Hard time loading boat onto trailer

[psvaj]

I think something is wrong with my trailer. It is a 1980's Calkins with EZ load rollers except that they're not so easy to load. Yesterday I spent about 45 min trying to load my 18' boat. I thought these thing are supposed to self guide. The boat seems to do twists and turns as I am winching it up and by the time it gets to the top the boat is always off to one side more. I've tried adjusting the trailer by backing into and pulling out of the water. Also, when I do get the boat on perfect, some of the rollers can still tilt and turn.

 

[B_Eager]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

Sounds like your trailer is not adjusted properly, is it original??

 

[wayne h]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

i had the same problem with my 12 foot boat being so light it wanted to twist every time i loaded it. i made guides for the sides of the trailer behind the rear wheels.it keeps the rear of the boat straight on the trailer while winching it up.

 

[Fergulus]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

Howdy. Heres my two cents.<br /><br />If your boat has ridges down the bottom, you might want to put a couple of 2x4s along the bottom of the trailer so that, as you pull the boat up into the trailer, it will guide itself.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

Psvaj<br />If your boat is not a flat botom then boat should self center on trailer. Two things required for it to work right.<br /><br />1 When you back into the water you need to get trailer in a flat spot, both sides same depth. This is very easy on a paved or concrete with no sand washed up on the ramp. Not so easy on uninproved ramp with all mud or sand.<br /><br />2 When you back the trailer in do not back in so far that the boat floats when cranked up. For the boat to self center and all V hulls will, the boat must hit the trailer in the back. In fact when the boat is about half way on the trailer it should be on the rollers not floating. As long as the back is floating the only thing that will center it is you or a guide rail. <br /><br />I do not like guide rails as seen lots of boats damage by them. Either while loading the boat get on top or they hit the rail with the bow. Also some rub the sides and rub all the paint off.<br /><br />You can adjust your roller trailer to fit the boat and truck and make it eaiser also. Sometimes just by lowering the ball a little it will raise back of trailer so back hits boat and guides boat to center. Remember one thing and you will have no more trouble, if boat is floating the trailer will not center the boat. If you were to back in so that only bow floats on to the trailer then you hook up wench and crank it on it will be centered every time if trailer flat, but this requires a lot of cranking. So the key is to find how deep to back in where boat still has time to center on the trailer and you do not have to do too much cranking.<br /><br />I can load my boat on my roller trailer in less that two minutes and within one inch of perfect center every time.

 

[wayne h]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

psvaj i dont power load thats why i used the boat guides i have seem people screw up boats with guides while power loading.mine are 1 1/2 inch square tuding with pvc plastic over them so you cant mess up your boat with them. mine are homemade and seem to work very well for me.also helps with backing up the trailer.

 

[psvaj]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

Thanks to everybody for all the great tips. I was out on the boat yesterday and it took about 10 or so tries with 2 people in the water rocking to get the boat on decent. How do you adjust the rollers? Do you leave the boat on the trailer while adjusting the rollers? How do you know what to adjust to, or do you just try launching and retrieving until it seems easier? I don't believe the trailer is original equipment because it is an 81 and the boat is an 83 Starcraft.

 

[psvaj]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

Went out again a few days ago and took another 45 minutes to load the boat with 3 people. I'm pretty fed up with the thing. The guy I asked for help said that something is screwed up. I don't see any way these rollers can be adjusted. How do I go about making trailer/boat guides? Help!!

 

[wayne h]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

if you want to do it cheap and see if it will work use fence pipe covered with pvc pipe so it will roll and not scratch your boat i would use that because it galvinized .when your boat is on the trailer straight find a place to mount the pipe to the trailer near the rear about a foot in from the end of the trailer with u bolts run (you might need them bent any muffler shop will do that cheap for a few bucks)make them higher then the transom alot of people put there lights on them to keep then out of the water but thats later after you know they will work for you. i placed mine about 1/4 inch from the boat on both sides this will give it alittle room eather way when loading.remember they are just there to keep the back of the boat straight on the trailer while loading. it seems that is your problem.hope this helps,it cost me about 20 $ total to make mine i seen cheaper 1ns sell for over 70$

 

[iRich]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

I think you should follow boatist advice and you should have no problems. The key is having the wheels level because the boat will automatically be level from floating in the water. Also don't back in too far.<br /><br />Rich

 

[pra51]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

My 2 cents worth: I was having hard time loading my boat,especially in wind or current.I bought a set of bolt on guides and installed.My boat lines up perfect and goes on right everytime.Mine were like $65.00.Had them installed in under a hour.Had a lot of people ask me about them at our local ramp.

 

[denniz]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

psjav, 45 min to put a boat on the trailer??? Youve got to be kiddin. Are you backing your trailer in too deep? put the top of the trailer fenders at waterlevel and drive the thing on.

 

[wayne h]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

if he is having problems loading.DO NOT EVEN TRY TO POWER LOAD.dont drive the thing on.u need guides

 

[Spidybot]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

For your reference here is what I did:<br /><br />My trailer is with rollers, no bunks. The boat is 16' and some 1500 lbs.<br /><br />First of all I never back the trailer bearings or brakes into the water. When loading I pull the boat slowly toward the trailer and make sure the bow hits the first roller in the exact middle.<br /><br />By winching the wire, attached to the bow, will pull the bow towards the winch which is placed on the trailer centreline. If wind pushes the back of the boat sideways while doing this, I wait a second and only winch when the boat is on proper direction. In hard winds it may need a helping hand.<br /><br />When I got the trailer at first, it was incorrectly adjusted.<br />To make the trailer receive the boats right, I first checked the rollers with the boat off. All were checked and greased with marine grease.<br /><br />The first roller was a plain cylindric shape and I replaced it by a leading shape (smaller diameter in the centre) that helps the bow and keel to stay centered during loading.<br /><br />With the boat sitting right on the trailer I adjusted all rollers to give the hull firm support. Two side rollers had to be moved forward on the trailer to ensure they supported and guided better. It was quite obvious when looking at it at first, that these rollers were messing it up.<br /><br />The better and easier your rolls work, the more important is it to strap down the boat - fore and aft - as it would otherwise be able to roll of by itself when you drive.

 

[Mikevn1500]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

My old boat was a real SOB to load even with the guides. You would have looked like a Pro next to me. Now the newer old boat loads very very easy,most times the first time. Now as I sit here and think about what the differances were 1. The older boat was 15'5" and the trailer was a smaller one and had the small wheels. The boat sat almost on top of the fenders. 2. My newer boat is 18' and the trailer is alot wider with 15" tires and the boat sits between them. I am using the same guides from the smaller boat. I could not make the old boat load easy ever. The only reason I believe is the trailer. If you have a wide trailer then you should listen to the advice of the others (trailer level,Fenders sticking out a couple of inches and so forth).There are also guides that you could mount toward of the front of the boat that may help you.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Hard time loading boat onto trailer

A suggestion that you may have already tried. Tie a long line to each stern cleat and have a handler center the stern while you center the bow.