ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

[cadunkle]

Does anyone have some tips to loading on a bunk trailer? I'm new to trailer boating. I've been boating for years but only occasionally had to pull boats out of the water. In any event I have a 21' boat with a shallow V and a bunk trailer. I generally do not like powerloading, I prefer to either hook up and winch on entirely or just idle onto the bunks and winch most of the way. I've seen guys have close calls powerloading before, and I get nervous with my truck as my parking brake isn't real strong against rolling backwards and I worry rocking the rig too much with the boat could cause it my transmission to pop out of gear.

I've found that I really have to submerge the trailer to get the boat on there, and then it's a pain to get the stern to align and sit on the bunks properly. Is there a trick to it? I feel bad typing up the ramp while I try to get my boat sitting properly on the trailer.

 

[chrisg]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

I learned a trick on this forum, spray furnature polish on the bunks, and they become slippery, I can winch the boat up with less effort.

There are also other posting asking the same question in here, with good advice. I have a V bottom, and I guess I'm lucky, never had the issue of the back end not lining up. I put the trailer in till only the last 1/4 of the bunks are showing , and then drive the boat up to the trailer, hook up the strap and wind it up the rest of the way. That pulls the back end into alignment for me. But someone said there are guides you can buy to attach to the back of the trailer to keep the back end in place.

 

[glrichards]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

I power load mine up to about 2 ft and then winch it up. The biggest problem I had was putting the trailer to far into the water and it never lined up in the rear. the new trailer has guides and makes it a lot easier. They are available here on iboats or you can make your own.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

Here is the method I employ to load my 18 foot bassboat. The trailer is backed in until the tire fenders are above the water about 4 inches. That allows the boat to correctly position on the bunks. Then, the trailer is further backed in and the boat is then easily winched to the bow stop. This is always done with a person driving the launch vehicle and one in the boat.

The "secret" to bunks is not be so submerged that the boat does not contact the bunks nor be so shallow that the boat does not travel the correct distance onto the bunks.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

guide ons, on the rear of the trailer, i allow only 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch clearance. the boat only has one place to go, where it should be.

 

[6MISFITZ]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

If our trailer was not in deep enough, it was always more work to launch than to recover but my wife and I practiced how far the fenders of the trailer needed to be under the water for the boat to more easily floated on the bunks with a minimum of winching needed. It was a decent V so it would do a good job centering itself - but not fool proof! If I screwed up, it was back into the water to re-do the job and thankfully there was no line ups on those occasions.

My DW would spot for me while I backed the trailer in and she would tell me when to stop or if I was by myself I could see the trailer fender in my mirrors and once they disappeared below the water, I was ready to unload or load.

I really like the trailer guide idea and a simple mark on the guide with a ring of hockey, electrical, duct tape or racing tape to indicate the correct trailer depth for your boat to be floated on.

When you are new at things, some people with more ramp experience might offer to help. If they want to hold a rope fine, but beware of the people who think they can drive it on for you and don't forget to lift the engine.

Mike.

 

[john from md]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

The trick to centering your boat is to not put too much of the trailer in the water. This allows the boat to center itself. Spraying furniture polish works but putting bunk slides on is a more permanent solution. These are made out of nylon and help the boat slide off and on the trailer. They also make using a manual winch about 50% easier.

Hope this helps,

John

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

Glad to hear that you dislike powerloading, it is a really BAD practice for a lot of reasons!!!! A ramp that I use often has a tilt to it and is quite shallow and makes it really hard to get the boat on the bunks properly. The best method is to not back the trailer in too far, maybe the last 1/3 of the bunks out of the water. Makes for a lot of work winching the boat on, but get the boat level every time.

 

[JoeCrow]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

I'm on the Delaware River where the current is swift and there's a lot of heavy traffic passing, it also gets quite windy at times. The best solution for me was guide-ons
I used the diagram Tashasdaddy provided a while back in another post to make mine
Relatively inexpensive (about $10) and a great asset especially where wind and current are a factor
I used some frame parts from an old trampoline that my kids outgrew for the posts and covered them in 2" pvc pipe
Add a few "U" bolts and you have it

 

[jonesg]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

I didn't see anyone mention it,

for a weak emergency brake just place a decent sized wheel chock behind the front tire when you are loading and unloading, tie a rope to it and tie it to your side mirror so it picks it up, that way you don't drive over it.

The only time I got the boat misaligned was when I put the trailer in too deep.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

I didn't see anyone mention it,

for a weak emergency brake just place a decent sized wheel chock behind the front tire when you are loading and unloading, tie a rope to it and tie it to your side mirror so it picks it up, that way you don't drive over it.

