What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

[Darren Nemeth]

Attached below is the front of my trailer. It is poorly made and rickety where the crank is.

I can't get the boat close enough to touch the roller because the crank hits the boat.

Can I find or make a better one, and most importantly, what is is called?

Also, I always get wet when I launch the boat. I have to hop in the trunk to shove off!!! I really need a couple of trailer walk ramps, however, can I make a set from stuff I can find at Lowes that are better than these??

http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.prodInfo&productID=4971&categoryID=222


If so, what parts do you suggest?

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

It's a winch post, and a bow stop. You could use both items....

http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.catalog&categoryID=224

 

[woosterken]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

I think your tounge is to short and the bow stop bracket is angled back to far.
here is a picture of mine..............

woosterken

 

[NYBo]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

Woosterken is right. Your trailer isn't set up properly. Ideally, the bow eye should snug up underneath the the bow stop on the trailer. Try moving the bow stop bracket to the set of holes second from the top on the winch post.

I would not take the boat out on the road with the trailer set up that way. The boat will be bouncing up and down. Not good.

 

[Darren Nemeth]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

Woosterken is right. Your trailer isn't set up properly.

Sloppy job, too. Some of the additions to the trailer are rickety and unsightly.

Most of the bolts are heavily painted and or rusted. I have someone with a welder torch. She will help get some of those nuts loose so I can adjust up one of the rollers and put in new bunks and adjust the bow stop.

It surely wasn't fitted to this boat at all. Formally a junker used as bass boat.

Ideally, the bow eye should snug up underneath the the bow stop on the trailer. Try moving the bow stop bracket to the set of holes second from the top on the winch post.

I would not take the boat out on the road with the trailer set up that way. The boat will be bouncing up and down. Not good.

I know what you mean. So far, I've only drove it home from where I got it, took it to have it weighed for the new title then took it twice to the docks across the street.

You are right, after I took the deck and other rot out the hull it bounced around too much on the way to and from the dock. Almost came off the trailer when making a turn at less that 5 mph!!!

 

[reelfishin]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

You could just mount the bow stop above the winch and remove that odd looking addition to it. Plus get a more compact hook for that winch strap, is that just tied to the boat?

If space is an issue, you could also turn the winch over and put the crank on the other side, that way the strap will exit right off the spool, directly under a top mounted bow stop. It also looks like you could upright the entire bow stop a bit by just repositioning the bolts?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

woosterken"s is wrong also, roller needs to be above the eye. needs to be like this.

 

[cbavier]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

Darin I think the trailer you have is not big enough for your Boat. I remember your other posts and it is set up for a 12 or 14 ft at most. Maybe an Aluminim fishing boat. Your trailer tongue is way too short. I don't think you can use the tilt on the trailer either with a fiberglass boat very safely because of the weight of the boat. I think (not being mean) that somebody has just done a cobble job with an old trailer. I believe you would be better off to find another trailer and sell the one you have now. Your original post was just to move the boat in and out of the garage to work on the boat. The trailer you have now may be fine for that purpose but not to put on the road. The trailer is too light and the boat is too big.

 

[bowman316]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

a quick fix would be to put the winch below the roller, and run the strap around the back side of the winch before hooking it to the boat.

 

[Darren Nemeth]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

Darin I think the trailer you have is not big enough for your Boat. I remember your other posts and it is set up for a 12 or 14 ft at most. Maybe an Aluminim fishing boat. Your trailer tongue is way too short. I don't think you can use the tilt on the trailer either with a fiberglass boat very safely because of the weight of the boat. I think (not being mean) that somebody has just done a cobble job with an old trailer. I believe you would be better off to find another trailer and sell the one you have now. Your original post was just to move the boat in and out of the garage to work on the boat. The trailer you have now may be fine for that purpose but not to put on the road. The trailer is too light and the boat is too big.

The winch post area of the trailer looks cobbled together. Except for the bunks, the rest seems fine.

This is a 14 foot 6 inch boat. The specification plate on the trailer says it is rated for 700 pounds.

A 1970 sales brochure says my boat's approximate weight was 470 pounds. Add another 200 for the new Bat-details I am making and it will bring it around maybe 650 lbs.

{After I bought it, both trailer and boat weighed in at 1360 pounds on the scrap yard scales, however, this included over 8 trash bags worth of waterlogged foam and deck. }

Do you think the boat is sitting too far up the trailer?

