A guy’s I hope this isn’t bad news

[Douglasdzaster]

I’m going over the boat today after last weekend excursion and taking it down jeep trails.
I knew I needed to adjust the bunks but when I looked under the bow I noticed what looks like a seam going across a row of rivets.
Where the slope is. It may have been this way and I never noticed it. Or do y’all think I pounded some waves to hard?
It goes straight across with the rivets. I think I was hitting waves a little further back. The boat isn’t sitting to pretty on the trailer right now. Can’t afford to replace bunks etc. but the transom is about 2” forward. I’m going to get the boat slide back even with the bunks and move the winch post back. Then I need to adjust things so the center of the boat is resting some on the big middle rollers. No wonder I had more trouble than usual loading it that night.
I’m just trying to get it good enough to make it to the water and unload then I can secure everything like I should’ve before the trip. So much for my in the driveway adjustments.

 

[Crazyboat]

I'm thinking it's part of the build. Have you ever looked or taken pic's before?

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Thank you sir I’ll take that answer.
I took pictures a while back of the trailer underneath the boat. I could look back on those. But I think I just never noticed it. The black stuff was a coating that covered the entire bottom when I got it. From the battle scares the boat was probably used in the Colorado river which runs right through here. I’ve seen to many jon boats torn up and busted lower units.
So I stay in the lakes and me and the 40 hp have striped 90% of that coating away. Reveling more scares.
I’m carful where I go but I don’t cut the old boat much slack.

 

[freeisforme]

That crease looks too perfect to be any sort of damage, and if it were damage, I'd expect to see both sides of that rib showing through.

Its possible to bend them in rough water but its not easy, we tore up a 16ft Lowe a lot of years ago, the boat was an 18ft flat bottom and we were pulling crab pots with it before a big storm, we hammered it through the rough water coming back into the river, we were overweight, over powered and holding it wide open to beat the storm because we knew we had another 2 hr ride up river home and getting it back onto the trailer was going to be a real nightmare in the wind and high tide.
After we slapped a few waves super hard, I knew we bent something because the stack of crab pots on the bow deck suddenly were leaning outward vs being all stacked squarely. After a hellish fight getting it back on the trailer we could see that we had popped about 30 rivets and nearly inverted the forward bow. It was still draining water when we got back home 10 miles away. We fixed it, but it took some welding of a few cracked ribs and a bag of new rivets and two cans of Gluvit to get it back on the water. We ordered a new boat and two days before the new boat came in, the boss mashed up the old one again on a submerged floating log.
We retired it and the boss used it as a cover for a couple of doghouses for years after that.

 

[airshot]

The dent is from the keel missing the roller. You need to set your trailer up for the boat you have. Trailer setup is everything when loading and launching. Have saw many alum boats destroyed over my 60 years because they didn't take the time to adjust the trailer.

 

[thill]

The dent is from the keel missing the roller. You need to set your trailer up for the boat you have. Trailer setup is everything when loading and launching. Have saw many alum boats destroyed over my 60 years because they didn't take the time to adjust the trailer.

Agreed 100%. You don't want a ton of weight hanging from the winch or sitting on any one roller. Sometimes, you need to raise or lower the bunk brackets or the winch post to get it right.

I do this a lot for customers, as it's pretty important.

I hope you can get it well adjusted.

 

[JL8Jeff]

I'm pretty sure my boat has a similar crease to it and mine is all welded, no rivets. It's raining too much right now to go take a look so I'll check it tomorrow.

 

[airshot]

I'm pretty sure my boat has a similar crease to it and mine is all welded, no rivets. It's raining too much right now to go take a look so I'll check it tomorrow.

It can happen if the roller is missed on loading, another reason for side guides or even wider keel rollers!!

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Agreed 100%. You don't want a ton of weight hanging from the winch or sitting on any one roller. Sometimes, you need to raise or lower the bunk brackets or the winch post to get it right.

I do this a lot for customers, as it's pretty important.

I hope you can get it well adjusted.

