Boat Loading and Launching Problem

[gonefishinginWV]

My brother has a 1980 Hydra Sport on a 1980 single axle trailer that looks like a Hydra Sport trailer but does not say it is.
The problem is when loading using the motor or the winch the bow of the boat goes under the bow stop and you have to manually pick it up. He has also ran the bow stop into the trolling motor driving the boat on the trailer. The winch bow stop assembly are adjustable but I just can not find the right spot to put it. Could his bunks be to low? Could the trailer be to far in the water lifting the back of the boat to high? We usually back the trailer in until the last 6'' or 8'' of the bunk is out of the water. I have adjusted the front roller to carry some of the weight but the bow dips down right before ( about 6'' ) the bow stop. I have some pictures but I to wait till 3 post to post them.

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome aboard.

Bump yourself twice and post the pics, WV.

Is the winch cable/strap pulling straight or is it pulling down?

 

[gonefishinginWV]

straight

 

[gonefishinginWV]

bump

 

[smokeonthewater]

He is backing WAY too far into the water.... That's the only thing that will cause this...

The stern is floating above the trailer...

 

[gonefishinginWV]

No Title

Ok here are a few pic's. Kevin we will try not backing in so far but I don't think we are backing in the water any further than others. How far back should we be going? Also I have a pic of this adjustable winch assembly, it is set to previous owners settings. The boat is not all the way up to the stop in this picture

 

[smokeonthewater]

For a starting point put leave about half of the bunks out of the water... Experiment deeper or shallower from that point...

FYI many if not most boaters back in too deep but some boats and trailers are more forgiving than others

Lower the winch stand so that the bow eye hits the stop.

Ditch the rubber V block and replace it with a roller.

Turn the winch around so the strap feeds off the bottom of it and the handle is on the other side OR better yet IF possible simply unwind it and crank it back on in reverse.... Would require the ratchet pawl to be able to work in either direction.

That should get you started.

 

[MTboatguy]

I would agree with Kevin, get rid of the V-Block, they only work on certain types of boats, like light weight aluminum fishing boats, most boats will benefit from a bow roller.

If you can find a ramp that is not busy, practice backing into the water at certain distances and get out and look at the boat and see how it reacts to certain depths while it is on the trailer, believe it or not, as little as 6 inches can make a big difference when launching and recovering, based on bunk set up, boat and trailer style.

 

[gonefishinginWV]

Thank you for the help, it figures that it was as simple as that because the previous owner had no problem, but it was a steeper ramp. We have discussed replacing the V-Block, the winch, the bunk vertical supports, and the plywood steps on the trailer.

 

[444]

First step, get rid of that V and put on a roller. Your type of bow stop is not suited to a V.

My boat loads the best if I back in far enough to winch the boat up to the bow stop, then pull out. As opposed to dragging the boat across the bunks.

 

[keith2k455]

I learned the backing in lesson when I had my jetskis. Smashed the heck out of my finger one day, was lucky it was on a jetski cause anything else would have messed me up. I back my trailer on deep but that allows me to not power load it. As long as the bow hook and roller line up right (hook under roller)you are fine. If the bow is to low for the roller got are in to deep. What you describe is to deep,how much though will depend on the ramp, water level, etc.

 

[BigDfromTN]

As a rule of thumb.... I back in until the top of the fenders is at the level of the water.
Experiment and adjust from there. you are for sure too deep right now.

 

[NHGuy]

If all that fails, were all the problems at one ramp? Perhaps you could use a ramp that has a shallower drop off.
It looks to me as if the ramp drops too sharply for your setup.
I have a problem on my bunk trailer too. My boat is so heavy I have to sink my bunks. The boat is too heavy to slide up the bunks. The rear never seems to come out straight. I went so far as to get guides this week. Might get some nylon bunk top slicks too.
Bunk trailers are less costly, and they are better for the hull because they spread the load so well. They aren't as easy to load as rollers are though.

 

[littlerayray]

When I load or unload my boat I soak the bunks cuz the slide better and I when loading I only soak between 1/4 and a 1/3 of my bunks

 

[poconojoe]

I don't think he has a loading problem. I think it's the setup. I'm no expert, but I would agree with changing it to a roller. And isn't that winch too high? Shouldn't it be adjusted down, much closer to the bow eye? When my boat is completely winched up to the trailer, the roller sits against the boat right above the bow eye. The winch strap threads under the roller and straight to the bow eye.

 

[poconojoe]

No Title

I would think the winch strap should travel straight off the winch directly to the bow eye with little or no bends. Here's a pic of mine...

 

[Danny C]

What NHGuy said...

I never have this issue except once a year when I go to Kentucky lake and every time I have that issue. The particular marina ramp is very steep for loading the big boats and my shallow hull never lines up correctly. I end up backing too far in to get the bow over the rollers and am barely on the bunks, basically floating above them which makes for a fun time getting her straight on the trailer. Maybe try a different ramp.