[chrisg]

I'm not sure if I should ask this under pontoons, or here.

I've never had a pontoon before. its a 24-footer. the marina put the boat onto the trailer for me. He told me to back in so only 3/4 of bunks were under water, then he drove it up onto the trailer till it hit the front stop. but when I pulled it out, the bunks are now bent. they are wood, so I hope they will go back after a while.

I was thinking I should back the trailer in so the entire bunks are under, then the 'toon is driven/pulled until it hits the front stop, not having it 'pushed' up on the bunks, flexing them.

ideas?

[cgBosun3]

They told you right...most of us toon owners dunk the bunks about 3/4th. More than that and its nearly impossible to get the boat lined up right. The V-shaped bunks help line up the pontoons. Get the toons on the bunks and give it a LITTLE throttle until teh boat just touches the bow stop. Hook it up and drive off.
The wood bunks should return to their original shape UNLESS the metal supports are bent.
Enjoy your toon!!

[Silvertip]

Here is a picture of internal load guides on a bunk style pontoon trailer. If your trailer doesn't have them, add them and your pontoon will be the easiest boat to load you will ever own. Doesn't matter if you drive on fully or drive on part way and winch up the rest of the way. This happens to be a Shorelander trailer but the load guides can be ordered separately from them or other suppliers.

[chrisg]

Thanks, and my trailer appears to have vertical rollers to guide the pontoons onto the trailer. I have not looked at the trailer since taking out of the water, as I took it straight to another marina to look at the motor.

Another thing I was supprised about, is that it is only a single axle trailer, for a 24-foot pontoon! It looks like I can only go to curtain ramps which have no sharp angles.
It will be interesting to do this myself next time.

[Silvertip]

I launch and load on both shallow and deep/steep ramps. How far you back into the water comes with experience.

[chrisg]

Gee Silvertip, you have a clean bottom

you apparently from a place where the water is not brown!. Regarding the boat ramps, Since this trailer is for a 24-footer and has a single axle, I have to find a ramp that goes straight into the water, othewise the back of the trailer hits the bottom of the river. ( I saw another boater trying to lauch his boat, but the angle of the ramp will not allow him to get his boat in the water. If you have your wheels near the back of the trailer, you would be able to launch it. (The ramps go in steep, then level out)

[brown_one]

on my dad's 24ft party barge i leave about 2-3 ft of bunks out of water. this will help keep you from crashing into the winch if you are coming in to fast. this happened to me once when a storm came up and we were trying to get of the water fast. dad was backing down and didn't see me signal to stop so he had the bunks completely under water and i was already coming in too fast. boat didn't catch bunks like i was used to and crashed into winch tower. buckled front of boat where bumpers on winch tower hit.

[chrisg]

Ooch!! That would hurt! Been there, done that ( with my other boat, boat required trip to the fiberglass repair place.)

Actually, that makes sence with the bunks, just leave a bit of the bunks out. I will try that next time.