Hunky Dory
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2003
- Messages
- 102
We have been super pleased with our simple pontoon guide-on rig that I've not seen elsewhere. Thought I'd mention it here.
We bought short trailer rails for normal V-hull boat and reversed them between the pontoons. Taking advantage of the sliding track adjustment we mounted them at back of the trailer in sort of an open V shape. And voila -- getting on and off the trailer is a cinch in even awful conditions.
One need only drive on within a 2 foot target zone and the guide-ons correct the approach. Once engaged just steer the outboard to align front gate into its known-good position against the barrier and hook up. Boat is guaranteed to be over bunks front and rear.
And the boat will not swing away during launch.
We once dipped into 4 lakes in one day as thunderstorms chased us around Grand County (before Colorado ever heard of the Zebra Mussel). Two recoveries were in heavy crosswind squalls, one of which was at a primitive ramp with a boulder border. Piece of cake -- we couldn't have been happier with our investment.
I've seen parallel inner rails on pontoon trailers and simple vertical inner posts at the rear of the trailer. Not the same. With these devices you must span the guides with perfect alignment -- or if they are mounted with sufficient slack for ease of use you might not end up squarely on the bunks.
With ours the rear-most part of the open V is much narrower and easier to engage than the forward end which is set within inches of the tube inner walls and ends close to the axles. So and it is easy to maintain steerageway on approach to trailer and the tubes are held in alignment over the bunks as the bow is steered into place.
On one rather steep ramp (with current going one way and prevailing wind in another) we usually have the vehicle driver only partially submerge the trailer and then we "ground" the tubes onto the forward bunks (sometimes with gentle backing and steering). When everything is set, he comes in the rest of the way while the boat fast-idles forward. The bunks "steer" the tubes and the rear is held in alignment.
And yes, we did ram once and knocked the bejeebers out of one side. But all was easily fixed. I think I read it here: Never approach a dock at a speed greater than you are willing to ram. Applies to trailers as well.
Sorry, I did not find a matching guide on iBoats store but http://www.iboats.com/Shock_Absorbi...61315142--**********.374579563--view_id.40438 might be even better depending on whether the V angle can be set and held firmly enough.
We bought short trailer rails for normal V-hull boat and reversed them between the pontoons. Taking advantage of the sliding track adjustment we mounted them at back of the trailer in sort of an open V shape. And voila -- getting on and off the trailer is a cinch in even awful conditions.
One need only drive on within a 2 foot target zone and the guide-ons correct the approach. Once engaged just steer the outboard to align front gate into its known-good position against the barrier and hook up. Boat is guaranteed to be over bunks front and rear.
And the boat will not swing away during launch.
We once dipped into 4 lakes in one day as thunderstorms chased us around Grand County (before Colorado ever heard of the Zebra Mussel). Two recoveries were in heavy crosswind squalls, one of which was at a primitive ramp with a boulder border. Piece of cake -- we couldn't have been happier with our investment.
I've seen parallel inner rails on pontoon trailers and simple vertical inner posts at the rear of the trailer. Not the same. With these devices you must span the guides with perfect alignment -- or if they are mounted with sufficient slack for ease of use you might not end up squarely on the bunks.
With ours the rear-most part of the open V is much narrower and easier to engage than the forward end which is set within inches of the tube inner walls and ends close to the axles. So and it is easy to maintain steerageway on approach to trailer and the tubes are held in alignment over the bunks as the bow is steered into place.
On one rather steep ramp (with current going one way and prevailing wind in another) we usually have the vehicle driver only partially submerge the trailer and then we "ground" the tubes onto the forward bunks (sometimes with gentle backing and steering). When everything is set, he comes in the rest of the way while the boat fast-idles forward. The bunks "steer" the tubes and the rear is held in alignment.
And yes, we did ram once and knocked the bejeebers out of one side. But all was easily fixed. I think I read it here: Never approach a dock at a speed greater than you are willing to ram. Applies to trailers as well.
Sorry, I did not find a matching guide on iBoats store but http://www.iboats.com/Shock_Absorbi...61315142--**********.374579563--view_id.40438 might be even better depending on whether the V angle can be set and held firmly enough.
