Trouble Loading Boat

[Busy]

Hey I've been getting an old boat together to fish out of and everything is going pretty good except for when it's time to get off the lake! I've adjusted the bunks and rollers but the bow roller is giving me fits; it's pretty hard to hit when loading the boat and even if you do hit it you end up sliding off of it. Since I have no experience with this I thought I would put up a bunch of pictures and see if you guys have any recommendations. If something looks wrong here, please let me know!

Backing down the ramp further makes it a bit easier but this isn't an option in choppy water because then the running boards are too far in the water to keep you on the trailer. I'm thinking something needs to be with the front roller. I was thinking about putting an 8" stern roller that's a shallow V shape, but I'm not sure if there's a better setup. The trailer is a pretty light gauge so I don't want to modify it too heavily with brackets that come off of it. Let me know what you think.

[J Francho]

Any trailer I've ever had, placed the bow roller ABOVE the bow strap eye, even little boats like yours.

[Busy]

Any trailer I've ever had, placed the bow roller ABOVE the bow strap eye, even little boats like yours.

I've thought about changing that, too. Thank you for your response, but I think I confused the issue. The roller in question is the little white nylon roller behind the bow roller. Not sure what to call that.

[Jig Man]

A solution to your problem would be to add a couple of short bunks on the trailer tongue so position the boat.

[J Francho]

I've thought about changing that, too. Thank you for your response, but I think I confused the issue. The roller in question is the little white nylon roller behind the bow roller. Not sure what to call that.

You need longer bunks then, to keep it straight all the way up. For whatever reason, trailering little boats is always a pain. I had to add the side bunk guides like you have to my old Sea Nymph - and that was a drive on!

[Nitrofreak]

Try watching the stern of the boat next time you back it into the water and see when the stern just starts to float off of the trailer and then make a mental note of where the water line is on the trailer.

Back the trailer into that same depth and try loading it, It should go on easy or close to it.

[dulouz]

I have been experiencing some of the same frustrations, and have a trailer that is a similar style as yours except it has no side bunks. I have been experimenting with how far I put the trailer in. I am leaning towards having less of the bunks in the water, which results in less swinging in the stern but requires me to walk further out the tongue to attach the winch strap. Best of luck.

[Way2slow]

First thing I would do is throw that roller in the trash and install a V-Stop like one of these. http://www.easternmarine.com/Bow-Stop-Rollers-V-Shapes/

Yes, I also agree you should have it just above the bow hook and set to the rope for the winch goes through the bracket and guides the bow to the stop.

[elite64a]

First thing I would do is throw that roller in the trash

I agree with this completely all those rollers do is tear up your boat. They start off soft and by the end of the summer they are as hard as a rock.

[Busy]

Sorry it's been so long. I made a bracket and put a 12" roller on it, I'll have to remember to take a picture. Way easier to load now, couldn't miss it if I tried!

[Busy]

Finally got around to taking pictures last night.

From Left to Right:

1) This is the new roller I put up front, had to make a bracket. It is a 12" keel roller and it makes loading a breeze!

2) This narrow black roller is coming off sometime when I have the boat off the trailer, I've slipped off it a few times.

3) Due to recommendations in this thread I moved the winch as close to the bow roller as possible so it doesn't lift up on the boat. I can't move it any lower or the handle won't clear the jack. I may put the bow roller up top but I don't want to have to readjust the bunks because that would move the boat back on the trailer.

[tnriverluver]

The way that boat is strapped at the bow there is nothing to prevent the boat from bouncing on the trailer. With that roller sitting under the boat I think you run a very good risk of cracking the hull. You need to change that winch setup so that the strap puts downward pressure and the bumper needs to be just above the eye. Strap should run thru the bumper bracket. I had an old flatbottom boat crack like that. It had a short piece of 2X4 about where your small roller bunk is. Like others have stated longer bunks and loose that roller.

[Busy]

The bunks aren't getting longer. The boat loads really nicely now in all conditions. We only pull the boat ~5 miles at a time, but I am trying to get it to where I have confidence in it for longer trips.

I will put the bow roller above where the eye is within the next week and adjust the bunks if necessary. Cutting the narrow roller off might have to wait until fall or whenever the boat is off the trailer and I'm not fishing in it! That bracket is permanant.

Thank you for your reply!

Edit: The strap cannot run through this bumper bracket.

[joefish]

I can't move it any lower or the handle won't clear the jack.

Move the jack to the other side of the trailer or flip the winch over and the handle will be on the opposite side.