Need some loading advice

Hey All,

Been lurking for a while, wanting some advice on loading my boat smoothly. I've been doing it for about a year now and am comfortable with most tasks now, but i'm still not as smooth as i'd like to be loading the boat onto the trailer.

I do the engage-disengage the tranny thing and keep it in a straight line leading into the trailer, but as soon as it hits the rails it gets kicked a little sideways on the trailer. It will right itself if i just let it sit for a couple of seconds and then I go ahead and finish, but it's still a little embarrassing at the dock when this happens.


Thanks...

I know you're stress, my bro Steve trailers my boat more then me. What I find works best is kneeling in the center and watching the Ford emblem on my tailgate. You want the boat going as slow as possible. The reason your bouncing side ways is the V on the nose clears your guide poles but then the width of the boat his them. This is due to the way you aim. Try my idea see if it helps.

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Originally Posted by mmandley

I know you're stress, my bro Steve trailers my boat more then me. What I find works best is kneeling in the center and watching the Ford emblem on my tailgate. You want the boat going as slow as possible. The reason your bouncing side ways is the V on the nose clears your guide poles but then the width of the boat his them. This is due to the way you aim. Try my idea see if it helps.

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It's a fine line I guess, cuz i've tried going slower and that causes me to start getting sideways too.lol

I try to approach a little from the left, meaning fore of the boat is nearly centered and aft is a little to the port side. Then, when I hit reverse it pulls the aft to center. If you time it right you can drive right on.

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Originally Posted by kaneboats

I try to approach a little from the left, meaning fore of the boat is nearly centered and aft is a little to the port side. Then, when I hit reverse it pulls the aft to center. If you time it right you can drive right on.

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You hit reverse when your approaching the rails? Never tried that...

First do not worry about everyone else. Second if you get out of the ramp in a timely manner and without a screaming match with your other half you are doing a great job.

You are going to have a little bounce because the trailer is going to want to line up the boat. The best thing to do is when launching pick a spot on the trailer that you are lined up with. For me it is my spare tire. This is the mark i aim for every time when recovering the boat. Depending on wind and current I will change this and in high wind and current as long as i get the nose between the two guide poles I am happy.

I am not a big fan of using reverse since it kicks your back end out if the timing is not correct but that is a personal choice. Find what works best for you.

get a Boat Buddy.

If your off line at first, the roller pads will align you properly, then give it some throttle and you will be locked onto the trailer.

I back the truck down the ramp, my wife drives the boat onto the trailer. I never have to get out of the truck to see what's going on.

what i do is come in slow, get her straight and the pull in neutral and coast in. give her a little tap to get the nose on the roller, hook up and crank the rest of the 6 inches or so it needs. a boat buddy is on my list though.

Some great advice..thanks all. This might be the best of them all..lol

"First do not worry about everyone else. Second if you get out of the ramp in a timely manner and without a screaming match with your other half you are doing a great job. "- courtesy of jester..

I simply use the winch to get it on. Powering on wrecks the gravel ramp. It takes a couple of experiments to find the correct amount to back in, but after that it works like a charm.

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Originally Posted by Ironcross25

what i do is come in slow, get her straight and the pull in neutral and coast in. give her a little tap to get the nose on the roller, hook up and crank the rest of the 6 inches or so it needs. a boat buddy is on my list though.

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I wish my trailer had rollers, it might be a lot easier to trailer it.

Any tips on centering the back once connected to the winch. That's seems to be our biggest problem but I think sometimes it's because of landings that are not even close to level.


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Originally Posted by spader

Any tips on centering the back once connected to the winch. That's seems to be our biggest problem but I think sometimes it's because of landings that are not even close to level.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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if you need to, have 2 spotters on the boat when you are loading hold the guide poles equal distance from the gunwale. Once you get used to it, one person can do it. I've found that if I have to do that (holding the guide poles as the tow vehicle is pulling out), we've backed the trailer in a bit too far. I also leave the throttle on while I winch it up the foot or so which eases the stress on the bow eye.

Roller trailers suck because the boat will roll right back off the trailer...you literally need to keep the prop engaged- thankfully wakeboard boats don't come with roller trailers.

Anyways, my wife always drives the boat on the trailer. I find that keeping the trailer a bit shallow (top of the fender even with the water) allows for her to come in fast enough that the boat stays straight and quickly slow down as the boat heads up the trailer. Once on, I hook up the winch rope and have her give it a bit of gas to drive it all the way up.

Every time we load the boat people stand around in amazement that we get out in 30 seconds. She always gets "wow- that's how you load a boat" comments as we drive out ....

Also, when we launch the boat I have everyone get in the boat while waiting, when it's my turn I'll back in and she will fire up the boat, back out into the bay, wait for me to park, and then pick me up on a dock around the corner..we are in and out in seconds..unlike 90% of boaters who have no respect for others ...

