Process for changing boat trailers?

[ratdude747]

Today I tried dipping my boat in the Ohio river... and I found out the city ramp is in fact very shallow at the bottom. So much so, that without pushing my truck (RWD 1984 F150, open diff) too far (past the concrete 4' from the water's edge) I couldn't get enough buoyancy to leave the bunks.



(We did dip farther, but this is the one pic I happened to take during the attempts)

A few weekends ago we had a similar issue at a lake ramp... but it was a bit steeper and we just barely made it work (getting on the trailer was a similar but lesser struggle).

Among other existing complaints (too tall to get in easily and for my wife to get in at all, winch post is rusted pretty bad, etc.) I'm thinking that I'm going to have to get get another trailer (shame, since I dumped $400 in replacing tires, lights/ wiring, winch, and transom straps). Something closer to the boat's original factory trailer that rode a lot lower (since unlike the original owner's situation in 1976, a wide trailer isn't a logistical show stopper).

Without involving a boat ramp, where/how would I go about getting my trailer swapped once I had such a replacment trailer? Find a shop/marina with the appropriate fork truck /lift? At over 1000lbs (per the manufacturing tag) it's not something I can just push off and crib with wood...

 

[Captain Caveman]

First of all - sweet truck. I had an '85 F-150 and loved it to death. To date that is still the most comfortable seat (bench) I've ever sat in. I had the same 8ft bed and bench. Granny gear stump puller - straight six was awesome.

Most dealership or marinas will have a forklift for moving boats around (at least in my area). So if you buy a new trailer they can do the swap. That said, the trailers will be similar heights. It's tough to tell if your current trailer has fender steps, but with the height of your boat's gunnels it may be a struggle regardless. You could get one of those boat ladders that hangs over the side.

I'm a roller trailer guy, and that makes a huge difference in low water. However, if you want to try and salvage your trailer you can look into changing the bunks. I don't remember what they were called (surf bunks???) but there are some bunk materials that make going on and off easier.

....and as much as I love your truck, it may not be the ideal tow vehicle for shallow boat launches and a bunk trailer. I'm sure that others will have opinions though!

 

[ratdude747]

First of all - sweet truck. I had an '85 F-150 and loved it to death. To date that is still the most comfortable seat (bench) I've ever sat in. I had the same 8ft bed and bench. Granny gear stump puller - straight six was awesome.

Most dealership or marinas will have a forklift for moving boats around (at least in my area). So if you buy a new trailer they can do the swap. That said, the trailers will be similar heights. It's tough to tell if your current trailer has fender steps, but with the height of your boat's gunnels it may be a struggle regardless. You could get one of those boat ladders that hangs over the side.

I'm a roller trailer guy, and that makes a huge difference in low water. However, if you want to try and salvage your trailer you can look into changing the bunks. I don't remember what they were called (surf bunks???) but there are some bunk materials that make going on and off easier.

....and as much as I love your truck, it may not be the ideal tow vehicle for shallow boat launches and a bunk trailer. I'm sure that others will have opinions though!

The truck's been a project since July 2019... lots of threads about it on another forum. 300 straight 6, but has a shallow 3.08 rear end and AOD transmission (great for fuel economy, but does limit towing capacity a bit). Was a cheap find ($750) that has been a worthwhile project... but boat ownership wasn't even on my radar then (as my boat was bestowed upon me by my best friend's family as a "free" project)

I know a different trailer won't be that much different in height... but even 6" would help here... I am told by the original owner's brother-in-law (aka my best friend's dad) who knew the boat since new the original trailer was in fact quite a bit lower riding... but they had to get a tall trailer where the wheels would fit under the hull. Here's another picture from the last/only successful
outing showing the current ride height better:



I found somebody on FB marketplace in OH who has a EZ-loader roller trailer about the right size (18', my boat is 16') for sale for very cheap ($300). I'm not posting link to avoid the no-social-media-linking rule, but here's a pic from the listing:



Would have to go through some titling hoops (same mess I went through with the current trailer) and while the bones look solid (maybe some surface rust, but nothing worse than the "good" parts of the existing trailer), it probably would need new rollers and other TLC... if it's even rated (seller doesn't seem to know, I advised him to look for the GVWR/VIN tag). But, that brings up the issue of how I would move the boat to said trailer, which was my original question.

Brand new trailer is not in the cards ($4000+ from what I'm seeing???). But I don't mind getting something fixable and putting in elbow grease if that means a better deal long term. And the only used trailers I see marinas listing are basket cases... "would be better as a landscape trailer", etc.

Old trailer is too tall for my wife to climb into without an external ladder (and for me is barely doable standing on the top of the fender, very "iffy" groin clearance!) and the winch post has what looks to be freeze damage (rusted with peeling paint, tube bulged)... Aside from today's fiasco (haven't tried the ramp across the river in KY yet), it does work, but leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[ratdude747]

Nix that trailer... they painted over the VIN tag (sticker)... so cannot be titled in Indiana without applying for a new VIN (if that's even doable since the old tag may still be visible if not legible). Forget that.

May have found another in Ohio (cheaper but covered in surface rust- still has factory stickers)... but I suspect it may be way too big.

The KY ramp has no courtesy dock... so that's no good since the boats too big to beach load.

Edit- I looked into bunk slicks... may be the way to go. My bunks aren't in great shape anyway (fabric loose in spots, needs new staples)... so two birds, one stone?

 

[jimmbo]

A bit of Paint Remover should make the Trailer Vin Sticker Visible

You could McGiever an Extension that you could attach to the Trailer Tongue to add a few feet. Since you have a Truck, it could be kept in the Box, when towing to and from the Launch

 

[Chris1956]

Check Eastern marine for a trailer tongue extension. It should bolt on and add a few feet to trailer length. Will that do it?

