Loading onto a roller trailer

[ebry710]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

I like my roller trailer. The only thing I will add to mine is the guide poles and probably that ramp you mentioned.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

I like my roller trailer, but I do need to get wet to retrieve the boat. The way my trailer frame is configured I haven't figured out an easy way to mount a walkway.

One thing I did find out in a hurry when launching, is that the boat sometimes starts to slide off the trailer as soon as I relieve the pressure on the winch strap. So, I mounted a cleat to the the trailer's winch post and I run a 20' line from the boat's bow cleat to the trailer cleat. I snug that up, then release the winch strap from the bow eye. Now I can use the line to control how fast the boat comes off the trailer. I stay dry.

When retrieving, I back the trailer down the ramp, and the wife tosses me the line attached to the bow cleat. I use that to haul the boat up the trailer as far as I can, secure it to the trailer cleat, then walk a couple feet into the water to hook the winch strap to the bow eye.

Pretty painless, and I only spend a few seconds in the water.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

On mine, I don't touch the winch until the boat's transom is touching the water. Then when I unhook the safety chain and back off the winch, the boat doesn't just roll back out of control. The water itself slows it's decent which give me plenty of time to unhook the winch cable or strap and to guide the boat back off the trailer with a lead rope. I tie the boat off to the dock or piling and park my truck.

The steeper the ramp, the easier the process. If the ramp isn't steep enough, you will find yourself standing in the water before many boats even get wet.
Most roller trailers do tend to sit higher, as do many older trihull boats.
I just went through having to load a boat at a very shallow ramp. It was even on a quite low slung bunk trailer. I was backed into the ramp to the point where my rear tires were nearly completely submerged, yet the boat hadn't yet even touched the water's surface. It wasn't a very high trailer, maybe about 18" from the ground to the transom in the back. The public ramp where it was is just too shallow and not really made for larger boats.
I ended up swapping hitches to one which raised the tongue nearly a foot to allow me to get the boat up onto the trailer, it took a joint effort between the winch and several guys to get the boat all the way on. If the ramp had been steeper, it would have been no problem. Once the boat was loaded and secured, I switched the coupler back.

That ramp works fine for small aluminum boats and the like but forget it for bigger glass boats which draw more water or any boat you can't lift easily.
(The boat we loaded had a blown engine, the owner had drifted into the nearest dock).

 

[jkust]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

I always wondered about this too. I have a 2003 shorelandr roller trailer with a 3400ish pound 19ft open bow. When I load, according to the trailer manual, the water line should be at the very bottom of the trailer wheel fender and no further. Many times none of the rollers are even touching the water depending on the steepness of the ramp when following the instructions. I push it off with some force since no part of the hull is in the water and it goes back on even easier again with no part of the rollers in the water. This must put a lot of stress on the bow ring but it seems easier than the bunk trailers. I have had people at the ramp tell me that I need to back in further when they see how little the trailer submerged, then they see me do the process with no assistance from the boat floating and I realize the virtues of a roller trailer and this is a pretty heavy hull. I learned the hard way not to walk the trailer to avoid getting wet after one nasty slip off and gouged calf. Maybe I will put some of that grip tape on the top of the trailer.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

you guys sure have some inventive ways.....
guess i really never thought much about this roller trailer thing. i've always had bunks before now having a roller trailer... i don't see much difference other than i seem to be able to put less trailer in the water for both launch and retrieve...
at my regular launch site (which is a good ramp), my launch goes like this...

-trailer in the water till half my fender is submerged...
-go to ft. of boat and unhook safety chain
-grab a line connected to the boat.
-release winch and put in freewheel
-give it a push and let it go till the boat floats
-remove winch strap and just leave it out, drapeing it over the winch freely

this procedure takes at least 30 sec. to a min.

my load goes like this...
-trailer in the water till half my fender is submerged...
-float boat onto trailer
-take winch strap out to bow and hook it up
-winch it on the trailer right up to the bow stop
-connect safety chain and drive away to secure boat for travel.
this procedure takes at maybe a min. or two.

i always get wet....knee deep usually. i don't see the issue with this since we're talking about boating... in water

after getting use to a shallow launch... so far after two seasons i'm liking my roller trailer for ease of launch and retrieve...

i use this procedure by myself and when it's me and the gf. my myself is of course slower as ya need to secure the boat. but launch and retrieve is the same...

no boat loads and unloads the same way i don't think either. theres just a learning curve to get used to the one you have....

if ya don't have a winch with free wheel and brake capabilities ... ya should get one... work real good with roller trailers i think..

i also never go up or down the ramp w/o having the safety chain connected to the boat....

