side guides

[not enuf toys]

my new boat has bunk style side guides on the trailer. i know that they are prob helpfull to many people but i HATE them! not only are they in my way when boarding the boat while on trailer, but they are in the way when cleaning and worst they make getting the boat in and out of my third bay in the garage almost impossible.

i have had several boats in my past and none of them had these. on very rare occasions with heavy current may i have ever wanted them but have never needed them.

so, how many folks like theirs? are they usefull?

i am thinking of cutting them off...

 

[soldier side]

Re: side guides

I wouldn't give my side guides up for anything, but they are very handy where i load an unload (very windy), but if you are confindent in your loading skills I don't see any reason why you couldn't get rid of them. on the other hand, you could modify them to make them smaller/shorter and get them down out of the way.
good luck, post pics if you redesign them, i'd liek to see.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: side guides

It depends on the kind they are.Can you see them when your pulling into the ramp. I find it very hard to put a pontoon boat on a trailer with out them.

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: side guides

I can see em barely when pulling onto the trailer. If modified to be shorter (they come up a little less than halfway up the free board) then they would be absolutely useless.

The garage door is an 8 ft wide door and they are both within touching by less then half of an inch....if I headed them up to bend them in a bit (about a two inch gap before the sides of the boat) they would constantlyrub the sides and most definitely mess up the graffics

 

[infideltarget]

Re: side guides

I like 'em. If'n you decide to power load the boat at a 45 degree angle while'st a tryin' to keep from a spillin' yer beerz, theys comes in mighty handified. They look cool too.

BUT...mine dont stick out past the edge of the trailer either...why do yours?


See sig pic below...
vvvv

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: side guides

I totall get and agree with the part about not wasting beer!

The trailer is the origional for the boat. The widest part od the boat is about and inch wider than the trailer so the guides come out past the fenders about 2 inches or so.

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: side guides

The free board is also tappered a bit..

 

[infideltarget]

Re: side guides

I totall get and agree with the part about not wasting beer!

The trailer is the origional for the boat. The widest part od the boat is about and inch wider than the trailer so the guides come out past the fenders about 2 inches or so.

Just my useless opinion here, but as you can see with my boat...which has the original 'custom fabbed for this boat' Four Winns trailer...the trailer guides are there to cradle the boat. Sort of like the trailer is saying to the boat "come to me...let me wrap my arms about your hull and cradle you in my protective grasp, after your long journey upon the waters..."...or something like that. The original designers had a reason for putting them there...I'd leave 'em. But that's just me.

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: side guides

here is a picture of the guides. you should be able to see the taper that makes em stick out

 

[infideltarget]

Re: side guides

I think I would leave 'em on if I were you. Looks like it would be WAY too easy to end up on a fender without 'em. I know you said that was the correct trailer, but it looks too narrow to me.

 

[bradtw191]

Re: side guides

wish i had them for windy days

 

[snowman48047]

Re: side guides

Just a though but is there any way to make them removable? My neighbor has a trailer with 6 foot tall posts for his guide ons that are 100% removed for cleaning, waxing, etc...his boat is a 24 foot 4 winns. Not sure of trailer brand but his set up is awesome.

 

[Blue2Green]

Re: side guides

I think I would leave 'em on if I were you. Looks like it would be WAY too easy to end up on a fender without 'em. I know you said that was the correct trailer, but it looks too narrow to me.

I agree, that trailer looks too narrow. IMHO

 

[ondarvr]

Re: side guides

The trailer looks fine....I'm not sure why people think it?s wrong.

I like my guides, but I launch in rivers with current and wind....I don't wash my boat though.

If you don't like or use them...take them off, you can always put them back on.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: side guides

The trailer looks fine....I'm not sure why people think it?s wrong.

I like my guides, but I launch in rivers with current and wind....I don't wash my boat though.

If you don't like or use them...take them off, you can always put them back on.

I said the trailer looks too narrow because the sides of the boat stick out past the wheels, and it looks like the boat sits way up on top of the trailer instead of being "cradled" by it. It looks very unprotected, top heavy, and vulnerable. It simply looks like the trailer is for a smaller boat. I realize some boat / trailer combos are this way, and he said this was the original trailer, but IF IT WERE MINE...I would trade for a wider trailer so that the boat can sit more "in" the trailer and be a little more protected. It looks like the side bunks were bent / modified to accommodate the larger boat.

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: side guides

the side guides are definately not bent out for this particular boat. when rinker outfitted the captiva (cuddy or bowrider) boats with a trailer (weather single or dual axle) they used this same design. there is no step behind the fender and the guides are welded to the frame rail and double bent out to the boat.

as far as the boat "sitting down" into the trailer farther, 1 this boat does have a good amount of deadrise and 2 the keel is about three or four inches away from hitting the axle as it is (and the trailer has leaf springs). Unless i came across a trailer with a u shaped axle i dont think it would be possible to let it sit down farther in any trailer...

i measured the trailer earlier today and it was 8'3" at its widest points so it could be 3 inches wider (as the max the law will allow) but that isnt enough to make any difference in this scenerio............and then back to my origional topic, i wouldnt be able to fit it in the third bay of my garage!! lol

in all seriousness, the guides dont serve me to much purpose. i have never had them on any of my past boats and have never felt like i need them especially on a bunk trailer. its just aim and shoot, and if there is current aim up current and shoot. the four bunks dont really give you much option of going up the trailer more than an inch or two uncentered (which can be easily corrected). someone mentioned fitting them so the were removable and i have been thinking of several ways all day today. if i do go that route it will take me awhile to do it bc i refuse to do it half assed!! anything worth doing is worth doing right!

 

[infideltarget]

Re: side guides

Roger the no half-arsed things. You do what works for you. Its a nice rig you have there. I think it may be the way the pic is taken that makes it look off a bit. Dunno. But if it is the original trailer, you have to think the designers knew what they were doing. You may try cutting them off, and then reattaching with some u bolts and clamps if need be. That would give you a quick on-off, as would attaching some pipe to the frame of the trailer and sliding the guides into them when needed, and locking them in with a pin. Removal would be simply pulling the pin(s) and removing the guides. Post up some pics and let us see your remedy.

 

[Bunk47]

Re: side guides

Just my 2 cents worth, but I think they add to the safety of trailering the boat on the highway, such as going over railroad tracks , severe potholes, sharp corners or even hard braking. Not to mention launching in a current or hi wind. Best of luck with your decision.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: side guides

I said the trailer looks too narrow because the sides of the boat stick out past the wheels, and it looks like the boat sits way up on top of the trailer instead of being "cradled" by it. It looks very unprotected, top heavy, and vulnerable. It simply looks like the trailer is for a smaller boat. I realize some boat / trailer combos are this way, and he said this was the original trailer, but IF IT WERE MINE...I would trade for a wider trailer so that the boat can sit more "in" the trailer and be a little more protected. It looks like the side bunks were bent / modified to accommodate the larger boat.

Like the OP said, the hull has a rather deep V, it doesn't look like it could sit much lower, so moving the wheels out would be of little value, especially if it was only 3".

 

[ondarvr]

Re: side guides

The deeper the V the less the need there is for guides, the V tends to center itself very well. Flatter hulls don't self center as well and benefit more from them.