I’ve been fighting the trailer since I got the boat. It’s not the original trailer and I think it’s too small.
I added the cross bunk which I’m about to replace with a wider one on different brackets so it’ll be an 2X8 that pivots and will be flat across all the chins. I also added the roller in the front to help with loading and unloading.
Behind the cross bunk is a small narrow roller that the boat was riding on when I got it.
The roller was mashed and the metal pieces on each side it’s mounted to weren’t far from the hull. I replaced it and made adjustments to get the weight off that roller.
It has two wide rollers in the center of the trailer. One on the end and the second a few feet from there. There’s two 2x6 bunks on each side of the keel rollers . They are mounted on the edges. Rather than flat. The boat can’t come down but maybe 2 inches more because it doesn’t fit between the fenders it’s so wide.
I had it where it was supported better and easier to get on and off. But I still end up winching it on every time. The keel just barley used the narrow roller until it’s up on the cross bunk.
My next investment when I can is all new bunks that will be longer.
Not quite sure how yet but it will be set up differently. I’m tired of putting on waders.
Last time I adjusted the bunks it took the boat completely off the wide rollers and I almost didn’t get it off of the trailer.
Tell me if I’m wrong but shouldn’t I have some of the weight on those big rollers when trailering with the bunks holding most of it?

 

[Ray Clark]

I’ve been fighting the trailer since I got the boat. It’s not the original trailer and I think it’s too small.
I added the cross bunk which I’m about to replace with a wider one on different brackets so it’ll be an 2X8 that pivots and will be flat across all the chins. I also added the roller in the front to help with loading and unloading.
Behind the cross bunk is a small narrow roller that the boat was riding on when I got it.
The roller was mashed and the metal pieces on each side it’s mounted to weren’t far from the hull. I replaced it and made adjustments to get the weight off that roller.
It has two wide rollers in the center of the trailer. One on the end and the second a few feet from there. There’s two 2x6 bunks on each side of the keel rollers . They are mounted on the edges. Rather than flat. The boat can’t come down but maybe 2 inches more because it doesn’t fit between the fenders it’s so wide.
I had it where it was supported better and easier to get on and off. But I still end up winching it on every time. The keel just barley used the narrow roller until it’s up on the cross bunk.
My next investment when I can is all new bunks that will be longer.
Not quite sure how yet but it will be set up differently. I’m tired of putting on waders.
Last time I adjusted the bunks it took the boat completely off the wide rollers and I almost didn’t get it off of the trailer.
Tell me if I’m wrong but shouldn’t I have some of the weight on those big rollers when trailering with the bunks holding most of it?

I recently finished modifying my trailer for a better fit. I posted a thread over in the Trailers subforum, and you've probably seen it. However, since it's technically still late winter, I haven't pulled the trailer for any kind of distance to see how it rides. It's great in theory, but until it's tested I won't really "know." Maybe I'll get to that this week.

I, too, got tired of wearing waders to recover the boat.

When I set up my boat on the modified trailer, I aimed for three contact points: two bunks for the aft portion and one keel roller near the bow. I got that idea from @LDUBS, and it makes sense. Getting your boat to ride on more than three "points" is going to be near impossible in practice, unless you have some leveling mechanism that will adjust those points individually every time you load the boat onto the trailer.

I needed new bunk supports, so I fabbed these from scrap angle iron that I had in the shop.



They're now welded in place. I also fabbed and added a fourth keel roller near the bow, which can be seen in that same thread over on the trailer subforum.

The three original rollers are not used to support the boat when it's sitting on the trailer. Rather, they merely help with the recovery of the boat when I'm trailering at the end of the day. As the boat sits on the trailer right now, the only contact is with the two bunks and the bow roller up front.

 

[JL8Jeff]

I converted my trailer from rollers to bunks and the boat sits quite a bit lower (fits between the fenders) so it's easier to load/unload. But the back it usually in the water far enough that I've never needed a keel roller. I should probably get one, but my boat stays in the water all season so not much trailering going on. The cut in half pvc downspouts help the boat slide on the bunks a lot better as well.

 

[JL8Jeff]

Here are some pictures of the creases on my boat, they are basically where all the crossmember/ribs are. I just noticed that the sides of the boat also have the marks where the crossmember/ribs are so it's probably related to the construction or welding.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

I recently finished modifying my trailer for a better fit. I posted a thread over in the Trailers subforum, and you've probably seen it. However, since it's technically still late winter, I haven't pulled the trailer for any kind of distance to see how it rides. It's great in theory, but until it's tested I won't really "know." Maybe I'll get to that this week.

