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.