help adjusting trailer, keep bending front keel rooler

Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
7
hi everyone, im having a problem loading and unloading my boat on my trailer. 98 252 fishmaster.
i got the boat in october, and trailer didnt come with the boat (brought it with me to pick up boat). part of the buying deal was the trailer was to be set up for me. but it was a saturday and the deal was out of state, so there was a time limit. they dropped the boat on my trailer and with the keel rollers all the way adjusted up the boat would still hit the fenders. so that not being part of a normal trailer set up they allowed me to remove them and drill new holes. my fenders are now 3/4 away from the boat and the tires, so no adjustment left there. they adjusted the positon of the boat so there was about 2 feet from the bow to the back glass of my suburban, just in case i needed to make a tight turn they were affraid id blow out my window. with doing so there was about 2 feet of boat stiicking off the back of the trailer (not including the outdrive) we pressed the bunks up to the boat and they left for the weekend......
i made it home just fine (6 hr drive) but did notice the trailer swayed a little bit, so the first and only time i launched the boat last year i moved my winch post towards the truck about 6". not affraid of hitting the glass even when trailer is jackknifed the boat is still a foot away. with the boat weight more forward it cured the sway.
now they never loaded or unloaded the boat, only used the lift to set it on the trailer.... so last year when i went to launch i found out quickly that my winch handle would hit into the bow of the boat while i was cranking. so i adjusted the hight of the winch to get boat loaded up. so over winter i offset the handle away from the center, so another problem cured. after i got home that day i noticed my front roller had bent.

took the boat out for the first time this year and had a bad time even getting it off the trailer. ( the secure eye got stuck on the bow roller). i tied the boat up and went back to the tailer, just so happens i brought some new roller shafts with me and i changed them on the spot. had fun with the family on the lake (no fish caught, boo) and came back and loaded up. my winch stand and the secure eye on the boat were not happy with each other again, so i adjusted it to be able to load again.. and again noiced that the shaft i had just changed a couple hrs ago was bent again.

after thinking about it, me moving the winch stand last year put the boat loaded position totally different. so heres what id like to know,. if i raise the bunks up ( more in front) and make them support the weight instead of the keel rollers wouldnt that take weight off the front most roller so i stop bending it? or is it because the boat bow is able to go farther onto the front roller thats (moved winch stand) making it bend. and the best fix is to move the stand back.again.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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May 24, 2011
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Pictures, please. It sounds like trailer may be too small for the boat.
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
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May 24, 2004
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Sounds like you need to get a trailer more suited to the size of your boat. But as GA requested, Pictures Please
 
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
7
took some pics today. thanks for the advice, although i dont like what your saying so far lol.
 

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emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
That’s a heavy boat and it’s supported solely by that roller. I would’ve asked for a longer trailer. I also don’t like the fact the transom is hanging off the back that far. It’s recipe for a problem after enough time.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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May 24, 2011
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The trailer is about 3, maybe 4 ft. too short, mostly in the tongue. There is no way to make the trailer fit the boat without major mods.

What is the weight of the boat as loaded when you go out and what is the trailer capacity?

Don't overshoot when hooking up or you will be taking out the rear window.
 
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
7
ok new trailer in the future, check. but what would you do to help lower the weight on the front roller now? i would like to use it this summer, and get a new trailer come fall. i was thinking of raising the bunks slightly and moving the winch stand back a couple inces, and lowering the front roller slightly. if i did all three think it would make a difference? also do you think i should raise only the front of the bunks or keep them level?
thanks
 

ahicks

Captain
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
3,957
I think it's a safe bet the front of the bunks aren't carrying enough weight. You could raise them, but lowering the back might be a smarter move. It's hard to tell from the pics. Too, a heavier roller to replace the one that's getting bent might be a good plan as well. Maybe double up on the front roller, with one on both sides (front and rear) of that cross member might be a good plan as well.
 

emoney

Commander
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Jul 19, 2010
Messages
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I think you might be running a bigger risk than you might even think. GA_Boater asked about the weight capacities of the trailer for a reason. The fact that you mentioned it was swaying when you towed it the first time is one of those "indicators". Failure on the highway would be a MUCH bigger problem than you're probably anticipating. Do you have the option of using a Marina to store the boat, where they could put it in the water with a gantry crane? Or, launch the boat, rent a slip, and take the trailer and trade it somewhere for one that fits. There should be ZERO concerns of the boat coming in contact with the tow vehicle when it's properly sized. You see the difference when you rectify this problem. Good luck and keep us posted
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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If the winch stand is moved back, you will have an issue with tongue weight and have a swaying trailer because more weight will be behind the axles.

You didn't answer this - What is the weight of the boat as loaded when you go out and what is the trailer capacity?

What are the first three letters of your HIN and the last two number? I can't find 1998 Fishmasters, they only show models up to 1983, might be able to get close to estimating the boat weight with the partial HIN.
 

Fed

Commander
Joined
Apr 1, 2010
Messages
2,457
By moving the boat forward on the trailer you have raised the bow so you need to raise the bow roller position to suit the new height.
As advised you should first check the weight on the towball to see if more adjustment is necessary.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
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Jul 23, 2011
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47,297
first, trailer is too light for the weight on the boat. my guess the boat weighs close to 6000 and the trailer is for less than 4000
second, bunks need to be about 6 feet longer going forward to support the forward heavy hull
third, the keel roller is supposed to just be a guide, not have 2 tons sitting on it.
 

emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
I'm sure none of our answers are what you were hoping for in a "quick fix". That's not something you'll get around here because, well, safety first. I can assure you, every catastrophe that is 'man-made', meaning not caused by nature, started with someone thinking 'It'll be ok" or "it's just once or twice..". Those are famous last words. Even if you are fully insured to the maximum of policy limits, an insurance adjuster still works for the company and he/she will immediately know this trailer is too small for this boat. Not the mention what can happen when that rig reaches critical breaking point, and the risk to life and limb of not only yourself, but strangers who happened to on the same road at the wrong time. Not trying to be overly dramatic here, it's just most of us have had similar things pop up where we "hoped for a certain outcome". Heck, I'd venture to say a lot of us have even tried things we shouldn't have. But the great part about the iBoats Community is, those are stories for the "past". Most occurred long before a person could quickly jump online and ask questions to people in-the-know and receive an answer within minutes. A refrigerator weighs in around 300 lbs. Imagine someone throwing that at your windshield, or your person, at 60 mph. Now...envision that same fridge being your boat.

Enough said, and to add, I'm not naive to think this message will be received openly, lol. It might, however, cause someone else who searches the world wide web to think twice when faced with making a similar choice.
 
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
7
Thanks for the help and concerns. the boat is 4500lb so says the all knowing internet (ha), as for the trailer capacity ???? the previous owner had a 23' boat on it, so i got it hoping the 25 would fit i was in a time crunch and the trailer was a deal.

ill try doubling that front roller, while raising the bunks some to help relive the front roller, and start looking for a bigger trailer. As for trailer looking, how do you know if it will be big enough? does it go by weight capacity or by feet?.
 

ahicks

Captain
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
3,957
Both weight capacity and feet. When shopping, make sure to keep some headroom when it comes to capacity - to cover the "stuff" that ends up aboard, that's all weigt in addition to your starting weight of 4500. For instance, I wouldn't go smaller than 6000 for a 4500lb boat.
 
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