it is not a factory matched trailer, all the above still holds true. You just do not know that it ever fit right.

Good luck getting things adjusted right. When you get a proper fit, the boat should slide right on.

TerryMSU

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

Photos of your issues and set up will help a great deal for everyone to give an opinion.

Ken.

 

[rangerbassman]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

I'm pretty sure its the original trailer. It is paint the same colors as the boat and has Cajun emblems on it. There is nothing adjustable everything is factory welded. I have astroturf on the bunks. I think I will make some new ones with the outdoor carpet like the new ones come with. I'll also have to check on spray coating. BTW. I went out and loosened the winch strap and the bow raised off of the stop slightly. I bet I will have to not back in so deep.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

I'm pretty sure its the original trailer. It is paint the same colors as the boat and has Cajun emblems on it. There is nothing adjustable everything is factory welded. I have astroturf on the bunks. I think I will make some new ones with the outdoor carpet like the new ones come with. I'll also have to check on spray coating. BTW. I went out and loosened the winch strap and the bow raised off of the stop slightly. I bet I will have to not back in so deep.

Photos of it would still be a big help to everyone.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

Mine will do the same thing if I back it in too far.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

Post a picture...please..

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

On a boat with a very low bow, like on most bass boats or speed boats, the bow will often end up under the bow stop while the stern is still afloat.
There are two ways to solve this, one is to add a pair of tall guide posts, and back in deeper so the boat floats up to the bow stop at the right angle, but unless your trailer tongue is extra long, this may mean getting your feet wet.
The other choice is to back in shallow, and winch the boat up, this may require either lubing the bunks or adding nylon bunk slides.
I had a Triton bass boat years ago, the ramp I used was shallow and what worked for me was to add a second bow stop, one above, one below the bow eye, plus a pair of nylon bunk slides, I would then just back in till about 18" of the bunks were wet, and crank the boat on the trailer.

In an ideal situation you want the trailer level or a bit down in the front. Most trailers are designed to pull at about a 16 to 18" hitch height.
I keep several height hitches in my truck, a 2", a 4" and a 6" drop just in case.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

The nose of my boat goes under the roller when the trailer is backed in too deep. The bunks have to be in shallow enough to let the boat contact them and "lift" the bow before the bow gets to the front roller. If it's too deep, the boat doesn't touch the bunks before the nose goes under the roller.

Where are you at in LA, Rangerbassman? Slidell here.

 

[CrappieLimit]

Re: Boat loading difficulty.

I use a Boat Buddy and retrive with the trailer shallow. I have enought of the trailer bunk out of the water to let the bow slide up into the hitch. If there is too much drag, I back the trailer a little deeper. Once you find the right depth, you can gently motor up and be out of the water in less than a minute. If I'm by myself it will take two minutes.