Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

McBoatin

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
43
I have a tri hull 16' and it keeps slipping off the trailer when loading. my trailer has two bunks and a set of keel rollers. when it is all the way up it sits just great in and out of the water. but any side current is just hell to deal with as 1 person has to push the boat sideways while the other reels it up.

It seems to me that it is not sitting right on the bunks or rollers. Also it slipped off and one roller made a good nick in the keel that i will have to patch.

Any ideas on what i can do to fix would be great
 

chuckz

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
625
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

You are putting your trailer in too deep while retrieving. The boat should not be able to float sideways once the keel is on the rollers.
 

smokeonthewater

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
9,838
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

YUP 95% of boat loading problems are from backing in too far
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

My first thoughts too ^^^^^^ Buuut . . . It almost sounds like the keel roller is keeping the boat from sitting on the bunks until she is all the way up. Is the boat sitting on the bunks before the bow hits the stop?
 

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

Maybe install some PVC pipe or roller type guide-ons near the back of trailer to maintain boat-trailer alignment. You can buy them at Overton's, Cabela's, most any Marine supply place, or make your own. They're nice to have when loading on a windy day or with strong currents. Pretty easy fix! Good luck!
 

McBoatin

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
43
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

you guys might be right about the trailer to deep in the water. it is new so it will take some time to get it perfect.

So i took another look and I think that the boat must not have enough weight on the bunkers as when it slips off the boat sits on the frame of the trailer (not good). I also noticed one of the rollers is sitting at an angle to one side to it must be pushing the boat over as it rolls up.

Im going to put the boat in the water tonight and adjust the rollers straight and raise the bunks.

I also called the previous owner and he said he took off the side bunks years ago. does anyone have a good way to make your own.
 

Expidia

Commander
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
2,368
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

You don't even need that rear roller. To save money, many new trailers just come with a plastic pad over that spot on the frame. The boat never touches that roller in most cases. It is handy sometimes if the launch area is real shallow. But a pad does the same thing.

The only reason there is a roller on mine is because I took it off from the front when I upgraded to self centering rollers. I use that roller and bracket for attaching my transom saver protector. It's actually on there mounted upside down. But the pic also shows the plastic pad bow protector.

DSC04014.jpg


As others have said you are backing in too far so the boat slips around. You don't even need side bunks. I put them on and took them back off cause the bow line gets caught on them.

Try backing down and stop when the rear of the bunks go 6 inches under water. Then when you crank it up the boat is resting on the bunks and they guide the boat up.

Don't watch how others are launching at the ramps. Most don't know what they are doing. Search a video out on trailer launching on google. I don't power load. Power loading ruins the understructure of the launch for others and is illegal at some ramps. I nose the bow in and just crank it up with the crank. If that was an effort I would just get an electric crank.

If you power launch it is mandatory that you wear a big gold necklace and have a beer in one hand and a tatoo that says "Guido" this quailfys you as a powerloader.
Having only 3 front teeth and lighting up a cig can also get you a pass to powerload too.

And then only pull your trailer out of the water a few feet and proceed to take your time putting your straps on etc :D :D :D
 

McBoatin

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
43
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

thanks for all your help.

for the moment the problem is solved. Yes I was going into the water to deep not much but made a difference. The water at the local lake is changing so this is still somewhat of an issue.

I also straightened and rebolted the rollers. this helped keep the boat from sliding off at an angle. Still i thought to myself that It seemed the bunks should be keeping it up better. So I raised and re centered the bunks. which made a huge difference. i did notice one had slid to the side a bit. the angle on the bunks still needs to be tweaked but its is much better now.

I still will put on side bunks to help with the sometimes strong current by the ramp. as i load alot by myself. I am young and can jump around the boat. Feel like some kinda water monkey.

My question to you is I overtightened one of the bolts very easy. It snapped in two. What are the proper bolts + washers to use and how tight is tight enough. The washers on now are hexagon flat metal washers.
 

dave11

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
1,195
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

I still will put on side bunks to help with the sometimes strong current by the ramp. as i load alot by myself. I am young and can jump around the boat. Feel like some kinda water monkey.

To paraphrase you;

i load alot by myself. I am OLD and can jump around the boat. Feel like some kinda water monkey.

MY wife kids me about it-"You're too old to do that".
Boating will keep you young.
 

McBoatin

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
43
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

thanks everyone for the help. I hope when I am OLD i can still jump around the boat! I noticed that my bunks after puting new bolts on still slide out about 4-6inches. think this is what is the problem. explains why the boat keel was able to rest on the trailer frame. might have to bolt in a cross support.

any ideas what might be wrong w my bolts and washers. should I use a lock washer?
 

Expidia

Commander
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
2,368
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

thanks everyone for the help. I hope when I am OLD i can still jump around the boat! I noticed that my bunks after puting new bolts on still slide out about 4-6inches. think this is what is the problem. explains why the boat keel was able to rest on the trailer frame. might have to bolt in a cross support.

any ideas what might be wrong w my bolts and washers. should I use a lock washer?

Post some pics of the area you are trying to tighten down. Some clamps/metals are cheap and they just bend as you tighten them. You may have to drill some holes to get the result you want, so the bunks don't move. We can assess that after you post pics.
 

hungupthespikes

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 25, 2009
Messages
814
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

"any ideas what might be wrong w my bolts and washers. should I use a lock washer?"

The bolts are stainless steel, even us old farts can brake a half inch bolt.
i always use the SS nuts with the locking nylon insert.
Here's a link for the torques:
http://www.engineershandbook.com/Tables/torque3.htm
Carefull on the torque, SS is known to stretch long before they brake and that could have been your movement problem. Once they stretch they don't hold thier torque very well. Bum a inch-pound torque wrench if you can. good luck "water monkey".
 

nlain

Commander
Joined
Nov 17, 2005
Messages
2,445
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

Pictures would help a lot, bunks should not slide to the side, they usually can rock back and forth which lets them conform to the bottom of the boat. The mounting brackets should be attached to the trailer cross members and the bunk boards attached to the brackets usually with one bolt that lets the board rock not slide. My bunk board mount brackets are attached to the cross members with 2 3/8 bolts, 9/16 wrench, torque on them is 30 to 35 ft lbs, I have not looked at the pivot bolt for the bunk boards to see what size it is, my guess would be 1/2, 3/4 wrench.
 

grahamh

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
192
Re: Boat slips off trailer when loading. Help!!

PVC guide-on on the side make a WORLD of difference if you retrieve solo a lot.
 
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