Loading problems - any suggestions?

[ArtB]

Maybe someone can offer me a suggestion.

I have a 16 ft. Alumacraft that is somewhat hard to load on my EasyLoadr trailer. I find that to get it lined up, I have to barely submerge the rear (self centering) roller and pull out the winch strap to reach it. Even with nylon glides (sometimes lubricated) on my bunks, it still puts too much strain on the winch strap so I have my wife gradually back the trailer as I winch the boat in. It works but is kind of a pain and, of course, I am in the water in hip boots.

I also have PVC guide-ons but they don't help much because they are mounted at the rear and and the boat is wider in the middle - at least at the gun'l. I suppose that I could mount them further forward or use roller or board type guides. Anyone have any thoughts?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y100/artburr/100_0910.jpg

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Loading problems - any suggestions?

How many keel rollers on that trailer?

I had a similar problem, with a smaller aluminum boat, and added two more keel rollers ahead of the rear roller. I adjusted them so that the boat just skimmed the bunks with virtually no weight on the bunks. It solved the problem completely. In fact, I now retrieve with the rear roller even with the water surface and can pull the boat halfway on the trailer with the bow rope.

Once it hits the second keel roller, it's self-aligning since it's no longer floating where it contacts the roller.

More rollers...easier loading.

Also, make sure your rollers are actually rolling easily. They can get pretty sticky after a while.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Loading problems - any suggestions?

move your guide ons forward, if you have to you can cut a piece of 2" PVC to go under the trailer and slide each guide on into the pipe. this acts as and additional support. i have done it on one of my trailers. move them in so you only have 1/2 inch clearance on each side. now you can back in deeper, and the boat has to line up. the pvc pipe also acts as a spring it you it the guide on too hard.

 

[ArtB]

Re: Loading problems - any suggestions?

I do have a forward keel roller but if I put too much weight on it, the keel cuts it in half. It has happened twice! Sharp keel and too much weight, I guess. Good thought, though.

 

[ArtB]

Re: Loading problems - any suggestions?

move your guide ons forward, if you have to you can cut a piece of 2" PVC to go under the trailer and slide each guide on into the pipe. this acts as and additional support. i have done it on one of my trailers. move them in so you only have 1/2 inch clearance on each side. now you can back in deeper, and the boat has to line up. the pvc pipe also acts as a spring it you it the guide on too hard.

Yes I can try moving them forward to the wide spot. I am not sure that I understand the rest of your suggestion.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Loading problems - any suggestions?

So, you just have the rear roller and the one up front? Is there another crossmember between the two, somewhere near the axle? One more roller will solve your problem, if properly adjusted to support the boat as it comes on the trailer.

I've seen trailers that rely on the bunks, rather than have a middle roller, and I see folks always having problems loading.

If it were me, I'd add a crossmember, if there isn't one, right over the axle, and put a keel roller there. If you have three rollers, you can adjust them or the bunks so that most of the weight isn't always on the bunks. If you can divide the weight and support the keel halfway between the current rollers on another roller, your boat will come on super easily, and you won't have the problem with too much weight on that front roller.

It's an easy fix, really. Any trailer shop could add the crossmember with no problem at all and you could do the roller yourself if you wanted to.

The only other option I can think of to ease your loading is roller bunks. They'd take care of it, too.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Loading problems - any suggestions?

I do have a forward keel roller but if I put too much weight on it, the keel cuts it in half. It has happened twice! Sharp keel and too much weight, I guess. Good thought, though.

Replace the front roller with a short set of bunk boards. Maybe a four bunk set up would work better that a bunk and roller set up.