My boat dances on trailer

[jtexas]

Re: My boat dances on trailer

I don't think I can move the boat any more forward as it is. The stern sits only about 1-2 " past the last roller.

ah, I hadn't noticed that before...the transom is the one part of the boat that needs the most support, and it is *not* getting it.

Keep towing it like that, the hull will develop a "hook" that will force the bow down while under way.

Shouldn't I move the center rollers up higher than the stern? This would put more weight center of the trailer as appose to the back.

That wouldn't resdistribute the weight on the trailer...it would just redistribute which part of the hull is bearing weight. You need the weight spread out as equally as possible.

Measure *carefully* the distance from trailer frame to center of the upper surface of each keel roller, and make them *exactly* the same. Then put the side rollers in contact with the hull.

BTW, I respectfully disagree with Miduckdown when he says "If you can pick up the tongue, you are way too light." If the whole rig weighs 2,000 pounds, 150 lbs or so of tongue weight would be ok, and you might well be able to lift that.

But I agree that you have several inches to move the boat forward. If tongue weight doesn't let you move it forward, you need to move those rear-most rollers back a couple inches.

If you can't secure the boat with the bow strap and stern tie-downs, then the trailer setup is wrong, and a strap across the boat will just be a bandaid.

 

[salmonee]

Re: My boat dances on trailer

So I measured the weight at the trailer jack using a bathroom scale, it reads about 45lb. Most likely it will be lighter at the coupler.

I looked at the rollers on my trailer and feel like my options are very limited. Here's how the setup looks.

There are no adjustment for the stern rollers. There's a bar that hold rollers on either end. The bar sits on an L bracket and the bracket is bolted onto the trailer. I think there was 2 different position that the bracket can be adjusted to. Currently at the high position.

The center rollers can be adjust up and down. Currently it is at the highest point as well.

I'll try to get some photos up over the weekend.

Jtexas,

What do you mean my transom isn't getting the support it needs? Isn't the transom suppose to sit just pass the last roller. Do I want the transom to sit right at the end of the roller. It doesn't make sense to have the transom move forward, as no weight would sit on the rollers.

 

[jtexas]

Re: My boat dances on trailer

...

Jtexas,

What do you mean my transom isn't getting the support it needs? Isn't the transom suppose to sit just pass the last roller. Do I want the transom to sit right at the end of the roller. It doesn't make sense to have the transom move forward, as no weight would sit on the rollers.

ok, I see what you mean...I'm accustomed to bunks which carry weight when extended all the way to the edge of the transom and beyond -- I'm no expert on how much overhang is ok, so I won't question your judgement as to whether the transom is supported. sorry bout that.

Moot point, though, with only 45 lbs on the tongue, you can move the bow stop forward a bit. I suggest moving it in 1 inch increments till you find where it suits you the most.

Note that tongue weight is also a safety issue -- too much of it takes weight off the front tires of your tow vehicle, and too little takes weight off the rear tires.

I have to reconsider what I said about the strap across the boat, too -- with your stern tiedowns at a forward angle like that,do they allow any up & down travel? Hard for me to tell......would it be better if you passed them under the boat instead of to the side? It's just a thought...I'm not sure...

 

[cedarjunki]

Re: My boat dances on trailer

is the boat actually wobbling on the trailer or are the leafs springs so worn out or overloaded that it seams that way? there doesnt look to be any clearance between the fender and tire.
that axle looks adjustable so that may be the easiest way to adjust for tongue weight.

if it is in fact a wobble issue on the rollers, why not just loosen the second keel roller just enough to allow it to settle on the rest?

 

[NHGuy]

Re: My boat dances on trailer

I just read over your posts and this is what I see. 2 issues that require some thinking so they can be fixed with least effort.

Wobble on trailer remark makes me think the keel rollers are carrying too much load and the forward side rollers need to raise. Raise them enough to cradle the hull.
Heavy engine remark makes me think this was a repower and may have caused the tongue weight to be too low. I also read that the rear rollers are right near the transom, so the boat can't move any farther forward, that rules out moving the bow catch for tongue weight.
My logic says set up the rollers so the boat hull is properly supported, then move the axle back to get additional tongue weight.

 

[180shabah]

Re: My boat dances on trailer

My logic says set up the rollers so the boat hull is properly supported, then move the axle back to get additional tongue weight.

Your logic is sound

 

[scipper77]

Re: My boat dances on trailer

Someone beat me to it but the clearance between the fender and tire looks to close. Is that trailer rated correctly for the boat?? looks a little small to me (I'm no expert just asking questions here).

Also in the first picture is the trailer hooked to the truck?? It looks like there is a slope to the driveway but the trailer is level. Also I see the jack is not on the ground. Maybe you need a reciever with a 2" drop.

I'm just throwing ideas out here, and not trying to knit pick or cause confusion.

 

[jdsgrog]

Re: My boat dances on trailer

I just read over your posts and this is what I see. 2 issues that require some thinking so they can be fixed with least effort.

Wobble on trailer remark makes me think the keel rollers are carrying too much load and the forward side rollers need to raise. Raise them enough to cradle the hull.
Heavy engine remark makes me think this was a repower and may have caused the tongue weight to be too low. I also read that the rear rollers are right near the transom, so the boat can't move any farther forward, that rules out moving the bow catch for tongue weight.
My logic says set up the rollers so the boat hull is properly supported, then move the axle back to get additional tongue weight.

I agree with this post. It seems that there are limits in adjusting the rollers in any direction, particularly the rear rollers. The boat and trailer seemed to have been matched but with the repower, it may have thrown some things off, making the boat more stern heavy. With little or virtually no weight in front of the boat, it may be coming off the front rollers, so you may need to raise them (will prevent the side to side movement and provide the needed support for the boat). The keel rollers also should be adjusted lower so the boat barely sits on them (particularly the center keel roller). If the axles can be moved, you may need to move them back a couple inches to compensate for the additional weight of the motor.

A couple of other considerations (which may have been mentioned), tie the bow down to the trailer frame if you can. This will prevent any bouncing. As someone mentioned above, the boat and trailer should be "one" when on the road.

If it was me, I would consider changing the trailer setup into a bunk option. The rollers seem so spread out that it would seem that there is a lot of weight put on each roller, which can't be good for a fiberglass boat.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: My boat dances on trailer

You need 10% ball weight at least , of the trailer weight to travel down the road safely.
If you don't beleive me Google towing a trailer.
It ain't rocket science.