Help! Boat trailer issue

Greenie08

Cadet
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
6
This summer I was given a 17’ slyvan super sportster on a shoreline trailer. The boat has been sitting on my patio while we worked on gutting it and fixing some issues. Today I decided it needed to be loaded undercover. Hooked it up got it backed it and now the back end is heavy and it raises the hitch off the ground. I am not sure why, anyone have any pieces of advice to figure out what’s going on.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Welcome aboard.

Have you replaced all stuff after gutting her? It's all a matter of weight distribution.
 

Greenie08

Cadet
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
6
Everything I pulled out is now sitting in the front of the boat. I just took some pictures. Another thing to add. The boat was perfectly level before i moved it. Moved it and now all the weight wants to sit int he back end. Made sure it didn't have alot of water sitting in it. It didnt move on the trailer. Any thoughts?
This summer I was given a 17’ slyvan super sportster on a shoreline trailer. The boat has been sitting on my patio while we worked on gutting it and fixing some issues. Today I decided it needed to be loaded undercover. Hooked it up got it backed it and now the back end is heavy and it raises the hitch off the ground. I am not sure why, anyone have any pieces of advice to figure out what’s going on.
 

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GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
If the transom drain plug is in - Pull it.

What all did you move around?
 

Greenie08

Cadet
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
6
Already out, checked for water there was a little not enought to even come out of the hole on its own. Everything was pulled up, from the driver/passenger console forward the the front of the boat. Everything that was pulled up is now sitting in the front of the boat loose, but still the same amount of weight. I moved it total less than 100 yards.
 

Greenie08

Cadet
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
6
Up, everything is the same as it sat before I moved it, nothing was changed beside the location. All the straps are tight, so I don’t think it moved on the trailer
 

Mark ofs

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
75
The concrete block on top of the trailer behind the spare tire, was that on the trailer prior too? or, was that just added to help get the tongue down? If it was there prior to the move, is it still in the same position or has it slid back towards the boat?
 

Lowlysubaruguy

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
514
I do not see any evidence of this but pictures are often not worth 1000 words. Has your winch post slide rear ward. This could cause what you have going on. If you slide it forward about three inches how does your boat sit and what did that do to you get weight.
 

Greenie08

Cadet
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
6
The concrete block on top of the trailer behind the spare tire, was that on the trailer prior too? or, was that just added to help get the tongue down? If it was there prior to the move, is it still in the same position or has it slid back towards the boat?
The block was added to try and get the tongue down.
 

Greenie08

Cadet
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
6
I do not see any evidence of this but pictures are often not worth 1000 words. Has your winch post slide rear ward. This could cause what you have going on. If you slide it forward about three inches how does your boat sit and what did that do to you get weight.
I didn’t see that it moved but I wasn’t really looking, the winch was still tight, and it appeared to be sitting at the same place where the roller coaster facts the boat
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
OK, you're worried over nothing. Work on the boat is ongoing and the weight isn't normal.

Drop the tongue on the ground with blocks or sand bags or a neighbors kid. Put some blocking under both rear corners of the trailer and have the kid step off or remove the weight. Use the trailer jack to level the boat and dgo back to working her.
 

sphelps

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
11,429
Just looking at the picture from the side , you need to move the axle back ..
It kinda looks at midship or worse now ...Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me ..
 

skuhleman

Seaman
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
60
Just looking at the picture from the side , you need to move the axle back ..
It kinda looks at midship or worse now ...Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me ..
Absolutely, that axle is way too far forward! Looking at the picture that shows the front of the axle, looks like there is a U bolt missing around the frame to the axle/ leaf assembly.

Betting the whole assembly slid forward when you backed the trailer up. You need to get it back where its supposed to be then put Ubolts around the frame and through the 2 holes in that leaf spring bracket
 

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briangcc

Commander
Joined
Jul 10, 2012
Messages
2,089
Granted I've only ever owned fiberglass boats but to me, that axle looks too far forward. I'd look at moving that back some to rebalance your load.

Right now, the way that trailer is setup, the motor is acting like a huge counterweight pulling that trailer tongue up in the air.
 

jhande

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 26, 2010
Messages
442
Personally I'd wait until I was finished working on the boat (loads can change). Then I would load it with all the weight and where it would be stored in the boat, such as fuel tanks, fishing gear, etc. Then I would see if the tongue still flies high. If so I'd move the axle rearward until the weight transfer brings it down but not so much that you can't lift it to put on the ball of your hitch.

If you have a bad back like me then use your trailer jack for future hookups.
 
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