Loading with the bow eye

[sharps45]

When coming off the lake last weekend, the ramp was so shallow I had to back so far out into the water that my rear seat carpets got wet. My nephew, who's boat is much smaller and lighter than mine, first power loaded with his engine, then cranked it on the rest of the way with the winch hooked to the bow eye. I'd always heard this is a bad thing to do, both the power load and the cranking. How about some feedback from the pros? thanks

mine- 23 ft chriscraft deckboat
his-18 ft bayliner runabout

 

[5150abf]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

power loading is bad because it washes out the ramp and I always understood that is what the bow eye is for.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

Well, sometimes you have to do whatever works, just like your buddy did, and it's not necesarily a bad thing but I wouldn't want to make a habit of it, under normal circumstances you just put the trailer deep enough to float the boat right onto without any undo strain on the bow eye. (I am a pro at loading my boats) and faced with the same conditions I would have had no other choice than to power load and winch.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

Why would every boat trailer have a winch if it wasn't supposed to be used to pull the boat on the trailer. The bow eye and winch are designed to be used to pull the boat on the trailer. If you able to float it that is fine. However, in many cases cranking it up with the winch is the best way to do it. I have a roller trailer and no side guides. If I try to float my boat on, it will always end up off center or crooked. I have found that it works best to keep the trailer a little bit shallower and crank it up the last 5' or so. It centers it self that way.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

do you have a tilt trailer, it breaks in the middle to help in loading situation like that. you should never power on at any speed above idle. the winch is there for a reason. pull the boat up.

 

[guy74]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

you should never power on at any speed above idle. the winch is there for a reason. pull the boat up.

Thats kind of an oversimplification the practice. Everyone at the lake we use powerloads. There is nothing to harm at these ramps, concrete all the way down to the bedrock lakebed. So it isn't always a bad thing. just my $.02

 

[sportsnut87]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

I have, like most of you done it both ways. To be completely honest, I can load my boat just as fast or faster by cranking it up. Even when it is just me and my 6 year old. Hes a good helper. I always like it when the guy powerloads and dont get it centered then push the boat back off do it again and again and again. My concern is how quick can I get my butt out of the way and the safest and for me its cranking it up. However, I do get my trailer pretty far in the water, never deep enough to drowned my muffler, but I can pull my boat withing 6 inches of being in place, so cranking is all of 5 or 6 turns and I am done

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

There was a post recently about wetting the bunks before loading. Backing far enough down the ramp to mostly submerge the bunks, pulling forward and then loading. I do this as well and find it really easy and quick to winchthe boat up.
Had the trailer in too far once and power loaded and shot the boat over the end of the trailer stantion. Since then I just winch it. :redface:

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

When coming off the lake last weekend, the ramp was so shallow I had to back so far out into the water that my rear seat carpets got wet.

Had to read that twice. Do you mean the carpet in your tow vehicle got wet? Now that's what I call determination and burying your trailer (not good for the rear though, check for water intrusion). The bow eye will be fine. Check for stress cracks around it occasionally. If they appear, you may need to put a reinforcing plate behind the eye.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

I winch it on all the time. I see a lot of folk powerloading and getting it wrong especially when there is a cross wind. I can winch on the last foot after floating it on in a few seconds and it lines up every time as well.
The winch and eye are for winching believe it or not.
The eye should also be used for the security chain when towing as well.

 

[BMOLCHANY]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

I have to ask how low was the water when you put in? If it was all that bad I am not sure that I would have gone through with it.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

I wouldn't want to make a habit of it, under normal circumstances you just put the trailer deep enough to float the boat right onto without any undo strain on the bow eye.

Ok, I'm certainly no expert but even if the ramp is steep enough to float all the way on I WILL put strain on the bow eye after (and a safety chain) in order to make sure the boat stays put while trailering.

Is this not standard practice? I gotta think the bow eye can take the strain.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

If the bow eye isn't for winching the boat on, then what is it for? I have always used it to winch the boat up the last foot or so after floating it on and never given it a thought.l

 

[collind]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

I only sink my trailer just enough to 3/4 of the bunks wet, then I power load just enough to make sure there is friction and the boat is not going to drift off. After that I shut down, raise the leg, get out of the boat and winch it the rest of the way up. The bow eye is usually reinforced and can take the strain.

 

[searay3]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

Here is a link to ez loader. They make both roller and bunk type trailers. Starts on page 16. Pretty good info about loading and unloading a boat on a trailer...http://www.ezloader.com/Brochures/OwnManual/Manual.asp

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

Here is a link to ez loader. They make both roller and bunk type trailers. Starts on page 16. Pretty good info about loading and unloading a boat on a trailer...http://www.ezloader.com/Brochures/OwnManual/Manual.asp

Great link. Thanks for posting it.

 

[sharps45]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

Especially to Tashasdaddy- The reason I ask is because of the weight of my boat. My dad's first boat was an old tri-hull, and he just about pulled the bow eye out of it winching, so I've always been under the impression that it was a no-no. Most of my boating is in mountain lakes with steep ramps, so this has never come up before- I just float it on, crank it with the winch while holding onto the side bunks to center it- floating all the while. I wasn't sure if the bow eye could handle the strain of the full 3 ton weight pulling it onto the trailer. I hear that creaking noise and just cringe.

This occasion was on a shallow ramp with low water and the truck bed full of camping gear from the trip. I was loading the boat, and only discovered how deep we'd got with the truck afterwards.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

Removeable trailer hitch extenders are available for shallow ramps.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

Bottom line to this is......
If the bow eye is not for winching purposes then what is it there for ????
Please educate me if I am missing something.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Loading with the bow eye

My boat is lightweight, but so is the winch. I've found that putting the trailer in so that the top of the rear roller is just slighly out of the water makes for the best loading.

It centers the keel on the roller. I then pull it as far forward as I can with the bow rope, then hook up the winch rope. I crank the boat the rest of the way, and it never jumps off the rear roller, so it always comes on straight and even. The bunks don't come into the picture until the boat is sitting on three rollers, each of which has a rim that keeps the boat centered.

I assume that the bow eye and winch are perfectly capable of handling the strain of loading. So far, it has not been a problem.