What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

[kshelly]

Okay, maybe this is a basic "learn by doing" situation, but how the heck do you know the boat is in the right position on the trailer before you pull the boat from the water? Obviously I'm new to boating. I rented a slip but the wifey didn't like the marina. She decided it would be best to trailer the boat every where. We tried it last night. I must have backed the boat & trailer into the water a dozen times to get the boat situated properly on the trailer. The boat constantly missed the center rollers. It always looked straight and lined-up, but when I pulled the trailer from the water, the boat was to one side or the other of the center rollers. After throwing a fit about how much better a slip in a marina was, I said the heck with it (not my exact wording) and pulled the boat home improperly resting on the trailer. The wife was ready (and maybe so was I) to sell the darn thing!!!!!!!!! By the way, the water was calm, no current to fight. Do I need more practice, because I surely gave patience a chance, or is there a certain "technique" I'm unaware of?!?

 

[salty87]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

what type of boat and trailer? what's the ramp like as far as water depth and ramp steepness?...all ramps are somewhat different.<br /><br />from what you've said so far, it sounds like your trailer is too deep allowing the boat to float around over it. try not backing as far down the ramp.<br /><br />don't get discouraged, part of learning a new boat is getting the routine down.

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Stop the trailer a little less in the water and use the winch to pull the boat on the trailer.

 

[RatFish]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

A pair of boat guides for the trailer works great for me!

 

[kshelly]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

19' Arrowglass bow rider with Gator trailer. The ramp (in my opinion) was perfect. Maybe a 25-30 degree incline, slowly getting deeper (no big drop-off). I pulled the boat with a Nissan Pathfinder and back into the water until the trailer wheels were under water. I figure I need the boat to "float" until I get it cranked up into position. I back it in about as far as I would if I was launching the boat. You're probably right, maybe I'm going too far into the water. Is there a general rule as to how far the boat should be up on the trailer before you start winching? That might help.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Trailering can be frustrating and what you are doing is the easiest part of it so the prognosis is not good!!Are you driving the boat on to the trailer,that may be the problem.I usuall pull it by hand on to the first roller so I know it is centered and then have someone hold the boat there as I winch.They do make white poles that attach to the trailer that stick up on each side and will aid you in centering by driving between them.If I had a choice between trailering and a slip it is a no brainer.Your wife needs to understand how much stress trailering can add to boating especially if you are not accustomed to trailering.A slip is a big luxury and sometimes you have to overlook something that you dont like for the convienence of a slip and let me tell you it is a convienence!!I only trailer twice a year and I could live without that.Charlie

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

ditto rat-fish. will be buying a pair myself<br />soon.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Most people that experience problems loading onto a roller trailer are backed into the water too far. Try not backing in as far. Does the trailer have a tilt release? With roller trailers, it is important to actually winch the boat on to ensure straightness. If you float the boat on, you are too deep. the back of the boat floats from side to side and you end up off center and frustrated. Experiment with how far to back the trailer in until you figure out what works for your set up. Keep in mind that every landing is different and make sure the trailer is level. Good luck!<br /><br />Doug

 

[gewf631]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Not knowing what type of trailer a Gator is, I'd almost guess it's a roller trailer, in which case that topic was covered recently here <br /><br />Here's an article that might help... <br /><br /> Here's another that might help

 

[salty87]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

erau85<br /><br />there are no hard rules, each boat/trailer/ramp is different.<br /><br />with my rig (inboard), i stop the trailer before the bow rest gets wet. that lets me get the bow up on the bunks so it isn't floating around. then it's a matter tightening her up on the bow rest and pulling out.<br /><br />trial and error, try leaving the tops of the tires dry or something like that and see if it's better. pick a day and time when the ramp is deserted and find out where the sweet spot is for backing down.<br /><br />i sure do like marinas more than boat ramps, too. in time, your missus should figure that out too. ramps can get downright nasty.

 

[gsbodine]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

it took me several times to figure out how deep to put my roller trailer to get my boat out too. I was going in too deep every time and it was doing just what yours did. <br /><br />if i could afford a slip at any of the marinas on the lake i keep my boat, i would do it in a heartbeat. i would really, really like that a lot more.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Originally posted by erau85:<br /> ... I ... back into the water until the trailer wheels were under water. I figure I need the boat to "float" until I get it cranked up into position. I back it in about as far as I would if I was launching the boat. You're probably right, maybe I'm going too far into the water. Is there a general rule as to how far the boat should be up on the trailer before you start winching? That might help.

