Where do you launch on the Big D?
This is spot on. The guide poles are too "whimpy" to deal with much side force such as from high winds or current even for a 16' boat. I just purchased a 26 1/2' bowrider that sits very flat on the trailer bunks. If there is any current or wind it is very hard to load and get the hull lined up straight on the bunks. I purchased some roller side guides, I think they stick up 24" and are mounted on the end of the trailer side tubing. I think they were C.E. Smith brand that I purchased on Amazon. At 24" they stick out of the water enough to serve as markers for the end of the trailer sides. Even though they are probably stout enough for a smaller fishing / bass boat as purchased I took them to a local fabrication shop and had them bent to the exact side angle of my hull and then had thick gussets added to them at the bend radius for strength since my boat weighs over 5000 lbs. A good coat of rust preventative primer and paint and I think I have just what I need to make putting my boat on the trailer a relatively easy and foolproof (I haven't used them yet so we shall see) process. I set the roller guides about 1 1/2" off the side of the hull but not so much that the hull could get the strakes on the bottom crooked on the bunks. I understand that side bunks also work very well but I didn't like the fact that they would block to an extent wiping the hull down after use which I do and they would be more difficult to mount on my trailer. The side roller guides were simple to mount, just use U bolts sized for your trailer tube size. Good luck, one thing for sure - a 16' boat will not need as strong a solution as a larger heavier hull.
Pictures?