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

............

i always get wet....knee deep usually. i don't see the issue with this since we're talking about boating... in water

.......

Try getting wet up to your knees in January when the water is about 40 degrees. Even now its too cold to just go wading in.
I've never had to get wet loading any of my boats, living where it gets cold, too cold to go in the water, for a good part of the prime fishing season you learn how to load your boat and not get wet.

Because I normally load in rough water or strong cross currents, I don't power load, it's just too risky as far as lining up the keel with center of the trailer. The boat is often listing to one side when approaching the trailer too, both due to there being only one passenger and the current.


I also have had concerns about the strength of some bow eyes on larger boats when loaded with the trailer that shallow. Most of my trailers just plain sit too high to ever only back in only to the point where the fender is just touching the water. When backed in to the point where the rear roller beams are half way submerged, the fenders are completely submerged on my tandem trailer, yet on my single axle trailer and 18' boat, the wheels aren't even wet.

I have a buddy that backs in to only the point where the wheels are at the water's edge, the rear trailer frame is at best just touching the water's surface. He can reach almost just reach out and hook the boat. His boat has a very shallow bow area so it don't bottom on the ramp as easy and he has to tilt the motor all the way. The power winch does the work. I was amazed the first time I watched that the stern didn't drag the bottom of the ramp when loading since he was only in about 9" of water at the rear of the trailer.
Not to mention that the bow eye is holding the full weight of the boat for a short time while the boat climbs the rear rollers. It actually gets stuck for a second or two until it finally jumps up on the rollers. There's no way I'd submit my boat to that type of strain.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

i always get wet....knee deep usually. i don't see the issue with this since we're talking about boating... in water

It was 16 degrees when we left the dock on Tuesday. We had to keep throwing salt down to keep the deck from icing up and this was while boating in saltwater.

Call me a whimp but wading in knee deep to retrieve the boat isn't an option.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

guess perhaps i spoke out of turn about the water.... my bad

 

[e-coast mike]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

Here's my .02 worth.
This is a one man method I use and usually don't get my feet wet.
After unloading my boat I leave my electric winch hooked up, wrap it a few turns and park the truck & trailer. Then grab the end of the winch cable at the hook while holding the remote switch and winch out about 12-15 ft (keeping it tout) and attatch hook to the outside of my 1st fender, then disconedt my winch remote & power.

When I load, I keep that fender about 4-6" away from the warf and stop with the fender top just above water (provided the ramp if deep enough).
Jump back in the boat, untie and motor foward, putting the bow eye to that point on my trailer.
Jump out (winch hook in easy reach), few steps foward, kneel down, reach in and hook the bow eye.

Important note: When first ariving at ramp, park your boat & trailer out of the way, walk over to the ramp and inspect it, looking to see if theres any fall-off at the sides & the end. Most ramps go very close to the warf edge,
but there are a some that don't, in which case this technique won't work, and you'll have to break out the sandles.
Hope this helps.

 

[jkust]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

Does this mean I have to winch the boat on the trailer?

I don't get it. I have a heavy 18footer but an open bow on a full roller trailer. I jump out, clip the hook onto the bow eye and crank it on. It is literally 110% idiot proof and takes all but two minutes. It only allows you to put the boat on exactly straight every time regardless of current or wind and the trailer barely touches the water by design. Besides even idling onto a trailer is shunned at least the lakes I visit. Consider yourself lucky you have a roller trailer and crank it on.

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Loading onto a roller trailer

I have a roller trailer and an 18' closed bow that weighs in about 2500 lbs. Usually, the only time I get wet is if the back bumper of the truck is over the water but I usually stop before that point so I can jump up on the tongue. I pull the boat onto the trailer using a line tied to a forward cleat. I then just pull it up and hook the strap to the bow eye. It's a little tougher with just a flat gravel ramp and yes - you need to step into the water in that case but overall pretty painless with a little practice.

Offloading is even easier. I disconnect the strap when the rear wheels of the truck are about 3 feet from the water. Hold on to the boat with a line from a bow cleat and then just have the driver back down a foot and hit the brakes. Boat rolls right off.