Driving your boat onto the trailer

[Ashleym]

I have been having some trouble driving my boat onto the trailer. I spoke to a guy from where the trailer originally came from and he tells me that there is nothing wrong with the trailer setup.
I felt that there was too much of a gap between the double set of wobble rollers at the back and the single set of wobble rollers about six feet away up the front (with a keel roller in the middle of these two).
When I was trying to drive on if I was slightly off centre the bow would catch the outside of the keel roller. As the bow hadn't reached the other wobble rollers they were doing no good at all.
This guy who seemed to know waht he was talking about suggested I might have the trailer in the water to deep.
How far do you guys/gals back your trailer in ? Do you have any suggestions that may help ?

[Aaron_Fogarty]

Mate, look back through the previous files this questions been raised many times.
Regards Aaron

[cooky]

do as Aaron says - valuable info.
I've found more success NOT having the trailer in too far. I've a single axle and water best at about 3/4 up wheel (if that makes sense)

[Big_Kev]

I just get my back center rollers in the water.
Take it on steady and adjust the direction at the helm.
Works well for me.
8)

[Ashleym]

Thanks guys. I think it will just be a bit trial and error down at the ramp when there is not too many boats about.
The one thing I am picking up is that if the rollers are to far in they will not do the job there are supposed to do.
Thanks again.
Ash

[propdinger]

a couple of little things make sure the motor is trimed up a little find a spot on the boat that lines up on the trailer or car as your centre and just at first take it slow the more you do it the easier it gets. i put the boat on the trailer on sunday in a 15kn+ wind coming side on which meant i needed more power to keep it straight but had no probs at all.

hope that helps alittle

[ba229]

You mean you took the boat out Jeff? ;D

Wow now that is something ;D ;D ;D

[basserman]

pratice prarice pratice
ohh and a few tips

watch the wind and drive on the same side the wind is blowing from that way the back will be swang with the wind

make sure your dead center or it doesn't matter what you do as you will never get it center if you start off center

sink the trailer so the back rollers are just under

once your started you may need to mover to the center or middle for weight

UMM and pratice lots of it ;D

[Cheech]

Ash,

I posted a similar post about 2 weeks ago after scraping a groove in the hull of my new boat. I was sure I was lined up and had witness that I hit dead centre.

I have come to the conclusion that even though there are a lot of rollers on my trailer, it is not actually set up to drive on.

And I did not have the trailer in too deep either.

That metre gap you mention,, I have the same, and what it does is allow the centre of the keel to get off dead centre so can miss the next set and be off centre. Does not take much to be out. The difference with winching is that the winch pulls the keel directly to the centre.

So my advice based on what I read from your description and what happened to me is either add more rollers and make it a dive on trailer, or go back to winching. If you have trouble with the last part then you could probably start it up and drive the last part as it is well and truely centre by then.

Cheech.

[Ashleym]

Hi Cheech
I read your post with great interest but didn't get what your fix was. Did you add rollers?
My trailer has provision to add a set of rollers i.e mount bracket is already there, but this is beside the offending keel roller. I think by the time it gets to the new roller it will be too late.
Any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Ash

[bugman]

Ash,

Remove all your rollers and replace with teflon over the entire trailer. My trailer has that set up and I can't beleive how easy it is.

Bugman

[Ashleym]

Hi Bugman
I was told that this was not a good idea for a fibreglass boat, that the weight should primarily be held by the keel rather than the sides of the boat. Is your boat ally or glass?
Regards
Ash

[Morlers]

Hi Ash

Actually I think it's the other way around. Glass on rollers and ally on keel. I have had both types from new and that's the way the trailers were set up by the dealer.

:) :)

Morlers

[Ashleym]

I thought I would put a few pics of the trailer setup to explain a bit better what I am going on about. I hope this helps.
Ash

[Ashleym]

And another one

[Ashleym]

One more for good measure.

[basserman]

well that maybe where your problem is ash
try lowering the keel rollers just enoght to take the presure for them but still have the boat on them (JUST!)
with most of the weight of the glass boat on the roller rollers you should find that they help with the centering ;)

[Ashleym]

Hi Basserman
I have lowered the centre keel roller so that it just rests against the bottom of the hull. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet - I have my fingers crossed.
Regards
Ash

[Needmorerum]

Ashleym, where are you from? Are you coming to the 1770 M&G? I will be there and you can watch me drive mine on the trailer, I also have a gap between the roller sets at the back and the next single roller. I haven't had any trouble driving on, although the roller brackets at the rear are covered with the same material that the rollers are made out of, so if I do miss, I won't damage the boat. I haven't missed yet.
I'm looking forward to 1770 to see how others do it, I'm to lazy to winch it up, and aren't a great fan of electric winch's, most I have looked at are to slow for what I want and are unreliable. The only one I have seen that suits my need for speed is the Superwinch, which I think was originally designed for ATV's.

Hope this helps,
Corry

PS. I can take some photo's of the roller set up on mine if you like, I know it is a drive on trailer, you could compare then.

[Ashleym]

Hi Corry
I am in Central Victoria. You have lost me on the "1770" I have no idea what that is.
I would be happy to see pics of your trailer to see the difference.
Thanks
Ash

[bugman]

Ashley,

I've got an Alloy boat 6.5metres. The trailer is a bit different from your. The back 1.5 metre section is on a big swing arm that alloys it to tilt down. Witht the the slight V in the trailer design you effectively hit the back swing arm and she self centres. You then just drive straight up the middle. Beleive me it is the best trailer I've had.

Bugman

[Ashleym]

Hi Bugman
My trailer does have a pivot point on the first set of doubles that allows them to swing down at the back. The problem might be that I have them too deep and don't allow them to work properly.
Any chance of a pic or two of yours?
Ash

[bugman]

Ill try this arvo but she's on the trailer and not likley to come off for a week or so (in Brisbane anyway) so it may take me a while.

Bugman

[peterbo3]

I cheat. I drive on but have have the deckie cranking the winch handle to keep the winch wire taut. It centres the boat every time but allows the winchman to do it easy. Saves all the drama when there is a crosswind. I never fish alone so there is always a deckie ;D ;D ;D