The only time I got the boat misaligned was when I put the trailer in too deep.

my truck is a stick and I use this trick everytime. makes me feel better and gives me a split second more to get on the pedals.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

My boat is narrower at the stern than at the widest spot in the beam, which is right across the windshield. With twin outboards on the back, I have to dunk the trailer in deep, motor up between the rear upright trailer guide-ons, hop out and hook the bow, then tie off each gunwhale to each guide-on with a bungee. Otherwise can never get the boat far forward enough with just the winch, or centered on the rollers. Works for me.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

I back up until the fenders are below and then a brake touch more. It's worked very well for launching and retrieving. I do not power load, ever! Pull the boat up as far as it will go (about 2-4 ft from post) and winch away. DONE.

 

[Bass Tracker TX17]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

Every bunk trailer/ boat combo is different. By reading the posts you see that everyone has there own way of loading.
I always power load (which can be a misnomer). I think of it as constant on.
In windy conditions I drop the trailer in a little shallower and use a little more forward speed for control. i usually end up about a foot from the bow stop and winch it the rest of the way. I could give little burp of throttle but not necessary.
You said you have seen close calls and I agree. Common sense and ability are necessary.
Like a comic once said. "You can't fix stupid".
In any technique ( power loading or not) requires a plan. As time goes on you will find your way of doing things.

The trick to holding a boat on the bunk is to be on the bunk enough. If your idling and just touching the bunk and stopping then your not letting the bunks help you. Correct forward momentum will plant the boat on the bunks and help
stable the stern. This doesn't mean plowing into the trailer either.

Read previous threads on boat launch procedures and tips.
Also for first hand learning, go to a boat launch and watch what NOT to do.

You'll be fine once you learn your combination..

A wheel chock is a smart idea for any std trans vehicle

 

[Benny1963]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

i use guide ons put trailer in water were i can see the back of my guides
and powerload trimmed up to about 1 ft from my winch walk to the front jump on my trailer deck into my truck and pull up to stageig area winch te rest of the way on and strap down pull plugs put transom saver on and go

 

[chrisg]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

I just pulled my boat out for the winter ( wife wants all boats out of the water before any more flood threats!) I do everthing myself (Wife just tells me what she wants done, but does not assist). I spent more time determining how far back to put the trailer then anything else. once I had it backed up to where the fenders were just under teh water, then drove the boat up onto the trailer. crawled out the front, connected the winch, and winched it the rest of the way. I just made sure the front lined up with the bow stop, and the rest lined up. Then pulled it out.

Now, must admit, I dont have a strong side current to contend with!

 

[Monkey Boy]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

The trick to centering your boat is to not put too much of the trailer in the water. This allows the boat to center itself. Spraying furniture polish works but putting bunk slides on is a more permanent solution. These are made out of nylon and help the boat slide off and on the trailer. They also make using a manual winch about 50% easier.

Hope this helps,

John

I had the hardest time loading my boat. It would take about 30-45 minutes to get it loaded each time -- put the boat one, pull the trailer out of the water to see from the back if the boat was on the boards properly, put it back in to adjust and repeat until correct.

Then I did some trailer repairs about 1.5 months ago. I added a new winch (more power, 2 speed) and bunk board side guide-ons (http://www.iboats.com/Shipshape_Sho...21570445--**********.115849318--view_id.38307)
With the stronger winch I don't have to put the trailer as far into the water and the guide-ons line it up while cranking.

So now I:
1) put the trailer in so that about 2/3 of the bunk boards are in the water
2) pull the boat onto the trailer with the launching rope and clip the winch strap to the boat
3) crank the boat up in the fast speed with the winch until it becomes just a bit tougher
4) switch to the slower/power speed on the winch and bring the boat the rest of the way up.

It all takes about 5 minutes - including backing up the trailer - and the boat is loaded perfect everytime. I have a deep V 17' fiberglass Bayliner and these guide-ons end up curved to line up with the shape of the hull nicely to make centering a non-issue.

Note: I tried the plastic slides, but they didn't work for me. They raised my boat just enough so that the eye-hook for the winch was at the center of my bow stop. I couldn't adjust the brackets for my bunk boards to lower the boat, so I had to take off the slides. It didn't matter much though because I have no problem cranking the boat up with the new winch (gear ratios of 5:1 and 12:1 - plenty of power with little effort).

 

[rubinjames]

Re: ips for loading on a bunk trailer?

Want to see an easy trailer to load and unload from?
Go to the Owens & Sons Trailers web site. Look at the single axle trailers (kind of have). Almost too easy.
The only problem with their "Slide-ON" trailers is you have to go to St.Petersburg,Fl. to get one as they do not use dealers.