Trailer Setup Help

[thill]

Awesome thanks! Is there a cheap way to weigh the tongue?

Pick it up. If it's pretty light, scoot the boat forward. If it's a bit heavy, then it should be fine. It should be at least as heavy as a big trolling motor battery for reference. Liftable, if you are reasonably strong, but enough to feel the weight.

 

[Boosh]

I’ve been having trailer problems since I bought mine and am still tweaking things. I put a second roller to try and stop my keel from banging on the center trailer support and found it didn’t roll much, couldn’t get the boat off unless I floated it off. That puts me too deep for side bunks and the wind pushes the boat sideways. So I’m still messing with things.

 

[airshot]

I’ve been having trailer problems since I bought mine and am still tweaking things. I put a second roller to try and stop my keel from banging on the center trailer support and found it didn’t roll much, couldn’t get the boat off unless I floated it off. That puts me too deep for side bunks and the wind pushes the boat sideways. So I’m still messing with things.
View attachment 121545

My boat appears to be very similar to what you show in your pic. Can't see under yours so just throwing this out there. I have 4 keel rollers under mine plus two roller bunks in the rear. Been towing aluminum boats for 60 years, can't have to many rollers to support the hull and make loading/ unloading easier.

 

[GreenBeast35]

First you need to know what the boat and trailer weigh. Then, use a bathroom scale. I would set the scale on a block or some such item and then set the tongue on the scale.
You can get the weight of the boat and trailer at a truck weigh scale that's not gov't owned.

Ok thanks!

 

[Tom Shafer]

Comment on StandUp's last photo, where he used STOVE-bolts as tie-down-strap anchors.
Great idea !
Several good reasons. The fabric straps lose their 'stretch' as they age. The LONG-stove-bolts provide the extra tension to grip the boat. The straps-2-stove-bolts are far easier to use than the "4 hands" method !
Never leave the straps wet and/or in the sun. Never leave them tensioned while in storage.
* Learned when the Arizona sun cooked & welded the rubber trailer rollers to the hull !
I favor a chain bolted to the frame, up to the combination-lock on the bow-eye.
* Learned when old the winch suddenly released the cable !

 

[Boosh]

My boat appears to be very similar to what you show in your pic. Can't see under yours so just throwing this out there. I have 4 keel rollers under mine plus two roller bunks in the rear. Been towing aluminum boats for 60 years, can't have to many rollers to support the hull and make loading/ unloading easier.

 

[Boosh]

Mind snapping a pic the next time you’re by the boat? Or a link to the rollers? My keel roller doesn’t “role” very well

 

[airshot]

Mind snapping a pic the next time you’re by the boat? Or a link to the rollers? My keel roller doesn’t “role” very well

If one of the black rubber rollers, it might be dried out ad they often do not roll well. I switched to the yellow poly rollers years back, longer life and no flatspots! Availiable everywhere boat and trailr parts are sold. Mine came from Amazon, just match the width of the roller mount, unless your replacing the mount as well then get whatever width you want. Cant have to many rollers....

 

[LDUBS]

I have a mod-V boat on a bunk trailer. There one roller up front supporting the bow stem when fully loaded. I purposely don't add any other keel rollers, or have any others touching the fully loaded boat. That provides a stable platform and eliminates potential hard spots that might cause a divot -- kind of like a three leg stool.

 

[airshot]

I have a mod-V boat on a bunk trailer. There one roller up front supporting the bow stem when fully loaded. I purposely don't add any other keel rollers, or have any others touching the fully loaded boat. That provides a stable platform and eliminates potential hard spots that might cause a divot -- kind of like a three leg stool.

Have saw boats with dented keeps from having all that weight on just one roller. Never had less than 3 keel rollers on my aluminum boats all these years and never had a dented keel. But to each his own ..

 

[LDUBS]

Have saw boats with dented keeps from having all that weight on just one roller. Never had less than 3 keel rollers on my aluminum boats all these years and never had a dented keel. But to each his own ..