I, too, got tired of wearing waders to recover the boat.

When I set up my boat on the modified trailer, I aimed for three contact points: two bunks for the aft portion and one keel roller near the bow. I got that idea from @LDUBS, and it makes sense. Getting your boat to ride on more than three "points" is going to be near impossible in practice, unless you have some leveling mechanism that will adjust those points individually every time you load the boat onto the trailer.

I needed new bunk supports, so I fabbed these from scrap angle iron that I had in the shop.

View attachment 119447

They're now welded in place. I also fabbed and added a fourth keel roller near the bow, which can be seen in that same thread over on the trailer subforum.

The three original rollers are not used to support the boat when it's sitting on the trailer. Rather, they merely help with the recovery of the boat when I'm trailering at the end of the day. As the boat sits on the trailer right now, the only contact is with the two bunks and the bow roller up front.

Thanks for sharing. I’ll check out your post.
On mine it rest on the bunks in the rear and the front wide roller in the middle. But that roller isn’t far enough towards the bow it seems. So I added the cross bunk. The boat doesn’t rest on the wide keel roller in the edge of the back of the trailer it just helps load and unload.
I’m sitting at the boat ramp this very moment about to unload.
I’m installing a wider cross bunk at the bow with different brackets so the boat can sit on the flat side of a 2x8 which will be on the pivot mounts. I am going to adjust the bunks as best I can . I was going to let some weight rest on the keel roller which is about half ways.
But what you said makes since. Maybe I should just focus on the 4 bunks in the aft and the new cross bunk.
The cross bunk that’s on there now was made for a smaller boat. I didn’t think about it when I installed it. But the 24” 2x4 that’s on edge and the brackets underneath it are spread and bent.
So I put my own thing together and it’ll be a lot more adjustable.
I’m going to launch now. It’s a good ramp with some slope.
Wish we luck I forgot my water shoes at home. Lol
The waders stay in the truck though.
I’m hoping to attract some bait fish at the dock with my big green light. Then with the repairs and that I’ll be ready for the hour trip to fish a bigger lake that is really heating up right now.
Stripers schooling big blue cats out in the deep white bass spawning and when the temperature goes up a couple more degrees the crappie and everything else will be ready for spawn.

 

[thill]

Tell me if I’m wrong but shouldn’t I have some of the weight on those big rollers when trailering with the bunks holding most of it?

No. All the weight should be on the bunks. Only enough weight on the front roller to keep the bow centered when loading.

The center rollers are so that when you are loading the boat on the trailer, the keel doesn't grind into the cross members. Once the boat pulls up, it sits completely on the bunks, those rollers job being done already.

If you are having problems unloading, next time your boat is off the trailer, try spraying a can of Pam cooking spray heavily onto the bunk carpet and work it in. Your boat should slide easily on and off after that. Reapply every once in awhile.

I've had trailers that were a real pain to deal with. My last one, I pulled everything and added new brackets and bunks. Then it was great. When done right, it should be easy to load and launch.

Let me see if I can find some pics of a good bunk setup.

 

[thill]

Here is one I did not too long ago. His trailer was terrible, and was damaging the bottom. Everything had to go.



First, I got the boat off the trailer:

Then I made a new set of carpeted bunks, glued and done right. I bought a set of these, plus the U-bolts that fit his trailer's crossmembers:


Measured carefully from the center of the boat to determine where the bunks needed to go. Almost always, they are a little closer in the front and the back, and slightly higher in the front than the back:


Once I got the bunk mounts and bunk boards on, I set the boat on with the swivel brackets slightly loose, so it could fit to the hull properly.


I typically like to have the bunks as wide apart as possible, but it really depends on the boat, and how the strakes are set up.

Once the boat was centered, I adjusted the winch post for a good pull and secure fit, and tightened everything down, including the bunk swivel bolts. After that, she went on and off smooth as silk:



I know the pics I have are of a fiberglass boat, but it's the same and typically a lot easier with a tin boat.

I can't find pics of an aluminum boat/trailer in my phone right this second, but the concept is the same. Again, the center rollers do not carry the boat, the bunks do.

I hope this is helpful.

