Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

[bigdogguy]

We have a new to us 28' open bow fibreglass boat and when loading it on the trailer, the boat does come all the way to the bow stop. There is a strap to the winch and a vertical strap from the trailer straight up to the bow eye. We do need to install a safety chain.

When we get home, the boat has slipped back about 6" from the bow stop. We have replaced the winch strap. How can we determine whether the winch stanchion is in the right place? Or how else can we determine why the boat is slipping back? It does not seem right that it slips back nor does it seem right that the safety chain would be required to hold it in place. Our prior 21' boat never slipped back.

This boat does have a Prestige trailer made specifically for the manufacturer.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

We have a new to us 28' open bow fibreglass boat and when loading it on the trailer, the boat does come all the way to the bow stop. There is a strap to the winch and a vertical strap from the trailer straight up to the bow eye. We do need to install a safety chain.

When we get home, the boat has slipped back about 6" from the bow stop. We have replaced the winch strap. How can we determine whether the winch stanchion is in the right place? Or how else can we determine why the boat is slipping back? It does not seem right that it slips back nor does it seem right that the safety chain would be required to hold it in place. Our prior 21' boat never slipped back.

This boat does have a Prestige trailer made specifically for the manufacturer.

Any advice would be appreciated.

A pic of your setup would help. For the boat to move back 6" seems a little excessive. Maybe your winch isn't holding as it should.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

Bunk trailers do this sort of thing quite often. . . Roller trailers, not so much.

It has to do with the geometry of the trailer on the ramp (downward angle) versus the boat mostly in the water (i.e. fairly level). When you pull the boat out, the transom of the boat, which 'was' floating, now lowers down to rest on the bunks. The resulting movement causes a 'pulling away' effect at the bow stop. Some boat/trailer combinations are worse than others.

My only advise to remedy the situation is to winch up a little extra when you load, and then pull the boat out of the water slightly and see if there is movement. Winch up again, if needed and able. Check the boat after you pull up the ramp, etc. to see if the movement has occurred as a result of pulling the boat out of the water.

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

Bunk trailers do this sort of thing quite often. . . Roller trailers, not so much.

I had a similar problem with our V20 until I reduced the length of the safety chain. Now days, regardless of how deep I have spotted the trailer, I winch the boat in until I cam attach the safety chain and the hull settles exactly against the bow sop once we have cleared the water. The safety chain will then have some slack.

HTH's

 

[lexer440]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

Mine does this when I retrieve it from the water, I solved my issue by using a lower tow ball during retrieval which has a 5" drop. I then unhook and change it out for the "normal" height I use for the road. (don't forget to chock wheels for this pls, some level grounds are not level).

 

[bigdogguy]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop



This is what it looks like after a 15-20 minute drive home. It is winched tight to the bow stop when loading. Usually at the top of the ramp it is still snug or maybe just a bit loose. It gets this much looser on the drive.

Yes, it needs a chain and I am working on that now, but it seems like the chain should not be catching it each time.

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

I don't know why it does what it does but I wouldn't move it an inch without the saftey chain, You are just lucky the strap has held so far or you might have been picking your boat up off of the pavement.

LK

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

Are you using transom straps?

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

What is your winch strap made of? Is it nylon (which has a lot of stretch--good material for docklines but not for this application) or the correct material polyester (like seat belt webbing, very little stretch)?

When you winch it up, are you winching tight so that all the slack (and any stretch) is being taken up?

 

[bigdogguy]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

Actually the very first time we used the boat, the strap broke, we replaced it assuming sun rot when it was for sale by the previous owner sitting out in a boat yard, but perhaps it was over strained! I will need to check the store and see what the material is as I did pay attention at the time.'

Yes to the transom straps as well as that vertical strap from the bow eye to the trailer.

 

[maproy99]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

Depending the angle of the ramp I am launching from, I often have to slam on the brakes when I get the boat on level ground to slide it about 1.5 inches up to the bow roller. Sometimes I don't have to.

 

[rbh]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

28 foot boat is pretty heavy to winch on as I bet you found, so I would bet that you sink the trailer deep enough to float the boat on with little to no winch torque required?
And You have a web style strap.
The webbing will streach till tight around the winch head this is probably giving you the 6 inches of slack.

I would suggest that you get a 3-4 inch wide ratchet strap for both the bow and stern of the boat, throw both over the boat and tie off to the trailer, it is not going anywhere except where the trailer goes.

And you should be required to have a safety chain attached to the bow eye as a safety device when trailering.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Boat does not stay up against the bow stop

Like others have stated, the larger / heavier boats (my boat is over 5400 lbs dry) make winching a real treat. Sometimes mine settles after retrieval and bouncing down the road a couple of miles and I need to stop and take a turn on the winch / safety straps (but usually less than an inch or so, never 6). And, as others have stated, the nylon strap may very well be amplifying the problem with the strech (mine is a rather thick steel cable). Do your transom straps pull the boat forward when tightened, or pull it aft? Seen them both ways, depending on trailer length / how boat sits on trailer. On your winch, I think I would rewind it so the strap reels on to the bottom of the spool, pulling the bow down more towards the roller, but that's just me.



Also, the safety chain should be a mandatory item, especially with the web strap. Have seen lots of em break, usually from being dry rotted from being in the sun. I use both safety chains and ratchet tie downs on the bow for towing. The strap is forgiving while boat flexes during towing, but may fail, whereas the chains won't break, but are not at all forgiving in the normal flexing of towing, so my ratchets are tight, but chain is slightly loose. A backup for the backup, if you will. I tow 250 miles through BAD roads and mountains in the North East and after adding all the securing systems, she doesn't move around at all, now.

Seems as though the steeper the ramp, the more angle to load, the more the boat settles in after trailering a couple of miles. Probably just the settling due to my loading technique / boat finding "it's spot" on the trailer bunks.