Trailer Guide Ons DIY?

[Seaswirl89]

My trailer is a bit different than typical boat trailers because it has a steps made of approx 1/8” diamond plate. Looks like there used to be some kind of guide ons judging by the holes. Any ideas how to build some that will help guide my 20’ open bow boat?
It always seems to be windy when I’m loading the boat on the trailer. I’d like to build or buy and install some guide on bunks and/or guide on poles

 

[Seaswirl89]

Bump

 

[JASinIL2006]

I have a similar type of trailer and that's where I mounted my guide poles, but those are mainly for visibility, not for guiding the boat.

Most of the bumper- or roller-style guide ons I've seen are mounted directly to the trailer frame, not to the diamond plate.

 

[Seaswirl89]

I believe I can make the double support side bunk design work but figured I’d ask here in case someone has a better design for my style of trailer

 

[Seaswirl89]

I wonder if I did something like this… bought a strong sheleving bracket from homedepot, attached it to the frame of the trailer and the diamond plating and then attached a carpeted 2x4. The bracket is 1/4” thick so I’d assume it’s strong enough to resist bending if the boat was to come in contact with the 2x4

 

[Scott06]

I adde some guides to a trailer i
using pipe flanges and fittings

 

[GSPLures]

If you go with the metal brackets it would be more cost effective to buy some flat stock by the foot with the same dimensions cut and bend them and then drill the holes where they are needed. The flat stock will probably be around $10-15 depending on your area. The brackets will be about $70, would be well worth the effort and you can put the holes where they need to be instead of being possibly limited because of there hole placement.

 

[Seaswirl89]

If you go with the metal brackets it would be more cost effective to buy some flat stock by the foot with the same dimensions cut and bend them and then drill the holes where they are needed. The flat stock will probably be around $10-15 depending on your area. The brackets will be about $70, would be well worth the effort and you can put the holes where they need to be instead of being possibly limited because of there hole placement.

If I could bend the flat stock, wouldn’t it simply bend when the boat came in contact with the guide pole?

 

[Seaswirl89]

Wondering if I’d be ahead going with a pair of these for $140

 

[GSPLures]

If I could bend the flat stock, wouldn’t it simply bend when the boat came in contact with the guide pole?

You wouldn't bend flat stock by hand, you need either a brake or the edge of a sturdy work bench or vise and a hammer. The brackets on either of the pictures you posted are flat stock, just have to find out how thick (1/8, 3/16, or 1/4)

 

[JimS123]

Guide-ons are available almost everywhere, in a number of styles and sizes. Why go thru all the trouble and expense of building one when you can buy a rust=proof store-bought model and have it mounted in 15 minutes?

The example in post #9 should work fine, but there are shorter ones with a single bracket that are more convenient and half the price.

 

[JimS123]

I use these and they work awesomely well. I bet the holes might even line up...

Tie Down Engineering Boat Loading Roller Guides

Heavy duty 2" roller with end caps. Length of roller is 9" Roller angle adjusts to angle of hull. One piece adjustable clamp with U-bolt. 16 inches of adjustment, 8" on both sides. Easy mounting, fits all channel and tube frames up to 5 inches. Hot galvanized steel...

www.iboats.com

 

[Wave34]

On my trailer, I tried first the vertical posts uprights.
In theory, they are perfect to center the boat.
The reality I found, is that since the boat is wider in the center and the posts are at the back, they can't be adjusted to touch the boat because the boat won't pass between them (middle section wider).
Also, when it is windy, if you come in a bit at an angle, thinking that the posts will straighten the boat, they won't. When the boat touches one post, it is break, and will pivot around that post (a little bit). The bow will move in the wrong direction.

So, I made a pair of horizontal guides. Since they are lower they can be adjusted to touch the hull.
They don't help to center the boat coming in with wind, but what I do, is I backup the trailer less, and the bow is centered by the bunks.
I then attach and crank the most I can, then backup the truck and do the rest.
The advantage of the horizontal ones, for me, is that going out of the water, the boat is perfectly centered on the trailer.
With the posts, it was always a bit too much at the left or right and I had to backup in the water for a second try.

 

[JimS123]

I have avoided the horizontal carpeted bunk-types because they pick up a lot of road dirt and scratch the hull. I find the vertical rollers get the job done just as well.

Mine are adjusted to provide about 1" clearance on each side, right at the beam. Obviously, when the boat is fully loaded they are spaced out a bit wider (the transom is narrower). When the boat is about half way up on the trailer (when they meet the beam) that boat is perfectly centered on the trailer and it follows up just right all the way.

Add a couple of Stoltz self-centering rollers on a 2 trailer crossmembers and you'll have a rig that can be loaded singlehandedly in any wind or current situation.