Is my trailer too low for my boat?

[drpepper68]

So on my first trip out in my first boat I've owned in 30 years I totally screwed up the prop and got stuck on the boat ramp not able to get the trim to come up on my mercruiser stern drive. I had no idea there was such a thing called a "trailer" switch so I ended up taking off the arms so I could get it unstuck on the concrete ramp. I had no idea that the trim up only goes up about 3in per my other thread.

So I'm still left with questions cause I'm not sure I'm doing something right...

1. Since I normally drive the boat on, even with it trimmed up all the way (not using trailer button) it still hit the concrete bottom and got stuck. How do I drive it on the trailer if it hits the ground with it trimmed up?
2. Is my trailer too low since I can even trim it all the way down without hitting the ground? Im trying to adjust the limit switches in my driveway and cant do it without jacking it up.

I will post pics in a second showing how low it is.

 

[drpepper68]

No Title

 

[smokeonthewater]

Find the trailer button and tilt up a little higher...

 

[drpepper68]

Ok thats easy, I was under the impression from last thread that I wasnt supposed to run it with it higher than the limit. But for just putting on the trailer I guess thats ok. Easy enough, thanks!

 

[poconojoe]

Do not run the engine (even in neutral) when you have the drive in the trailer position. It's too much of an angle for the u-joints.
When retrieving your boat, motor it toward the trailer, shut the engine off, then immediately hit the trailer button as you coast onto the trailer. Winch your boat onto the trailer and drive away. Your drive is all the way up already and you won't bottom out on the ramp.

 

[drpepper68]

Ok that makes sense. Is this normal to have to do this or is my trailer just abnormally low?

 

[alldodge]

Ok that makes sense. Is this normal to have to do this or is my trailer just abnormally low?

Your trailer is low. Maybe find some taller tires if your fenders will fit them

From previous discussion on the trim issue. Adjust the trim per the manual, then see where the drive is in relationship to the gimbal ring. If it is real close to not being held by the sides, then do nothing. If there is some more room, you can adjust it a bit further up but watch that the sides do not loose contact. Still from the pic I don't think you can get it up enough

 

[poconojoe]

Ok that makes sense. Is this normal to have to do this or is my trailer just abnormally low?

Why chance scraping bottom? The water can be very shallow at some ramps. Trim it up as you load onto the trailer. Definitely shut the engine and trim it to trailer position before you drive away.
Is the ramp you're using very steep? You'll find all ramps are different in many ways.

 

[littlerayray]

Or stop power loading cuz you ruin the ramps my power loading and just winch it on my trailer is very low makes it real easy to load and retrieve in shallow water and I winch it on and push it off by hand

 

[poconojoe]

2. Is my trailer too low since I can even trim it all the way down without hitting the ground? Im trying to adjust the limit switches in my driveway and cant do it without jacking it up.

I will post pics in a second showing how low it is.

Is your bow trailer Jack all the way down when you're doing that?
If I Jack my bow all the way up, my drive will hit the ground too. When I want to trim my drive all the way down, I have to lower the bow of the boat.
Post some pictures

 

[poconojoe]

Or stop power loading cuz you ruin the ramps my power loading and just winch it on my trailer is very low makes it real easy to load and retrieve in shallow water and I winch it on and push it off by hand

+1 on that! I never power load my boat onto the trailer. Just shut the engine, trim it up and coast onto the trailer. I reach over the bow or climb into the trailer, hook the winch strap and crank it up to the roller...done.
People that power load destroy the integrity of the ramps. Their props can create pot holes for other people's tires to sink into.
When launching, I have a long rope attached to a bow cleat and the other end to my truck, trailer or dock. On my final back in, I hit the truck brakes and the boat just glides off the trailer.

 

[gddavid]

As low as your trailer sits, I would expect that the boat will float most of the way onto the trailer before you have to start winching. As long as your trailer and boat aren't at risk of hitting the road or bumps, it is preferable for it to be low, it is more stable, easier to load/unload and you have less wind resistance as the boat sits behind your tow vehicle rather than above and behind. It your trailer level back to front?, if the tongue is too high it can be tough to load.

 

[Frank Acampora]

As mentioned above, stop power loading. Unless you are 80 and weak and have a high ratio winch, power loading is not necessary and in fact not as good as hand winching. Hand winching only takes a minute or so but of course if you are afraid of getting your feet wet, that is another story. Look: I am 70 and still winch all of my boats by hand. It's no big deal. Besides, power loading blows sand down the ramp and creates a shallow sand bar a little further out which affects everyone.

Spend a couple of hundred bucks (sounds like a lot but how much gas do you use in a weekend?) and buy a power winch. God invented electricity for a reason!

 

[Scott Danforth]

stop power loading. many places its illegal and they will fine you because it ruins the ramps

coast in like indicated.

