Repositioning boat on trailer

[BigPoppaG]

Pst 76 said it all. Float her.

 

[chuckz]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

From your description I assume you have pivoting roller bunks. It sounds like your boat is very nearly perfectly balanced over the pivot point. Remove as much weight as you can from the stern and move it forward. Add coolers filled with water in the bow. Add enough weight forward until you shift the center of balance far enough forward that the boat stops rocking. Then refloat the boat and position it properly. Dump the water out of the coolers and you're all set.

 

[travism]

Repositioning boat on trailer

I have a 24' express cruiser, about 6200 lbs on a bunk trailer. Through a series of unfortunate events, my boat is on the trailer about 6 inches off of the bow stop. When I try to drive with it like this, the boat rocks back and forth on the bunks A LOT even with transom and bow straps attached, to the point that I'm not going out on the road with it like this. So I need to slide the boat forward on the trailer about 6 inches until it gets to the bow stop. <br /><br />I tried to just use the winch to bring it forward, but ended up with a cracked winch post so that is not an option. I have since replaced the broken winch post. What would be the best way to slide the boat forward on the trailer? Thanks.

 

[Pst76]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

Best way I can think would be to get it back to the water/boat launch and reload. Just get trailer in deep enough to float weight without unhooking winch cable.

 

[travism]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

I wish I could do that, but I really think that towing the boat is unsafe with it situated the way it is. It is stable when it is just sitting on the trailer, but any acceleration or deceleration causes it to rock too much for my comfort. I will consider taking it back to the launch driving very slowly in the middle of the night (no traffic) if there is no other solution, but I would like to explore other options first. Anyone else?

 

[BigPoppaG]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

How did you get it home in this condition?

 

[travism]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

BPG - I had the trailer in too deep at an unfamiliar ramp and ended up with the boat 3 inches off the bow stop when we pulled out. I tried to winch it forward in the parking lot and broke the winch post. Nursed it home, keeping the winch strap real tight to prevent bouncing figuring the post is cracked, big deal if it totally broken by the time I get back. The replacement post is at a slightly different angle and creates another 3 inch gap, so 6 inches gap total now. Now the boat has more room to bounce around and I'm leary of letting it raise up too much and snapping another brand new post.<br /><br />LIC - the bunks are carpeted 2x6s and don't pivot. I think the boat is just not loaded the way it should be and is rocking on a curved section of the hull bottom. But I think that shifting/adding weight in the front could help with the rocking anyway so I may try that if/when it comes to taking this thing on the road. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[salty87]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

wouldn't be my first suggestion, that would be floating it some more. but, i can get my boat to snug up a few inches from a liberal application of brakes.....not so much when going downhill.<br /><br />don't be a darwin candidate though

 

[BigPoppaG]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

Travism,<br />If it was my boat, I would float it again. Thats gotta be the easiest way.<br /><br />Don't know how far your ramp is but there has gotta be a way you can strap it down more for the one time trip back to the ramp. Bungee, rope, etc etc what ever it take.<br /><br />Just secure enough to keep her steady. Once there take off the straps and float her.<br /><br />When I load mine up, I ride her on the trailer a little ways. Then shut her down and wench it to the roller before I pull it out. Best way I know how. I also check to make sure she is steady and on the bunks before I strap her down. If not she gets floated right then and there.<br /><br />I also launch on a tidal river so I just put roller guides on the trailer. She goes on straight everytime. Might be a good investment. Bass Pro had them on sale for 57 bucks this weekend.<br /><br />Here are pics of mine. Look at bottom of post.<br /> Roller Guide Post <br /><br />Good luck and update us on what you come up with.