Well, I'm no youngster and guess I could say the same. I think it is OK to take different approaches as long as they work. They all have potential problems if not done correctly.

 

[thill]

I’ve been having trailer problems since I bought mine and am still tweaking things. I put a second roller to try and stop my keel from banging on the center trailer support and found it didn’t roll much, couldn’t get the boat off unless I floated it off. That puts me too deep for side bunks and the wind pushes the boat sideways. So I’m still messing with things.
View attachment 121545

What I recommend has proven to work successfully.

Install one of these in the area right behind that front roller in the pic above:


It is a 12" self-centering roller. They are about $20 or so. Here is one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081MQV7D4/

You want to mount it on a plate that lays flat on the area where your side rails and center rail come together, or wherever you can make it fit with U-bolts. The bracket that holds them looks like this:

I’ve been having trailer problems since I bought mine and am still tweaking things. I put a second roller to try and stop my keel from banging on the center trailer support and found it didn’t roll much, couldn’t get the boat off unless I floated it off. That puts me too deep for side bunks and the wind pushes the boat sideways. So I’m still messing with things.
View attachment 121545

What I recommend has proven to work successfully.

Install one of these in the area right behind that front roller in the pic above:


It is a 12" self-centering roller. They are about $20 or so. Here is one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081MQV7D4/

You want to mount it on a plate that lays flat on the area where your side rails and center rail come together, or wherever you can make it fit with U-bolts. The bracket that holds them looks like this and lays flat across the top of the trailer framing:


Feel free to drill holes to custom fit the bracket to fit your trailer.

Wait, here is the needed bracket on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/CE-Smith-Trailer-10305G40-Bracket/dp/B01FF356I2/



With 12" of play, you should be able to hit the roller somewhere when loading, and then the grooves in the roller will pull your boat to the center automatically.

These work really well as long as you install them the right way. The grooves should look like a "V" when viewed from the back of the trailer. Mount it so it looks like "^" will cause you a huge headache, so double check that.

I hope this is helpful to you and any others reading this.

Feel free to drill holes to custom fit the bracket to fit your trailer. Here is a bracket on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/CE-Smith-Trailer-10305G40-Bracket/dp/B01FF356I2/

With 12" of play, you should be able to hit the roller somewhere when loading, and then the grooves in the roller will pull your boat to the center automatically.

These work really well as long as you install them the right way. The grooves should look like a "V" when viewed from the back of the trailer. Mount it so it looks like "^" will cause you a huge headache, so double check that.

I hope this is helpful to you and any others reading this.

 

[OldSailor85]

Have saw boats with dented keeps from having all that weight on just one roller. Never had less than 3 keel rollers on my aluminum boats all these years and never had a dented keel. But to each his own ..

Well, I'm no youngster and guess I could say the same. I think it is OK to take different approaches as long as they work. They all have potential problems if not done correctly.

In the middle of a trailer overhaul myself.

Nowhere can I find "official" recommendations for setting up a trailer. Should the keel rollers touch? Should they carry any weight? All I can find is opinions, and there's a case to install them both ways.

Trailer has three keel rollers, bow roller, and two 10' bunks. Bunks need to be upgraded to 6" wide and 12' long.

Also looking at using 2 x 4 bunks as garboard strake bunks in addition to the main bunks. They should just touch the hull. Main bunks carry most of the weight.

My other boats have had either a full-roller trailer, or the keel rollers were set to just prevent the hull from hitting the crossmember while loading (Rangertrail trailer and Ranger boat, factory set up).

I've also seen a lot of boats set up where the rear keel roller is not touching the keel, but the transom saver is mounted to it for transport. It's only used to guide the boat onto the trailer.

Who knows? More than one way to skin a cat.