I boat at a congested ramp and generally pull up to the dock key off and drive up, have the admiral get out and hold the boat while I run to get the truck. then as it becomes our turn, I back the trailer in, we walk the boat up, hook up and winch it up the last 3 feet onto the trailer, jump back in the truck and pull out. 60-90 seconds to retrieve the boat once I get the trailer in the water.

 

[drpepper68]

Why chance scraping bottom? The water can be very shallow at some ramps. Trim it up as you load onto the trailer. Definitely shut the engine and trim it to trailer position before you drive away.
Is the ramp you're using very steep? You'll find all ramps are different in many ways.

This one didnt seem very steep and I like this idea. It's been a long time and I was just kinda copying what everyone else was doing. I didnt totally power load it but enough to where i got too shallow. I'm just trying to relearn right way and didnt realize its not good to power load.

 

[drpepper68]

Is your bow trailer Jack all the way down when you're doing that?
If I Jack my bow all the way up, my drive will hit the ground too. When I want to trim my drive all the way down, I have to lower the bow of the boat.
Post some pictures

Is your bow trailer Jack all the way down when you're doing that?
If I Jack my bow all the way up, my drive will hit the ground too. When I want to trim my drive all the way down, I have to lower the bow of the boat.
Post some pictures

Oh man thanks for mentioning that! I have a lifted 4x4 so its jacked way up doh! I think thats problem with trailer being lower when loading from ramp also. My hitch is lowered but its still kinda high, maybe I'll get a lower drop hitch.

Yeah I'm feeling stupid now.

 

[alldodge]

I know if I say it, "I'm going to get in trouble" but I'm a gonna do it any way. Small light boats no power loading, agree just not needed. Heavy boats, yes I power load, there is no way I can get my 11K boat on the trailer and in position without doing it.

 

[drpepper68]

As mentioned above, stop power loading. Unless you are 80 and weak and have a high ratio winch, power loading is not necessary and in fact not as good as hand winching. Hand winching only takes a minute or so but of course if you are afraid of getting your feet wet, that is another story. Look: I am 70 and still winch all of my boats by hand. It's no big deal. Besides, power loading blows sand down the ramp and creates a shallow sand bar a little further out which affects everyone.

Spend a couple of hundred bucks (sounds like a lot but how much gas do you use in a weekend?) and buy a power winch. God invented electricity for a reason!

As mentioned above, stop power loading. Unless you are 80 and weak and have a high ratio winch, power loading is not necessary and in fact not as good as hand winching. Hand winching only takes a minute or so but of course if you are afraid of getting your feet wet, that is another story. Look: I am 70 and still winch all of my boats by hand. It's no big deal. Besides, power loading blows sand down the ramp and creates a shallow sand bar a little further out which affects everyone.

Spend a couple of hundred bucks (sounds like a lot but how much gas do you use in a weekend?) and buy a power winch. God invented electricity for a reason!

I actually thought of a power winch since I have real bad tendonitis. I tried to winch the boat rest of the way but I had the trailer high up in the water cause I read you dont want it as low as when unloading so I had to back the truck up farther after partially getting the boat on.

Any recommendations on a power winch? I'm all for that.

Its funny cause most everyone I watched power loaded so i just thought that was the way to do it.

Glad I found this forum to learn the right way. No one I asked at the ramp knew what a trailer switch was except one person who told me about but didnt know where it would be located. I wasnt about to drag my boat out and ruin my lower end so i spent two hours trying to find a way until I just removed the stupid trim arms They all had outboards so not sure if they are different, I didnt have power trim when I had my boat at 18.

 

[drpepper68]

+1 on that! I never power load my boat onto the trailer. Just shut the engine, trim it up and coast onto the trailer. I reach over the bow or climb into the trailer, hook the winch strap and crank it up to the roller...done.
People that power load destroy the integrity of the ramps. Their props can create pot holes for other people's tires to sink into.
When launching, I have a long rope attached to a bow cleat and the other end to my truck, trailer or dock. On my final back in, I hit the truck brakes and the boat just glides off the trailer.

+1 on that! I never power load my boat onto the trailer. Just shut the engine, trim it up and coast onto the trailer. I reach over the bow or climb into the trailer, hook the winch strap and crank it up to the roller...done.
People that power load destroy the integrity of the ramps. Their props can create pot holes for other people's tires to sink into.
When launching, I have a long rope attached to a bow cleat and the other end to my truck, trailer or dock. On my final back in, I hit the truck brakes and the boat just glides off the trailer.

Got it, I'd rather do it by hand anyway. Oh and I forgot to mention i destroyed my wobble rollers when i drove the boat too far in, snapped them both in half.

A little embarrasing, more for my wife than me, but it could have been worse. $100 for a prop and some new wobble rollers and readjust the trims and I'll be good to go.

 

[poconojoe]

Great! Sounds like you are on track now.
Get a lower hitch receiver, coast in on retrieval, and get that drive up off the pavement with the trailer switch.
Awesome!
We're glad you came here for help. It's always nice to help fellow boaters.