 

[travism]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

Since everyone is suggesting floating it back on, I'll try to make it back to the ramp. I'll put extra weight in the bow and strap it down the best I can. Hopefully I'm making more of this than need be.<br /><br />I'm pretty sure this is an isolated incident. I have the same side roller guides that you just put on and the taller upright posts, so side to side isn't an issue. It was just a steeper ramp than we were used to and now I've learned that the winch isn't the way to get the boat to move on the trailer out of the water. It's my first year trailering with this boat, so this is probably not going to be the last lesson learned the hard way.<br /><br />I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[BigPoppaG]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

We learn from mistakes. Everybody makes em.............and I mean EVERYBODY <br /><br />Good Luck Buddy.<br />BPG

 

[Pst76]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

You could try to wedge an old tire between post and bow as a spacer to move it. Just strap tire well onto the post. At least it would secure it somewhat. Good luck

 

[beezee28]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

What about putting 2 floor jack (1 in front and 1 in the back) jack the keel up about 1 inch off the trailer and winch up. this would move the trailer back and then lower the boat and you should be tight to the winch post.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

I noticed someone mentioned using the brakes and it will slide forward. I've done this a couple of times when I decided I wanted to move my winch post forward to get the boat a little more forward on the trailer. I take the boat on the road, and experiment with the speed and braking force it takes to move the boat forward. Usually is pretty easy. But my boat's a lot lighter than yours (wet, on trailer ~3500 lbs).<br /><br />Which brings up my other idea: why not just move the winch post back to the bow of the boat for the drive to the ramp. Then float it, but post to original spot, etc. etc.

 

[travism]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

Good idea, D., but the winch post is as far back on the tongue as it will go. The post connects to the tongue right where the tongue connects to the rest of the trailer frame. This is where the original post was connected. I need to take it to the scales and see how the tongue weight is distributed, especially now that the new post changes the boat position some. But for now the bow stop is as close to the boat as it's going to get.<br /><br />I don't think I'm comfortable with using the brakes or jacking the boat up. The boat's weight makes it a little more challenging and a bigger invitation for disaster than trying it with a lighter boat. Thanks for the brainstorming ideas though. Good ideas but I'd rather just nurse it to the ramp unless anybody else comes up with something better.

 

[AMD Rules]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

Why not tie a come-a-long between your hitch & the bow eye, over the winch roller if possible? Surely you won't be pulling so hard as to bend your hitch would you? Might be a good idea to hose the bunks down with water while your at it.

 

[travism]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

AMD - that was one of my original ideas but wanted to see what others came up with on their own. I was more worried about pulling that hard on the bow eye than the hitch, since there's apparently enough force involved to break a galvanized winch post. Can the bow eye take that kind of force?<br /><br />I also thought about putting some sort of bracing between the transom and a wall to keep the boat stationary while trying to back the trailer up with my truck to slide the trailer back under the boat. I don't think that my truck can do that in a gravel parking lot though.

 

[project hunter]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

No your bow eye will be laying in that gravel driveway. The easy way would be put it in the water. The second is with 3 floor jacks and a some wood blocking between the jack and the boat. I just did this with a 5500 pound boat and the jacks worked fine just be on level ground and lift all three corners at once or just a little at at a time

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

Hey Travis,<br />Salty87 made what seems to be a mad suggestion. He said, use the brakes to shift the boat on the trailer.<br /><br />This ain't as mad as it sounds. I had your problem, and tried jacks, bits of wood, levers - the whole show. All it did was use up beer. In desperation, I took the rig out and slammed on the brakes from a low speed. Then I wound the winch tight and did it again - and again. The boat moved up an inch each time, and finally I had it sitting right.<br /><br />If you do this, remember to loosen the stern straps - and unload loose stuff from the boat first!

 

[BigPoppaG]

Re: Repositioning boat on trailer

Originally posted by stillfishing:<br /> I took the rig out and slammed on the brakes from a low speed. Then I wound the winch tight and did it again - and again. The boat moved up an inch each time, and finally I had it sitting right.<br /><br />

Personally..............Just sounds too risky for such a nice boat. Slamming brakes on a trailer that has a boat on it that is not sitting right...... What works for one may not work for another.<br /><br />Just an opinion.