 

[airshot]

Also depends on hull material, aluminum boats are setup different than glass hulls and plastic is even different yet..my 60 years of boating has been all aluminum with only owning one fiberglass boat in that time. Mostly roller trailers and yes I go overboard with my setup, but never had any damage or issues from trailer setup.

 

[LDUBS]

In the middle of a trailer overhaul myself.

Nowhere can I find "official" recommendations for setting up a trailer. Should the keel rollers touch? Should they carry any weight? All I can find is opinions, and there's a case to install them both ways.

Trailer has three keel rollers, bow roller, and two 10' bunks. Bunks need to be upgraded to 6" wide and 12' long.

Also looking at using 2 x 4 bunks as garboard strake bunks in addition to the main bunks. They should just touch the hull. Main bunks carry most of the weight.

My other boats have had either a full-roller trailer, or the keel rollers were set to just prevent the hull from hitting the crossmember while loading (Rangertrail trailer and Ranger boat, factory set up).

I've also seen a lot of boats set up where the rear keel roller is not touching the keel, but the transom saver is mounted to it for transport. It's only used to guide the boat onto the trailer.

Who knows? More than one way to skin a cat.

I think everyone agrees that the boat and trailer should move as one unit.

I will give you my opinion, at least for our relatively smaller aluminum Mod-V hulls. When fully loaded the boat is fully supported by the bunks and the bow roller. That provides a very stable platform because the boat is supported by three points. It won't rock, teeter, or wobble on the trailer (think in terms of a three legged stool). I would avoid having the keel rollers touching when fully loaded. Reason is doing so can create a hard point and they are not needed to support the boat.

Again, just my opinion along with the reasons why. Like you say there is more than one way (even if they are wrong, Haha).

I don't fully appreciate the purpose of garboard strake bunks. Sure looks like they would help center the boat when loading. Sound's like something that would be used on larger heavier boat hulls and something that would cradle the hull like a glove. Seems like it could be a good thing if you drive the boat up onto the trailer.

 

[MrGiggles]

My other boats have had either a full-roller trailer, or the keel rollers were set to just prevent the hull from hitting the crossmember while loading (Rangertrail trailer and Ranger boat, factory set up).

I've also seen a lot of boats set up where the rear keel roller is not touching the keel, but the transom saver is mounted to it for transport. It's only used to guide the boat onto the trailer.

From what I've seen, this is how most modern trailers are setup. The rollers are just there to guide the bow up, and don't really contact the stern at all.

I had an older tilt trailer in the past that carried most of the weight on the keel rollers. It was a pretty rickety setup all around, but the boat had a tendency to rock on the trailer, and it was also a nightmare to load since the rollers were so narrow.

 

[thill]

In the middle of a trailer overhaul myself.

Nowhere can I find "official" recommendations for setting up a trailer. Should the keel rollers touch? Should they carry any weight? All I can find is opinions, and there's a case to install them both ways.

Trailer has three keel rollers, bow roller, and two 10' bunks. Bunks need to be upgraded to 6" wide and 12' long.

Also looking at using 2 x 4 bunks as garboard strake bunks in addition to the main bunks. They should just touch the hull. Main bunks carry most of the weight.

My other boats have had either a full-roller trailer, or the keel rollers were set to just prevent the hull from hitting the crossmember while loading (Rangertrail trailer and Ranger boat, factory set up).

I've also seen a lot of boats set up where the rear keel roller is not touching the keel, but the transom saver is mounted to it for transport. It's only used to guide the boat onto the trailer.

Who knows? More than one way to skin a cat.

I have also seen trailers set up a number of ways, but the trailer shop that I learned from always sets them up so the rollers guide the front of the boat, and then as it slides up the bunks, the rollers are not holding ANY weight. Either the boat is completely off the rollers, or they are barely touching when loaded.

I have had excellent success with this method. The centering roller works very well to keep the bow centered and not grinding against the middle of the trailer so it loads straight, and then the bunks take it from there. Set up properly, it's easy to power up onto the trailer perfectly every time, without issue.