I think you're backing in way too far and this is probably your main or only problem. If the bunks or rollers aren't exposed at least where the bow contacts them in the front, they won't center the boat.<br /><br />What you're looking for is having the trailer only as deep as you can get away with and still get the boat loaded - either by power loading (where appropriate - no flames please) and/or by hand cranking. You have to experiment a little - maybe give it a shot at a time the ramp is deserted and you can practice.<br /><br />In my case, the tires are only about 1/4 to 1/2 submerged for loading, more like 3/4 or totally submerged for unloading. I get 1/3 to 1/2 the length of my bunks wet. Both unloading and loading vary a little depending on the ramp.<br /><br />I've seen guys with roller trailers back in even less - basically just the rear rollers wet, maybe a little more depending on the boat weight and ramp and depending on whether power loading is appropriate for that location or not.<br /><br />I'm thinking your boat is pretty light and if so, I'd give that a try - just barely submerge the rollers or bunks and see if you can crank it up. It will probably center great or at least good enough.<br /><br />I've also found that two people, with a rocking/pushing action, can center a boat quite a bit on a trailer once it's out of the water.<br /><br />I also have bunk-style side guides centered on the wheels on each side as well fairly tall PVC pipe post guides at the rear. But I need this because I almost always load in river current and need all the help I can get.<br /><br />Also, in current, my boat is almost never perfectly centered, but good enough to be well supported and not look ridiculous! Good luck

 

[krnch]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Perhaps I'm just daft, but I have been baffled in the past as to why my boat would come out of the water misaligned on the trailer. I was thinking the boat must be listing to one side, but upon inspection, the boat apeared to be floating completely level. I just realized recently that the problem wasn't the boat, it was that the ramp (and hence the trailer) was not level. One wheel was going in slightly deeper than the other, so of course when I pulled it up, the level boat was misaligned with the non-level trailer.

 

[Pony]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Like everyone has said you are backing in too far. I have a set of planks that are bolted to the trailer frame so that i can walk down the center of the trailer. i generally stand on them and pull the boat up towards me. Its easier to keep it centered that way as i can watch the boat center itself on each roller. I just pull it up far enough manually so that its resting on the bunks and wont move, and the i walk back up the plank and winch it the rest of the way up the trailer. Eventually you get a system down where you know exactly how far into the water your trailer needs to be.

 

[farginicehole]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Like krnch said, you need to make sure your trailer is sitting level (side-to-side) in the water. My bunk trailer is pretty forgiving, but if one side of the trailer is sitting 3 or 4 inches lower than the other, which can happen at some launches if you're not careful when you back it in, the boat will end up off-center on the trailer when I pull it out. With a little practice, you'll get the hang of it!

 

[unixgeek13]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Not a flame D., but recommending power-loading to someone having trouble getting on the trailer is scary!<br /><br />I back in far enough to get the bunks wet and then come back up half the length of the bunks. They get nice and slick and then I coast the boat in as far as it's willing, hook up and crank. At most, the worst I've been off was about 1/2 inch from center.<br /><br />Of course, erau85 has rollers, but the same principle applies... get the trailer to a point where the boat wouldn't float off...

 

[kshelly]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

As usual I found all the help I needed at this forum. Thanks to everyone who responded. I'll be trying again today and I'll be sure not to back up so far. Practice makes perfect (with a little help from you guys!) Anybody out there who can convince wifey to like the slip?!?

 

[gsbodine]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Originally posted by unixgeek13:<br /> Of course, erau85 has rollers, but the same principle applies... get the trailer to a point where the boat wouldn't float off...

Actually, that's what I found so difficult about my stupid roller trailer compared to the bunk trailers I was used to. It's not the same. I've got to leave *significantly* more trailer out of the water in order to get the boat centered on it easily. It was just a concept that wouldn't get through my thick head until the 4th or 5th time.<br /><br />Like someone above said though, after a while, you will know exactly where it is, after which it isn't a problem anymore.

 

[unixgeek13]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

"Anybody out there who can convince wifey to like the slip?!? "<br /><br />Fake a fairly minor injury, hand her the keys and let her have a try at the launch and recovery... You'll stand at a safe distance, and shortly after, you'll have that slip again!

 

[unixgeek13]

Re: What's the secret to getting the boat straight on the trailer?!?

Another thought... have her sitting with you waiting some morning on a nice, long ramp line-up... mention more than once that if you had a slip, you'd already be out of port!