 

[timm gage]

I did much the same thing with my old trailer. Covering the wood with plastic is a good idea but,,,, even if you use carpeting , remember this. If using in salt water, the carpet absorbs the salt and over time will attack the hull.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Here is one I did not too long ago. His trailer was terrible, and was damaging the bottom. Everything had to go.

View attachment 119460

First, I got the boat off the trailer:
View attachment 119461
Then I made a new set of carpeted bunks, glued and done right. I bought a set of these, plus the U-bolts that fit his trailer's crossmembers:
View attachment 119459

Measured carefully from the center of the boat to determine where the bunks needed to go. Almost always, they are a little closer in the front and the back, and slightly higher in the front than the back:
View attachment 119462

Once I got the bunk mounts and bunk boards on, I set the boat on with the swivel brackets slightly loose, so it could fit to the hull properly.

View attachment 119458
I typically like to have the bunks as wide apart as possible, but it really depends on the boat, and how the strakes are set up.

Once the boat was centered, I adjusted the winch post for a good pull and secure fit, and tightened everything down, including the bunk swivel bolts. After that, she went on and off smooth as silk:

View attachment 119463

I know the pics I have are of a fiberglass boat, but it's the same and typically a lot easier with a tin boat.

I can't find pics of an aluminum boat/trailer in my phone right this second, but the concept is the same. Again, the center rollers do not carry the boat, the bunks do.

I hope this is helpful.

Thill,thanks for all the information.
Mine is a flat bottom and it’s not the original trailer. If the ramp has a decent slope and gets deep enough it’s a lot easier. Otherwise it’s to high with this trailer. 2x6 bunks edge ways. Can’t lower the boat much because it won’t fit between the fenders.
I’m trying to get by for now until I can set it up different.
I do have guide on bunks. When I first got it there’s a 4-5 inch keel roller where the frame meets the tongue. It was torn up and wouldn’t even roll.
I figured to much weight. I replaced the roller and added the cross bunk assembly in front of it so it would use the roller and slide up on the bunk putting it just barely of the roller for trailering. On the good ramps that had slope. The stern would float but when I started loosening the winch (which the bow was putting a lot of pressure and the bow would either drop suddenly (caught the winch handle right up side my head once) or I could loosen it just a little and lift it off the bow stop. So I added another roller on a bracket to the tongue that never touches the boat except loading and unloading. The keel rolls smoothly off the trailer now.
This did ok for a while but I still had to get in the waTer.
One trip after unloading. I parked the trailer and noticed there was a can of Fluid film in the back of my truck.. I figured it’s lanolin and shouldn’t hurt anything it was on the leaf springs anyway..
I wiped the water off the narrow slicks on top of the bunks. And I put a film on the slicks.
When I loaded up that evening the boat drove up the trailer to the winch. I was wowed and thrilled to death. All I had to do was go to the bow and hook it up then step from the tongue to the truck and no wet feet.
I got up with my chest sticking out and proceeded to the bow. Took three steps and like a flash I back out in the lake drifting in the wind.
I did this four times and was so rattled I didn’t think to try leaving the outboard in gear. The whole time there was a guy sitting on his jet flea just watching me. I mean he was next to me already loaded and stayed to watch.
The film lasted about three trips. And helped on the shallower ramps. I never tried anything else.