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Originally Posted by spader

Any tips on centering the back once connected to the winch. That's seems to be our biggest problem but I think sometimes it's because of landings that are not even close to level.

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I think you are too deep also. Boat should center itself on the trailer. Try putting the top of the fenders right at water level, might have to winch it up a bit, but it will be straight.

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Originally Posted by spader

Any tips on centering the back once connected to the winch. That's seems to be our biggest problem but I think sometimes it's because of landings that are not even close to level.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I agree with the others. If the trailer isn't too deep, this can't really happen. I always err on the side of having the trailer too shallow if anything. The only time I've come close to damaging my boat is when the trailer was deeper than normal, and right as I was loading, another boats big wake lifted me up and pushed the boat over the bunks. Luckily nothing happened, but now I always have the fenders even with the water.

I also agree with what others have said to the OP's post... If you load your boat w/o damaging it, and are out of the way quickly, you are doing better than 99% of the other boaters at the ramp. There's nothing wrong with bouncing off of the bunks a little to self-center.

I try to leave the front bunks about 1/3 to 1/2 way out of the water. I back up a little bit further first to wet everything a little bit then pull forward to that spot. Of course the steepness of your ramp will always be a factor. I have done this on other (steeper) ramps and the bow wanted to go under the roller. Had to pull out a bit to get more boat on the trailer.

Dat's what I do too...get the bunks soaked and then pull the trailer up until the top of the fenders are no more than 1" out of the water.

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Originally Posted by brad460

Roller trailers suck because the boat will roll right back off the trailer...you literally need to keep the prop engaged- thankfully wakeboard boats don't come with roller trailers.

Anyways, my wife always drives the boat on the trailer. I find that keeping the trailer a bit shallow (top of the fender even with the water) allows for her to come in fast enough that the boat stays straight and quickly slow down as the boat heads up the trailer. Once on, I hook up the winch rope and have her give it a bit of gas to drive it all the way up.

Every time we load the boat people stand around in amazement that we get out in 30 seconds. She always gets "wow- that's how you load a boat" comments as we drive out ....

Also, when we launch the boat I have everyone get in the boat while waiting, when it's my turn I'll back in and she will fire up the boat, back out into the bay, wait for me to park, and then pick me up on a dock around the corner..we are in and out in seconds..unlike 90% of boaters who have no respect for others ...

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This describes my system with my wife, except she drives the truck. I hate the other boaters that can't engage anyone one of the other 8 people with them to either drive the boat or the truck and instead take up space at the ramp. Even worse if they pull all the way forward or launch all the way forward on the ramp and sit there blocking the whole damn thing like they own it because they are stupid. I sometimes lose the plot and will start yelling at them to move their damn boats back on the ramp, if the person left standing with the boat is too stupid to comprehend, I end up moving it for them so I can do my business. The boat ramp on a crowded weekend is not good for my blood pressure with all the idiots who don't have any common sense or courtesy.

No one has mentioned the speed that they come in approaching the trailer. Is this a factor when it comes to bouncing off of things? I find if i go too slow it starts to go sideways. I looked at my front rails and there is really not much margin for error getting that front ridge between them. I think that's whats kicking me sideways.

back trailer in fully, pull out till fenders are at water level, wife drives on-as long as the nose goes between the guides were good, go to nutral, let boat settle, she then will give a little power forwards , hook bow strap and winch up with a little power assist and pull out, usually about a minute or so,

as long as the nose gets between the guides it no big deal, as after first contact ou can idle forward and steer and get it centered

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Originally Posted by REDFIVE48

This describes my system with my wife, except she drives the truck. I hate the other boaters that can't engage anyone one of the other 8 people with them to either drive the boat or the truck and instead take up space at the ramp. Even worse if they pull all the way forward or launch all the way forward on the ramp and sit there blocking the whole damn thing like they own it because they are stupid. I sometimes lose the plot and will start yelling at them to move their damn boats back on the ramp, if the person left standing with the boat is too stupid to comprehend, I end up moving it for them so I can do my business. The boat ramp on a crowded weekend is not good for my blood pressure with all the idiots who don't have any common sense or courtesy.

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We would get along great at the boat landing! I've been known to back boats in for people who are struggling..

Funny story- the Vice President of my dept was loading up his boat after a day on the lake and I just happen to be waiting to load right behind him...well after 20-25 minutes he finally manages to get his trailer backed in...he was having major issues backing up the trailer! People were pointing and laughing at him and I was pretending not to watch, but he totally knew I was witnessing the whole thing! Anyways, he is a cool guy so I kept it our secret...

You would think a sensible person would go to a school parking lot at night or somewhere similar and practice backing up with the trailer. Maybe not though.