 

[Darren Nemeth]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

You could just mount the bow stop above the winch and remove that odd looking addition to it. Plus get a more compact hook for that winch strap, is that just tied to the boat?

Hello, The boat isn't tied to the trailer. There is a hook from the winch and another hook attached to the bow stop.

I am repositioning the winch and bow stop as I type this. Need to run to the hardware shop for new bolts. I need 3/8 bolts and who ever put this together used the next smallest size!!!!

The boat is at least a foot further back on the trailer now that I repositioned the bow stop.

 

[cbavier]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

Darin see what it looks like after you reposition the winch and Bow stop. the transom should fully rest on the rear edge of the bunks so the bunks are supporting the full weight of transom. Post a picture after your done if your not sure and I or someone else will look at it. TD"s set up is correct. Wooster's is not. You may have to drop your winch down one set of holes. You'll know when it looks right after playing with it a couple times.

I don't know of a better walk ramp. I wish I had the ramps you have on your trailer. I'm thinking of buying two just like those myself. Already been looking.

 

[Darren Nemeth]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

Okay. I am done.

Thanks fellas!

I readjusted everything and this is about as good as it'll get until i get a proper bow stop. This seems to be from a universal bow stop kit. Still does the job, however.

All I need to do is put in the new bunks and adjust one roller and the trailer is set.

Darin see what it looks like after you reposition the winch and Bow stop. the transom should fully rest on the rear edge of the bunks so the bunks are supporting the full weight of transom.

The boat is still one foot further back from where it was before so the bunks no longer support the transome. However, I have new wood for the bunks and will fix that.

I don't know of a better walk ramp. I wish I had the ramps you have on your trailer. I'm thinking of buying two just like those myself. Already been looking.

That walkramp is a image from a retailer. Sadly, I don't have any yet.:redface:

 

[cbavier]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

Much Much Much better! That looks great! Make sure the boat rests against the Bow stop. That rubber roller. How does it set on the back now? Are the bunks even with the back of the transom? That is 100% improvement Darrin.
Also you might consider a little longer safety chain that hooks to the Bow Eye bolt sometime in the future an move it down on the winch stand. Keep your eyes open for a piece of scrap chain somewhere. But it looks good now! Hopefully you can get the tilt freed up and working good in the future. A little wire brush, primer and paint and she will be as good as new.

 

[bowman316]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

almost...
Just put the winch strap above the roller,
so that the hook the winch hooks into rides over the roller comming off the post. That eye hook needs to rest on top of the roller. And just buy a new strap, i saw that you had to re-tie it to the hook, same thing happened to me, they are 10 bucks at wal-mart.

 

[cbavier]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

almost...
Just put the winch strap above the roller,
so that the hook the winch hooks into rides over the roller comming off the post. That eye hook needs to rest on top of the roller. And just buy a new strap, i saw that you had to re-tie it to the hook, same thing happened to me, they are 10 bucks at wal-mart.

No it doesn't either. Look at TD's post above about five posts. His is correct.

 

[bowman316]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

my boat has 2 bow stops, one higher up, and one directly below it, so i run the strap between them, and bring the eye hook above the lower one. I guess that is right? but is is different for this set up.

 

[cbavier]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

my boat has 2 bow stops, one higher up, and one directly below it, so i run the strap between them, and bring the eye hook above the lower one. I guess that is right? but is is different for this set up.

bowman: That's the way mine is set up also. The strap goes between the two stops and the safety chain too. Not a very clear picture but.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/24589494@N00/2322407275/sizes/o/

 

[bowman316]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

Would you say a saftey chain is a nessecity?
I don't have one.

 

[cbavier]

Re: What is this on my trailer and can I make a better trailer walk ramp??

Would you say a saftey chain is a nessecity?
I don't have one.

Yes absolutly. It's a cheap insurance policy. I don't trust my Bow Strap well enough to chance losing my boat on the highway or ramp for a $4 or $5 chain and hook. The strap could break. I also run it all the way out once a year and inspect it carefully. I'd rather be safe for my boat as well as the guy behind me than sorry. Some people even use a turnbuckle. But I think the chain and hook would be faster and easier. I undo the stern straps in the staging area but. I don't undo the chain or bow strap until I'm at waters edge. My boat is on a roller trailer and I saw a guy dump one one time because he took the chain and strap off at the top of the ramp or perhap in the staging area? Undo the chain or bow strap at the waters edge, secure your ropes. Then back in.