 

[Scott Danforth]

buy a 4' hitch extension with a set of dolly wheels for when you are at the ramp since your truck is a 1-legged wonder.

there are ramps dad and I used to go to that we backed in until the water came in the doors in order to launch

 

[Chris1956]

Don't try that is saltwater.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Hitch extension will help you at crappy ramps.

 

[Lpgc]

Hitch extension might work or for a longer extension you could just use a length of chain or rope.

On shallow slips my dad used to chock the trailer wheels, unhitch it, connect some chain between the tow hitch and trailer, pull the boat forward ro remove the chocks, reverse and the trailer would go back into the water anyway because of the slope.

But if there's a sudden drop off where the slip ends you wouldn't want the trailer wheels to fall off the edge with the trailer connected to the hitch normally and especially not if you're using a chain.

 

[jitterbug127]

Funny you posted this! Friend of mine fish the white river (in Indiana) too often and its a fairly shallow river. I had to drive my CRV all the way in the river in order to launch it the other day. I feel your struggles. I just got a new trailer (my whole Trailer was rusted out bad), and it probably sits an inch or 2 higher than the last one. It is also shorter trailer which has made launching on shallow ramps difficult. We were able to find another ramp downstream that will make launching much easier.

 

[ratdude747]

I'm a bit weery on hitch extensions due to my and (especially) my wife's lack of trailer driving skill- doesn't that make backing up way harder? That said, I did "accidentally" make my wire lead way too long (a bunch of it is folded in the trailer tube), so it would probably work with such (I dip with the wires plugged in, the taillights are potted submersible lights and all the splices are heat shrink crimps very well insulated and waterproofed).

I'm also probably going to redo my bunks to have glides on them of the "full coverage" variety:



Since the trailer has 4 bunks in the back (front is just keel rollers), I figure I can remove the bunks from underneath one at a time and let other three hold the boat long enough to get the old fabric. I figure this will help as well- I don't mind reaching over the bow to undo the winch once I'm down (or if not, the driver has appropriate shoes on and can get wet).

 

[FLATHEAD]

I'm a bit weery on hitch extensions due to my and (especially) my wife's lack of trailer driving skill- doesn't that make backing up way harder?

Not at all, my experience is the longer the trailer the easier it is to back around. Short trailers are a PIA

 

[cyclops222]

I am easy to please. I go to easier to use ramps.

 

[ratdude747]

I'm a bit weery on hitch extensions due to my and (especially) my wife's lack of trailer driving skill- doesn't that make backing up way harder? That said, I did "accidentally" make my wire lead way too long (a bunch of it is folded in the trailer tube), so it would probably work with such (I dip with the wires plugged in, the taillights are potted submersible lights and all the splices are heat shrink crimps very well insulated and waterproofed).

I'm also probably going to redo my bunks to have glides on them of the "full coverage" variety:



(Such as this locally available one for $35, 16" extension).

Forgot to mention that I also accidentally got too long of a trailer safety chain (had to replace the old chains that were way too short to use safely). If the extension became an "always use with trailer" item then I'd be in luck.

Since the trailer has 4 bunks in the back (front is just keel rollers), I figure I can remove the bunks from underneath one at a time and let other three hold the boat long enough to get the old fabric

 

[ratdude747]

Well, a trip to a few places in town later, we have this:



I went with a 12" extension as I figured that's what my chains (when fully extended) would allow. But it does look a bit loose... I can always choke the chains up with some quick links I grabbed while I was at it.

My bunks are longer than I thought. Outer bunks are 4ft long, inner bunks are 8ft long. If I want to slick them I'll need the boat off after all.

Slightly tangential but still trailer-related item: while I was in town, I fetched some hardware to attach a safety chain to the winch pole:





I hope this is acceptable. The carriage bolt may need swapped though as the old one might have been grade 5 (which the nuts and hardened washers are) but the new one isn't marked for a grade (and I didn't find carriage bolts with a specified load rating). The chain/hook was on the the trailer's original vehicle chains that were way too short to use with a class 3 hitch; before, they were using rope as a makeshift safety chain which was IMHO too much fuss (and likely not very safe). Did I do this right?

 

[jimmbo]

You might want to reconsider about towing with the Extension in Place, as it will reduce the Weight applied to the rear of the Tow Vehicle, and increase the Chances of the Trailer Fishtailing.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I launch at a lake with a very shallow natural beach/ramp. I also have bunk trailer. If the water is low, I use a hitch extension (even 24" makes a huge difference), but I only add the extension right before I launch the boat.

I also have found that if I get up a bit of speed while backing up and then hit the brakes at just the right moment, the boat will slide off the trailer into the water. I just need to make sure I have a long line tied to the trailer and to a bow cleat so the boat doesn't float away.

I looked into bunk slicks, but I found spraying the carpeted bunks (when fully dry) with silicone spray made a huge difference, so I skipped the bunk slicks.

 

[ratdude747]

You might want to reconsider about towing with the Extension in Place, as it will reduce the Weight applied to the rear of the Tow Vehicle, and increase the Chances of the Trailer Fishtailing.

I thought fishtailing was more of an issue with tongue weight distribution of the trailer itself... which didn't change since the trailer itself is unchanged. In all the reading I did on extenders, I saw no mention of such being a hazard. If anything, the weight is increased as the lever arm of the hitch is longer (and I did notice that the truck squats a bit more).

I still have the option to remove the extension and choke the chain back for highway driving (I bought some quick links specifically for such a purpose)... but will likely need a new ball mount as I had to smack the existing one into the extension (tubing seam interference)... although after some use it might loosen enough to be removable (and to where an anti-rattle clamp might be warranted?).

 

[jimmbo]

Do what you want, it is your Truck, Boat and Insurance