Any way after last night I have a mess. The boat was so hard to load and unload last week I took it to a nearby lake and docked the boat so I could work on the trailer.
First thing I saw one of the slick strips was broken at the aft of a bunk. Screw exposed. So the first tool I needed was a torx bit and I bought everything else but that of course. I got close enough and was careful with an Allen wrench. The screw wobbled out telling me I probably already hit it. These strips are about a foot long. I stole one from the front of one of the guides were it doesn’t make contact and replaced the broken one.
Went straight to replacing the cross bunk because it looked awful. Only 24” under that wide boat had taken its toll. I had a 3 foot 2x6 to replace it that catches all the chins.
The 2x6 was to be flat until I figured out the 8” bolster brackets I had needed to be 12” for it to possibly work.
That 2x4 had to come off so I removed it and put the 2x6 in its place which raised the bow 2 full inches. I had to remove the bracket forward since it was resting on the frame then I lowered it by an inch. Adjusted the old bunks best I could and boat is off the center rollers when trailering. It’s after 10:00 now. I backed down the ramp and loaded. It loaded with the winch.
Pulled up under a light and got out to make road ready and the bow looked like it was really up there. I was to tired and back sore to unload and do it again. Bow stop was in the wrong place pressing on the eye. I tried adjusting the wench post but there was no sweet spot.
I tied it down and headed home. Wife’s worried about me and I wanted to get there.
It drove good until I hit the highway. I never tow above 65.
When I got up around 60 the truck started vibrating. I didn’t see anything wrong with the trailer tire on the driver side. I hit the hazard switch and pulled over. Walked around trailer truck checking everything. No low tires. Even shook the wheels on the trailer then thought dummy if it’s bearings the hub would be hot. Both were cool as could be.
Pulled back out and when I got closer to 60mph same thing. Vibrating. I drove 45 with flashers on all the way home. Trying to figure out what the heck is wrong. I did notice I could see the bow in my mirror and it stuck up above the tailgate and boat looked like it was moving around. I blew that off to begin tired and seeing things. I had it tied down in the front and two transom straps in the back .
I made it home and backed in. Unhooked and was ready to put the cover on and get in the house.
I noticed the boat was pretty close to the guide on the starboard side. It was perfectly centered when I left. I gave it a little shove and it went to far the other way and was now sitting on the trailer at an angle. I started walking around and I could slide the boat pretty much anywhere I wanted to.
The boat is not that light especially with a 40hp on it.
I’ve loaded a little off center before and had to put some decent pressure on it to bump it on center and tie it down.
I haven’t even been outside today. I’m hurting and moving slow. But while I know I need to lower the bow back down I’m still baffled.
First thing is checking the drive line under the truck then drive it to see if it has the vibration on it’s own.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

I did much the same thing with my old trailer. Covering the wood with plastic is a good idea but,,,, even if you use carpeting , remember this. If using in salt water, the carpet absorbs the salt and over time will attack the hull.

When I gutted my boat before starting the rebuild I had to do corrosion abatement inside the bottom because of the soaking wet 3/4” treated plywood the old floor was made of. I almost abandoned it after seeing it.
I spent many days cleaning out every pit then waited three months to make sure I got it all and none came back.
I don’t even allow anyone to bring salt for their lunch.
My son started telling me how it would be perfect for fishing certain areas. He fishes salt water. I told him that’s good go buy you one like it.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

I drove the truck and it’s fine. Looked at the trailer in the daylight and yeah my cross bunk has everything out of sorts. The boat is off the front of the aft bunks. Cross bunk also needs to be moved towards the bow and there it will be mounted just to the tongue and can be lowered.
I’ll have to see what I have to put under the boat to raise it with so I can work. When I take the cross bunk off I’m going to lower the boat and see how it looks without it. Before there was to much weight on the keel roller but I adjusted the bunks since then,
The bunks just don’t reach far enough.
When I do get to redo the whole thing I’m going to see if there’s a way to add another cross member for a couple more bunks that’ll support the boat and do away with everything else but a keel roller at the bow.
Right now the bunks only reach from the transom to 6’-8’. Leaving 8’-10’ of the boat with no support except for my mess.
Also I’m taking Pam or something to put on the slicks and cross bunk if I keep it.
I was wondering which would work or last longer Pam or Silicone spray? The Fluid film was great but I’m not 100% about it’s aquatic safety.

 

[JL8Jeff]

I don't think I've ever kept my feet dry when trailering the boat, even in Feb when the water temp was still in the 30's. I figure I'll probably hurt myself trying to stay dry so I just use my water shoes to unload/ load the boat, no big deal. I've never driven a boat onto a trailer in 33 years of boating, I always load it with the winch line. With my current setup with the pvc downspouts on the bunks, I can winch it up easily with my weak arm. My uncle had a power winch setup for his Starcraft 17' deepV center console but he also walked into the water to line the boat up on the trailer. He did have a 4x4 bolted onto the center tongue section to give him some extra space to walk on when he needed to. With your boat sitting above the fenders, I can definitely see where it would be a pain to load/unload sitting that high. You may want to look into a drop axle that is wider so you can push the fenders out and sit the boat lower on the trailer.