Need advise on how to setup bunks on trailer.

09TNRT

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So on my last outing I had a little bit of a problem getting the boat back on the trailer, would've been a YouTube boat ramp failure video but my buddy was too slow to get his phone out lol. It's a 94 Aquatron 1800, and what little information I can find as far as the boat fitting this trailer tells me that it is the trailer it came with. There are only 2 long bunks on swivels on the trailer(you can probably guess what happened while loading in a crosswind and the boat didn't center itself on the wobbly bunks)but they just don't look correct. The closer to the bow you get the strakes? are actually sitting on the bunks not inside or outside or them. My buddies boat has 2 smaller bunks on each side that kind of cradle the strakes? and makes his boat much easier to load. How can I get the boat off the trailer to build new bunks? Or do I just do it with the boat on the trailer and hold the bunks firmly against the hull? I'll get some pictures up as soon as I get home so ya'll can get an idea of what I think is a problem. Maybe it's not and I'm just terrible at loading a boat.
 

alldodge

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Yes need pics
The more bunks the better in most cases. Need a keel set and an outboard set. Get them adjust correctly and you can come in almost sideways and it will center its self.
 

jimmbo

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More is not necessarily better if the bunks are not adjusted correctly.
How much of the bunks were out of the water when you were loading? A lot of people back the trailer in far too deep, making very difficult to load the boat
 

09TNRT

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It got dark before I got home last night but I'll get some pics up in a couple hours. Funny you mention sideways AllDodge, that's just about what I did lol. I'd say maybe a 1/3 of the bunks were out of the water, the tops of the trailer fenders were barely out of the water. The bunks are at least 6 ft long, so id say 2 ft or so was out of the water?
 

alldodge

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It got dark before I got home last night but I'll get some pics up in a couple hours. Funny you mention sideways AllDodge, that's just about what I did lol. I'd say maybe a 1/3 of the bunks were out of the water, the tops of the trailer fenders were barely out of the water. The bunks are at least 6 ft long, so id say 2 ft or so was out of the water?

Use to boat a lot in the Ohio river, and many times the river current was up. The Admiral always has trouble driving the boat, but she never had a problem getting the Rinker on the trailer. The trailer has a set of keel and outer bunks. Never took more then one time for her to get it on, it would ride it self right on.

Now the cruiser is another issue. I just installed some bunks more forward on the trailer to help with it. Will be pulling it out in another month or so, then I'll find out if it helps with it
 

Bayou Dave

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Are the bunk swivels tight or do they allow the bunk to move? With the boat set on the trailer properly let the bunks go where they want to to snug up to the hull. Then tighten the swivel bolts. That should help centering the boat when loading it. Also try not going in so deep. Each boat and ramp is different and yours may need 1/2 the fenders above the water to load it easier. Keep trying different depths and you will find that sweet spot.
 

09TNRT

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I swear I uploaded pics and they're not showing up? I'll try again I guess. They swivel loosely enough that the boat popped sideways on the trailer when I tried to load it. Instead of the bunks centering the boat, they shifted sending the boat into the trailer fender.
 

09TNRT

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09TNRT

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That black paint smudge came from the opposite side trailer fender. And those zip ties are just there for whatever reason, they aren't holding anything, I just keep forgetting to cut them off when the boat isn't sitting on top of them.
 

alldodge

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Think you could use an extra set. I would suggest need a set on the keel with a 6 to 8 inch space between them. Then your current set moved further out on the other side of the lifting strakes. Use 2x6 boards

Edit: Guess I should add, you don't have much a Vee hull so it won't ride into the center as easy as a deeper Vee
 
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09TNRT

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The bow area is a Farley deep V, it's deeper than my buddies ebbtide. So if I'm thinking correct, I should leave what's on there now and just move them to the outside of the strakes and add 2 up front for the keel. I'll post a pic of the front of the boat when I get home so I make sure I understand correctly.
 

alldodge

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Well be back home Sunday, so if I remember I'll post some pics of my Rinker
 

09TNRT

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Sorry it took me so long to respond, Iboats logged me out and I couldn't log back in to respond. I see what you meant by mine not being a very deep vee. Not related but would that have something to do with its awful low speed maneuverability lol? My buddies ebbtide is really deep like yours and set up similar. Would I be better off mimicking yours and his bunk setup even though mines not very deep?
 

09TNRT

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That's the rear bunks on my buddies boat, almost the same as yours.
 

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alldodge

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The deeper the Vee the easier it will settle into the bunks. Without much Vee its almost is flat and will move around some. As others mentioned, need to keep the bunks closer to the surface of the water, this way the weight of the boat will help. I would suggest a set as far out as possible, and once loaded make sure the bunks don't tip anymore. The keel bunk as previously thought may not help much and may cause more issues.
 

thunder550

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Agreed with above. Here is my setup, less is more in my case. Deep vee helps. We back the trailer in so that only the very front 6" or so of bunks are above water, and the boat centers itself perfectly every time. Stringers are directly above the bunks.

image_278454.jpg image_278455.jpg
 

09TNRT

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Does the boat have to be off the trailer to add a bunk? Or can I use a floor jack to hold it up then attach it to the trailer?
 

alldodge

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Does the boat have to be off the trailer to add a bunk? Or can I use a floor jack to hold it up then attach it to the trailer?

It can be on the trailer just don't push it up real tight with a jack, just snug it up some. Its real easy to lift a boat on the new bunks with a jack.
 

09TNRT

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I was just wanting to use my 2 floor jacks to just hold in place snug against the hull.
 
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