Clear coat repair. Is this for real.

[ian ashton]

Truth be told, I have yet to wax where the boat hits the bunks. My boat has probably only been on and off the trailer 10 times total, so I don't really have any wear there.

[Suprahunter]

Here's a trick I learned after the ramp I use stopped all power loading. I put the trailer in very deep and float my boat to within 2-3 feet of the front stop.
I winch it from there as I pull out of the water the boat will self center and drop straight down on the bunks. When I was power loading the bunk carpet only lasted 2 years now I get 10 years plus. Also no scratches on the hull.

[mmandley]

I tried the float on the trailer deal and let it center its self a couple times last summer. The issue i had with the 08 LSV hull is there are ridges that are very narrow, only a few inches from the rear bunks and if the boat isnt centered before the rear bunk hit then it rides up on eighter the left or right bunk and the boat will then slam down and it slides off the one bunk onto the other.

I do dunk my trailer into the water to wet my bunks completly.

I watched Stretch load his boat your way and it worked very well for him but hit hull is smooth on both sides and doesnt have these two ridges.

[Suprahunter]

Laz
To protect the transom from skis and boards I use a transom pad. I bought this one on the Malibu forum. It straps between the two D rings and forms a barrier between the gel and skier. My wife made one for my other boat using vinyl and 1/2" carpet pad they work great and you dont have to permanently stick anything to the transom.

[Razzman]

Here's a trick I learned after the ramp I use stopped all power loading. I put the trailer in very deep and float my boat to within 2-3 feet of the front stop.
I winch it from there as I pull out of the water the boat will self center and drop straight down on the bunks. When I was power loading the bunk carpet only lasted 2 years now I get 10 years plus. Also no scratches on the hull.

I've done it this way for years, i never power load. The reason? There's always suspended sand in the shallow water around the ramp and consequently your bunk carpet gets full of ingrained sand. Power loading is just like running sand paper across the hull to a certain degree. I have a buddy who takes his boat out almost everytime we do and he power loads, the bottom of his hull is dull and visibly scratched up pretty good

It also (as said) wears the bunk carpet out quick. My last boat the original bunk carpet lasted 11 years. If your lake has a hose bib near the ramp or cleanup area then once a year take a hose with a pressure nozzle with you and after launching hose the bunks of real good with high pressure, it really helps.

[JesseC]

I load and unload my boat every weekend in the summer and do not have any scratches and have never power loaded the boat. My method is I deep load the boat on the trailer and get my wife to drive the truck. I kneel down on the swim platform and as she slowly pulls the boat out I make sere that everything is centered by guiding the boat by pushing and pulling on the guide poles. I just make sure that there is about a 1.5" gap between the boat and tire fender and I know she is centered. It would hurt my feelings to power load her, it is just too rough on the trailer and the boat.

[Razzman]

I load and unload my boat every weekend in the summer and do not have any scratches and have never power loaded the boat. My method is I deep load the boat on the trailer and get my wife to drive the truck. I kneel down on the swim platform and as she slowly pulls the boat out I make sere that everything is centered by guiding the boat by pushing and pulling on the guide poles. I just make sure that there is about a 1.5" gap between the boat and tire fender and I know she is centered. It would hurt my feelings to power load her, it is just too rough on the trailer and the boat.

Pretty much the same way for us. I just sit on the sundeck and hold one guide pole. I know from experience roughly where it needs to be and it centers itself everytime. In fact i only had to re-float once when we first got it.

[viking]

Really nobody sees the bottom of the boat - especially when its in the water. I'm just an anal annie when it comes to my stuff and hate to see any discoloration and wear.

I power load often and can buff and wax anywear that you can reach while trailered. But I don't have access to anything that allows me to lift her up off the trailer like Sled. Wish I did though and I'd give her a good wax

[Sled491]

To be honest I have mine lifted like that once a year to get the hull done. Costs me 200.00 each time. To me it just seems worth it?

[viking]

I might need to figure something out then!
Here's what my hull looks like and I just resigned myself to the fact it was going to happen. I might have to search out a shop that can help me lift my boat off the trailer? I might replace my bunk carpet at the same time??