Boat Guide On Bunk Issues

[KSBassMan95]

Hey guys of BR, whats going on today?! I need some help from you guys, and if you own a nitro or a boat with my similar trailer issue, even better! I recently got a 2011 Nitro Z6. Love it, the only thing I dislike is loading the boat on the trailer, It can be a little difficult by myself, so I ran up to Cabelas and picked up some guide on bunks. Great, right?! I have a small issue I didn't realize until I got home though. Behind and in front of the trailer wheel well, there are step-up side plates, which add about 8 inches to the trailer frame itself, making it about 10" wide instead of 2" wide, I cant install the guide on bunks with these in the way, and cant take them off seeing as how the trailer lights are integrated into them. I guess my question is, can I install the guide on's further up towards the front of the trailer? Never really seen that done before, they are always installed on the back, so it seems. Plus I'm not sure if it would work, seeing as how the frame of the trailer starts angling/curving into a V back towards the tongue/hitch. Ill upload some pictures so you can get a better idea of what I'm dealing with. Ill also include a link (is that allowed? Idk :0) to the bunks I purchased. Thanks in advance for any help guys!

 

-Guide on bunks purchased- http://www.cabelas.com/product/boating/boating-trailer-accessories/guide-ons-bunks|/pc/104794380/c/104781780/sc/104366880/cabela-s-low-profile-bunk-guide-ons/700557.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fguide-ons-bunks%2F_%2FN-1100650%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104366880

[S Hovanec]

If it is that difficult getting centered, I'd venture to guess you're putting the trailer in too deep.  All boats are different, but I'd start by backing it in til the top of the fenders are just above the water.

 

Guides in the front won't help.  I would install those by drilling through the diamond plate where ever necessary to make them work.

[slonezp]

Does the trailer have a single pair of bunks or 2 pairs?

[KSBassMan95]

27 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Does the trailer have a single pair of bunks or 2 pairs?

Underneath, two pairs

1 hour ago, S Hovanec said:

If it is that difficult getting centered, I'd venture to guess you're putting the trailer in too deep.  All boats are different, but I'd start by backing it in til the top of the fenders are just above the water.

 

Guides in the front won't help.  I would install those by drilling through the diamond plate where ever necessary to make them work.

I do back it in to about there, and till the front tip of the bottom bunks are just poking out of the water, its still just a SOB to load, at least for me, haha, and its always windy here, so regardless some guide on's would be nice.

[Ski213]

Every setup is different. Every ramp is different as well. As was stated above, it kind of sounds like you may have the trailer backed in too far or possibly it's a steep ramp. Either of those will not allow the bunks to kind of cradle and guide the boat as it comes in.  

Something that helps me center the boat is remembering that I'm sitting to the right of center. If I "point" the bow at the winch stand from where I'm sitting I'll come in crooked  every time. Try to come in while keeping in mind where you need to be sitting when the boat is properly centered on the trailer. 

[WIGuide]

On 5/15/2016 at 4:43 PM, KSBassMan95 said:

I do back it in to about there, and till the front tip of the bottom bunks are just poking out of the water, its still just a SOB to load, at least for me, haha, and its always windy here, so regardless some guide on's would be nice.

^^ It sounds like you're in too deep dude. Pull it up a bit and you should be good especially with 2 sets of bunks under the boat. The steeper the landing the more bunk you will need to leave out of the water, and the more gradual the landing you'll have less bunk showing to get it on. Part of learning to load your particular boat is to learning how much is enough for each situation.  

[S Hovanec]

2 hours ago, WIGuide said:

and the more gradual the landing you'll have less bunk showing to get it on.

 

No kidding there.  There's one ramp at a Corp lake I fish, that late in the summer, the waters edge is in front of my truck to get enough water under the trailer!   The exhaust is under water and the step tubes are too.

[WIGuide]

2 hours ago, S Hovanec said:

No kidding there.  There's one ramp at a Corp lake I fish, that late in the summer, the waters edge is in front of my truck to get enough water under the trailer!   The exhaust is under water and the step tubes are too.

Yeah there's one little lake by me that I fish quite often that's the exact same! I can't fish it too early in the spring or fall unless I'm fishing with someone because there's no way to get out of the vehicle other than stepping in the water. 

On the other extreme, there's a ramp on a section of river that looks like it'd be gradual from the lay of the land, but the actual ramp drops off really quickly. Half the bunks are out of the water when you go to load up, and on my boat, the hole where the steering and throttle cables come through the hull actually gets dunked under water and you hear it pouring into the hull.