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View Full Version : Boat Buddy??? What is this?



mobiusLSV05
03-14-2005, 06:55 PM
Can someone tell me exactly what a boat buddy is and does. Is it really that hard to crank up the boat onto the trailer. Is this another term for an automatic winch? Info appreciated.

Jon
03-14-2005, 07:40 PM
A boat buddy is this system that attaches on your trailer where the roller for your wench is. It is a pin that locks through your boat's bow eye. You put the pin the the open "set" position and when you pull your boat up on your trailer, it locks once the bow eye is all the way up. That way you won't have to get someone to get in the water and attach the strap and crank you up. Just drive the boat on the trailer, here the click and tell the driver in the vehicle to go.

OnTheH20
03-15-2005, 10:57 AM
I noticed your comment about it being hard to wench up. I've got an LSV and couldn't budge it the last few inches with the wench. The only reason we tried wneching is that we couldn't power those last inches up either.

The trailer was in over the fenders, wife gave it full throttle and it still wouldn't power up onto the trailer more. Any recommendations?

Jon
03-15-2005, 12:16 PM
I would think the problem would be with the angle of the ramp. If I were you, leave the fenders barely out of the water and try to load your boat. Once you get posititoned on the trailer, back down a little more and crank and give it gas at the same time. This should get you up there. When pulling out, take it slow and make sure you don't drift over on top of a fender.

03-15-2005, 06:18 PM
I always make sure the bunks are wet .Put the trailer all the way down and then come up to what is normal for you.Just my .02.
John

seanpatsdad
03-15-2005, 06:20 PM
Make sure the bunks are totally wet works well also.
John

mobiusLSV05
03-15-2005, 08:32 PM
Hey, thanks for the info, Im still a little confused, By the sounds of it you have to "power load" the boat onto the trailer, that is heavily frowned upon in Michigan(fines). If I am mistaken could you please go into more detail. What happens to the winch--looks like mechanism replaces roller and strap/winch assembly? If Im wrong do you all recommend getting one (not that expensive if it saves time)

Jon
03-15-2005, 09:29 PM
The boat buddy system is there and the winch and roller are there as well. When the boat buddy is locked and you have the strap attached, you are connected twice to your trailer. Just a safeguard I guess.

You do have to drive the boat onto the trailer, all the way up to the roller. I feel sorry for the person having to do the cranking if you can't do that in Michigan. I can't imagine doing it that way.

seanpatsdad
03-16-2005, 08:40 AM
Mobiuslsv05
Go to www.bassproshop.com and do a search using this number 38-550-675-00.It gives a description of what it is and a picture.
John

jburnside
03-16-2005, 10:11 AM
Guys,
I load my current '03 Outback LS using the standard winch and have done so on probably 20 different ramps and have never had any real problems. I follow the recommendations shown in the owners manual and it works every time. Jon's thought about the angle of the ramp is probably correct and the fenders should not be totally submerged.

MobiusLSV05,
You're correct it's illegal in Michigan to power load but I see people do it all the time in front of DNR and County people. I guess as long as you're not churning up the bottom to bad while you load it's not a big deal? Like I said above, I still hand load our boat and plan to do the same with our new LSV when it comes in. The difference in weight between my current boat and the new boat is only 50lbs, no big deal. Good luck.

mobiusLSV05
03-16-2005, 06:07 PM
Hey Thanks for the link to BPS. That really helped with the dilema--needed a visual aide.Lopking for delivery in mid April need all the help and advice I can get. After seeing it I'm going to wait and see how bad or good it loads onto trailer. I think its smarter to walk the boat onto trailer than powerload anyway. If you are off center wont the prop and fins be subject to damage?

Dave A
03-17-2005, 02:03 PM
The guide poles will help you load the boat. Make sure you get the guide pole covers.

AZ_Calling
06-02-2005, 04:25 PM
I am planning on purchasing the Boat Buddy to make loading a little easier. Has anyone installed this before? Do you have to install the Boat Buddy with the boat off the trailer?

Thanks

Dave A
06-02-2005, 05:31 PM
Be careful about backing too deep. If you do this while you are trying to drive the boat on to the trailer, the nose of the boat will go under the roller into the metal on the trailer. If you are to shallow, you can't get the boat all the way up, too deep, serious scratches on the nose.

I had a guy at a ramp give advise similar to what jon said. Get the boat as far up as it will go, attach the strap, tighten it, and then back down some. I have done this several times and always with the motor off. As long as you get the boat far up enough on the trailer, you shouldn't need power to pull the boat the other 2 or 3 inches. I typically try and leave about 2 inches below the top of the fender.

NH Moomba
06-02-2005, 09:28 PM
Somebody told me this trick and I find it works really well. Spray the bunks with lemon pledge when they are good and dry. That made all the difference being able to crank the boat up those last few inches. They sell a spray that does the same thing at West Marine - I think it is called liquid rollers.

Andy

Bagboy
06-05-2005, 03:04 AM
I installed a Boat Buddy on my trailer last weekend. It took 2 wrenches (1 adjustable and 1 Socket) and 5 minutes. You just remove the bow rollers. They're secured by 1 bolt. Then put the Boat Buddy in that same place and bolt it on with the 1 bolt that they supply. They give you some plastic spacers to use if your trailer requires it -- mine did.
You do need to have the boat off the trailer to do this.
Also FYI mine is a single axle trailer with an '05 Mobius LS and the one time that I've used this new setup -I had the waterline even with the top of the fenders and it worked pretty well.